When you first dive into the world of DIY health and beauty, you start slow with easy recipes so that you aren’t overwhelmed. The typical DIY beauty products are body butters, mouthwashes, scalp rinses, or hand soaps, but people rarely make their own deodorants. Honestly, though, DIY herbal deodorants are very easy to make, they keep the stench away, and they are more beneficial and safer for your skin than regular deodorants.
Sweating Is Natural, But You Don’t Have To Stink
Delivering a presentation to your staff, sitting on a crowded bus, or doing some planks and squats can all make your underarms perspire. To prevent a foul stench and a lot of sweat, people use antiperspirants that are designed to tame odors and moisture. Unfortunately, these products contain aluminum-based salts that plug up sweat glands. Maybe that sounds great to you, but a 2016 study found that these antiperspirants compromise the skin’s ecosystem, creating intense bacteria that can produce body odor.
Building A Deodorant That Compliments You Chemistry
Similar to your gut, your skin also contains beneficial bacteria and bad bacteria. Antiperspirants can introduce new bacteria that are smellier than the ones that existed before. To build a better pit microbiome, shall we say, it is wise to avoid synthetic and artificial ingredients. Many ingredients that are commonly in natural deodorants include:
- Essential oils (lavender, sandalwood, bergamot, and sage are very common)
- Coconut oil and tea tree oil (both contain antibacterial properties)
- Baking soda, cornstarch, or arrowroot powder (all contain absorbent properties)
DIY Deodorant
Ingredients For The Infused Oil:
- dried lavender
- dried sage leaf
- ¼ cup coconut oil
- sweet almond oil to fill jar
Instructions For The Infused Oil:
- Fill a half pint Mason jar 2/3 full with equal parts dried lavender and sage leaf.
- Melt ¼ cup of coconut oil in a saucepan over low heat. Once it is melted, pour it into the jar with the herbs.
- Fill the remainder of the jar with sweet almond oil. Let this sit in a cool, dark place for about 2-6 weeks. Strain out the herbal material through a fine mesh sieve once it is ready to use.
Ingredients For Deodorant:
- ½ cup infused oil
- 2 ounces beeswax
- 1 ounce Shea butter
- 10 drops lavender essential oil
- 10 drops sage essential oil
- 10 drops sweet orange essential oil
- 2 tablespoons arrowroot powder
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
Instructions For Deodorant:
- Put the infused oil and beeswax into the top part of a double boiler. Stir until the beeswax melts. If you don’t have a double boiler, you can place a heat-safe glass bowl over a small saucepan of simmering water.
- Once the beeswax melts, add the Shea butter and stir until dissolved.
- Remove the mixture from the bowl or double boiler and mix in the essential oils. Slowly add the arrowroot powder and baking soda, stirring until the mixture has thickened and is well combined.
- Pour the mixture into empty deodorant containers or half circle silicone molds. Let the deodorant sit for a few hours to harden before using.
