Wednesday, November 28, 2012

Make Your Own Deodorant

This is something I've been playing around with for a while. I hated the chemicals in commercial deodorants but I could never find any natural deodorants that actually worked for me. Either I stunk or I was sweating like a hog. Yep. 

Because I knew that the stink is from bacteria, I started using Tea Tree Oil and just rubbing a little on my armpits. This worked....for a little while. Until my armpits started itching like crazy. I realized it probably wasn't the best idea to put Tea Tree Oil directly on my skin. Besides, it didn't do much for the sweating. 

So, I started playing around with a few different recipes and came up with a concoction that has been working really well:

3/4c - 1c Coconut Oil
1/4c Baking Soda
5-10 drops Tea Tree Oil


Yes, that is a little boy's head peaking through in the background. :) 


 First, gather one or two deodorant containers. I've found that the solid deodorant containers are the only ones that I can get completely apart. Get as much of the deodorant out as possible and wash the containers with soap and water. Let dry completely.

 Heat the coconut oil until just melted and mix in the baking soda and tea tree oil.


As the mixture cools, mix every few minutes to help combine the baking soda and oils. 

Once the mixture cools into a 'spreadable' state, spoon into your deodorant containers. Because coconut oil has a melting point of 76 degrees, I like to keep the deodorant in the fridge to keep it in a more solid state.

It may take your body a few days to get used to this new deodorant so don't worry if it doesn't seem to work right away.

This deodorant melts almost the instant it touches your skin. I usually put it on right out of the shower and then let it dry before getting dressed so I don't get any on my clothes. Once it's dry, I haven't noticed any deodorant marks on my shirts like I did with the commercial deodorants.

**Common Sense Warning**
Please test on a small patch of skin before using as deodorant. If any reaction occurs, stop using immediately and wash the area.