Homemade Deodorant

I love making things at home! Not only does it usually save money, but it's nice to know what's going into the things myself and my family use on a daily basis. I am always trying to find ways to lessen the amount of toxins that my family puts in and on our bodies, so when I read about the nasty things in most store bought deodorants I knew I had to find a new method. I haven't started using this yet, but from what I have read and heard from friends who do, this will last a LONG time. And with just 3 ingredients it was super cheap since I already had it all in the house! I can't wait to start using it regularly! I love saving money and knowing it's better for me!  

So here it is...

What You'll Need:

-1/4 Cup Coconut Oil-

-1/4 Cup Baking Soda-

-1/4 Cup Cornstarch-

(Or Arrowroot Powder)

-A Small Container Of Some Sort-

Step 1:

Gather mixing bowl, spoon, and measure out ingredients.

Step 2: 

Pour 1/4 cup of baking soda, and 1/4 cup cornstarch (or arrowroot powder) into your bowl.

Step 3:

Mix together the baking soda and cornstarch until they are well blended.

Step 4:

Add 1/4 Cup Of Coconut Oil

Step 5:

Stir together the powder mix with the coconut oil thoroughly. 

It can take awhile to mix well, and will be a creamy paste-like texture when done.

Step 6:

Spoon your finished mixture in a small, airtight container for keeping.

And...Voila! Deodorant without all of the nasty junk added in. 

To Apply: 

With clean hands, dip your fingertips into the deodorant (rub it between your fingers to soften if needed), then apply to your underarms.

 Easy as that!

Extra Tip:

Coconut oil melts in warm temperatures, so depending on where you store it, you could end up with liquid deodorant. A few of the recipes I read recommended putting the container of finished deodorant into the fridge if you didn't want it too soft, however, I DO NOT recommend this. I did it with my own and it turned rock solid and was unusable for at least an hour, and even then I had to scrape at it to get anything I could use. 

Most deodorants these days are also "anti-perspirant" which unfortunately, isn't a good thing. The main ingredient in many anti-perspirants is an aluminum-based compound that plugs the ducts and keeps your body from sweating. Sweating is our body's way of not only trying to keep cool, but more importantly, ridding itself of toxins. Anti-perspirant prevents our body from excreting these toxins. When they aren't able to come out, they pool up in other places in the body, one of which being our lymph nodes. I for one don't want to knowingly use a toxin to prevent my body from releasing toxins. Doesn't seem to make much sense to me. 

Aluminum is said to cause damage to the nervous system, Alzheimer's disease, poisoning, and even cancers. Specifically... breast cancer. So I have decided I don't want something that's known to cause breast cancer, in such close proximity to my breasts.  I would rather sweat!

All that being said, I decided to try this popular recipe and see how it works. It won't keep me from sweating, but according to those who have used it, will help me keep my friends from running off because of the smell. haha!

Enjoy! And let me know how it works for you!