Making It Count :: Homemade Deodorant? Yes.

I cannot believe it.  This stuff actually WORKS.  I made it early last week but didn't want to post on it until I had given it a test run under the ole arms here.  And it works.  Really and truly I'm not just saying this because I want to believe it.  

I've seen this recipe many times on one of my favorite blogs but just never got around to doing it.  So glad I finally did.  The effects of aluminum compounds in antiperspirant are pretty concerning to me, enough so that I haven't used antiperspirant in years but instead chose to waste money and medicine cabinet space on those sticky natural deodorants that do a whole lot of nothing.  And for the last year or so I would just not wear anything until I got the odor alert that I needed to put something on (for real...and I'm really admitting that to the world) and so I would use plain baking soda, which does sort of work.  (You totally want to hang out with me now, don't you?  No?)

Three ingredients:  Coconut oil, baking soda, cornstarch (or arrowroot powder) 
I added a touch of orange extract just for scent and would maybe add more next time


For real it works.  Sooo much better than that sorta natural stuff (Alba) that I was pretending did the job.   Yeah, pregnancy and stuff doesn't seem to do great things for my whole smelling-like-a-rose thing.  I put my concoction in the old deodorant container, though it is softer than the normal stuff.  It actually filled two old containers so we should be set for a while and this will work for both the himself and herself of the house, all androgynous like it is.  I can put it on with the applicator carefully but then have to rub it in a bit to make sure it's on okay.  


And word to the wise, you have to keep it in the fridge rather than in the medicine cabinet of the bathroom where the hot shower makes things (like, oh, say coconut oil) melt and stuff.  Yep, that was awesome.  (It should be fine in a normal cabinet but it's been hot and humid here so I'm just playing it safe.) So now our deodorant resides in the refrigerator and we're weird.  But stranger things have been in there, I suppose.  I mean just yesterday I had over two hundred ladybugs in there.  True story.  Oh, and we had a home birth.  So, yeah, weirder things have been in there.  Deodorant might actually be pretty normal.  

(Not making the case for hanging out with me any better am I?) 



13 comments

  1. This may be one of those things I just have to take your word for, but I may have to save it in my "just in case" file. You had me laughing the entire way through. Ladybugs and deodorant? Thanks for linking up!

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  2. You are a riot! I really enjoyed reading this, and am impressed with your clever problem solving. I'll keep it in mind.

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  3. Yes, I'm still liking the stuff I made too. I really like your idea of putting it in an old container the way you did. Good idea.

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  4. 1. Gorgeous new header.
    2. You are hilarious.
    3. I still wish I could hang out with you. Even if you have deodorant in your fridge and make me look like a total wimp when it comes to cloth diapers.

    Hee. :)

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    1. Here's the deal: You can come homeschool my kids with all your awesome ideas and record keeping and I'll diaper your baby. Sound good?

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  5. I would hang out with you! but you wouldn't want to see what was in MY refridgerator!

    I have been looking at that recipe.... Just made a batch of laundry detergent and am loving it (and my bathroom, where the washer is, smells better now too - did that make you want to hang out with me?)

    thanks for the reminder I want to try this!

    Karen

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  6. At least you have a fridge to store it in now :) And I'll hang out with you too - considering we keep a couple dozen frozen chicken feet in our freezer, you know, just in case...

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    1. hahaha...yes you never know when they'll be needed for some black magic voodoo ritual or something...

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  7. So, maybe you don't smell like a rose, but smelling like coconut is not so bad, at least not to me. =)

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  8. Mary, this is so funny because I have been meaning to try this recipe. I just ran out of anti-perspirant from my CVSing days and saw the baking soda and coconut oil I use on my hair on the bathroom counter and thought "What the heck?" I didn't do the corn starch part yet, I just made a paste in my hands and rubbed it in. It REALLY does work! What does the corn starch do? I wonder if I can just continue with my paste method...

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    1. I don't see why not, if it works like that! I have no idea what the cornstarch would do except for additional moisture absorbing? Isn't it so weird that it works?? Crazy coconut magic. Some day I will get up the nerve to try the no shampoo thing again I bet. Three times and I still can't get the hang of it!

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  9. Hi! Love this! Thanks for posting. Can you tell me what the ratio of the ingredients are and how many drops of EO you used? Thanks and God bless

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    1. Hi Carla,
      I use the original recipe:
      6-8 Tbsp Coconut oil (solid state)
      1/4 cup baking soda
      1/4 cup arrowroot powder or cornstarch (I've always used cornstarch as I have it on hand but arrowroot is preferred)
      I think I used 6-8 drops of oil, simply adding it and mixing until I was happy with the power of the scent. Hope that helps!

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