Homemade Deodorant: Friend or Foe?

Middle of summer. Great time to throw off the balance and try a new deodorant, isn't it? 

 I'll admit, I had qualms about trying to make my own deodorant. Won't it irritate my skin? How effective can this be? I sweat a lot, you know; what's wrong again with antiperspirants? The fact is, I've been hearing rumblings about how unhealthy antiperspirants are for a while now. And I've always hesitated to apply it more than once a day, after a shower or shave, or before bed.

While the researchers at the National Cancer Institute and The American Cancer Society agree that antiperspirants are non-carcinogenic (don't cause cancer), they also have no problems stating the fact that the aluminum used creates a "temporary" plug in the sweat glands under the arm. Isn't sweat, in moderation, through the armpits good for detox though? And these groups also make note of the connection of using antiperspirants after shaving (and starting this habit before the age of 16) may or may not be linked to breast cancer later in life. Both these fundamental scientists groups mention that parabens used as a preservative in deodorants and antiperspirants do build up in breast tissue and may or may not contribute to breast cancer. This sounds like there is still enough "what ifs" out there to question commercial antiperspirant use.

 So what's the alternative to aluminum in your pores? Homemade Deodorant! I used only four ingredients (just like this blogger suggested here): baking soda, arrowroot powder, coconut oil, and bergamot essential oil. Let me share with you what I love about these ingredients. :)

Baking Soda
Who out there has never tossed in a couple teaspoons of baking soda into their cookie or quick bread batter, sprinkled baking soda on a stubborn stain on the kitchen counter, or kept an open box of baking soda in the back of the fridge to absorb odors? Baking soda, while an alkaline abrasive, has wonderful powers to absorb odor quickly. Sodium bicarbonate occurs naturally within the body, or is harvested in mines. It is natural and effective. In homemade deodorant it does the obvious: reduces body odor from the armpits.

Arrowroot Powder
Arrowroot is a starch that comes from several tropical plants, mostly variations of starchy tubers, and has been used as a thickener or leavening in cooking for centuries. It is very soft and very absorbent. In homemade deodorant it acts to reduce the "sweaty" feeling under the arms. In some individuals, usage of arrowroot powder may be too absorbent, causing an irritation. More coconut oil or using half the amount in cornstarch will rectify this.

Coconut Oil
While highly moisturizing on the skin, coconut oil is also antibacterial/antimicrobial. In homemade deodorant it provides moisture to the underarms to reduce irritation and nourishes the skin. It may also contribute to effective toxin elimination through underarm sweat.

Bergamot Oil
Other than smelling intoxicatingly (my own word) wonderful, this essential oil has extensive health benefits that you can read about here. One of the benefits that I appreciate the most amount bergamot oil is that it is a natural deodorant. So I smell herby-fresh (another one of my own words) with a natural odor masking oil. 

Homemade Deodorant Recipe  

1/4 cup baking soda

1/4 cup arrowroot powder

5-6 Tbsp coconut oil

2-3 drops bergamot essential oil

First I mixed the baking soda and arrowroot powder together in my flea-market-find pan with a plastic fork (so no essential oils retained on anything used in the kitchen). 

Next, I slowly added the coconut oil, a little bit at a time, and mixed well.

Here it is after half of the coconut oil has been added:

Here it is after all the coconut oil has been well blended:

After this stage I added a few drops of bergamot oil, mixed well, and smooshed it into my 4oz, double-wall cream jar I ordered from Making Cosmetics.

To Use:
With two fingers, scoop out about a nickel sized dollop of deodorant, allow to sit on your fingers a moment to reactivate the oils, and apply under the arms in an up and down motion.

My experience with this deodorant has been pretty great. It smells terrific and has a nice creamy, pomade-like consistency. It hasn't dried my armpits out, caused any rashes, or weird red bumps to pop up. It has handled my sweat and odor wonderfully lasting about 7 hours before needing to be reapplied. It doesn't clump up and fall down my side while applying and it doesn't leave white marks on clothing. My con factor has been that it feels weird applying deodorant with my fingers, it takes a little more time (not just a quick swipe-swipe), and it does hurt to apply in a circular motion (going up and down works better), and it doesn't seem very transportable for reapplication after an activity.

All in all though, it is a very easy recipe, and works great! I have no fears of applying it as often as I need to, even before bed if I think I'll have an issue with underarm wetness. Its safe after a shave (probably beneficial actually) and rinses off well in the shower (shaving is easier). Plus, it only costs about $1.60 to make. Natural and cost-effective!

Have you ever tried a natural alternative to antiperspirant? How did it go? Do you think you would try this recipe? "Like" my Facebook page to see updates on the effectiveness of this awesome deodorant!