Homemade Natural Deodorant

For the updated version of this recipe, FAQ, along with demonstration video, please click here.

Did you know you can make your own wonderful deodorant with just a few completely natural ingredients? This recipe is awesome! It is frugal and very effective! Aaron & I have been using it for over a year now, and it has worked wonders. It smells wonderful, but very faint, so the hubby does not mind! We have tried all natural brands without much success, until we tried this! It is especially important for women to take thought to the harmful aluminum materials in deodorant as it has been linked to breast cancer, being that the armpits are so close to the chest.

Ingredients:

5-6 Tbsp Coconut oil
1/4 cup baking soda
1/4 cup arrowroot powder or cornstarch

Combine equal portions of baking soda & arrowroot powder. Then slowly add coconut oil and work it in with a spoon until it maintains the substance you desire. It should be about the same texture as the store bought kind, solid but able to be applied easily. You can either scoop this into your old dispensers or place in a small container with lid and apply with fingers with each use. After applying the product, you can just rub the remains into your hands as a lotion! This recipe lasts about 3 months for two people with regular daily use.

Read here and here for more wonderful uses of coconut oil!

For the best price around on organic quality coconut oil, check out Mountain Rose Herbs. Delicious for so many uses!

Bulk organic herbs, spices and essential oils. Sin

About Lindsay

Lindsay Edmonds is first a lover of Jesus, wife, mother of four, homemaker, and writer. She loves inspiring women around the world toward simple, natural, and intentional living for the glory of God.

457 Responses to Homemade Natural Deodorant

  1. K. March 24, 2011 at 6:13 am #

    I have only been using this mixture for 4 days, but already love it, and have *nearly* 2 people converted: my mother had me make a batch for her as soon as I told her about it, and she is loving it too! My spouse is sharing mine, although he is hesitant to wear it all day. He works in construction, and doesn’t want to be smelly on the job so he puts it on when he showers after work. When he’s done with his current stint of overtime, he’s agreed to give it a full chance one weekend.

    I started searching for a homemade recipe because I always find that I become immune to my deodorant after a few months of use, and have run out of safe ones to buy that don’t contain aluminum or any of the harmful chemicals I have begun to try to avoid. I seem to have a lot of sensitivities and several of the “natural” ones I tried either didn’t work, or caused unpleasant rashes that burned and took a long time to heal.

    So — I didn’t get the virgin coconut oil mainly because I “Cheaped out.” What I have is refined, and I think it STILL works great. I chose the less expensive option for two reasons. The first is obvious: $$ The second: I HATE the smell and taste of coconut (it makes me gag) and suspect that I may have a mild intolerance when ingesting it. Since this recipe only requires an external use, and the refined oil doesn’t smell strong I decided to go that route and avoid too much wasted money if I reacted… but so far, so good. I am keeping a close eye on it though.

    I put a few drops (4-5) of tea tree oil in mine for the anti-everything properties (antiseptic, antibacterial, antifungal, and antiviral). I am not a fan of flowery scents so I skipped those suggestions. I found that the essential oil’s smell disappears after a few hours. Perhaps I should try more in my next batch to see if that helps. Regardless though – the recipe still works, even when the oil’s scent has faded.

    Thank you for sharing – I followed a link to your blog from http://amomsblog.wordpress.com/?s=deodorant and like your blog so much I added it to my Firefox “Morning Coffee” extension, which means this site will open automatically as a homepage several times a week :)

  2. Michelle March 22, 2011 at 12:54 pm #

    I put everything in a food processor and it blended perfectly.

  3. Jim March 20, 2011 at 8:06 pm #

    For over a year I have tried everything I could buy, natural or not, after suddenly finding nothing worked anymore. I figured it was a gut imbalance from the symptoms, but this recipe with a slight essential oil twist based on what I thought smelled good, don’t like many earthy or 60′s smells, turned out to work perfect for well past a day at a time. Just making my second batch tonight.

  4. Ana March 13, 2011 at 11:29 pm #

    I have two questions:
    1. Does this help block smell? (I sweat alot, eww)
    And this leads up to my second question:
    Does this help with sweat? Like I said, I sweat alot.
    Thanks ahead for the reply!!

    • David March 14, 2011 at 3:14 am #

      It blocks smell like you wouldn’t believe! No, it does not help with sweat, in my experience, but I would say give it a try….the smell blocking is so fantastic.

      …I just made my third batch yesterday. My wife and I have been using this recipe for over a year.

  5. Tina February 21, 2011 at 7:29 pm #

    Can I just say that I LOVE this recipe??? I do :) It works so well and I like that I can pronounce everything in it ;)

    One thing…my oldest daughter and I are experiencing a rash and redness….after reading all the posts and making notes…I will refine the recipe to see what works best.

    Thank you for posting this…it really is great to be able to get back to basics instead of what the marketing people would have us believe.

  6. Christina February 20, 2011 at 7:49 pm #

    I just made the deodorant and I have an issue with the consistency as well. When I apply it, it’s extremely oily. Should I add more soda or starch?

    • David February 21, 2011 at 6:01 am #

      When I made my first batch (in the summer months) I thought something was wrong, too. I pushed through, though, and months later it looked like “normal” deodorant. Then I discovered that when the room temperature is over, say 78 degrees F, the coconut oil begins to melt, and that is why it seemed oily in the summer.

      In the end, it works just the same, so I just got over it. I could have put it in the fridge during the summer, but that is kind of a pain.

      General tip (very important when “oily”): a small amount goes a long way. You don’t need much to be effective.

      Hope that helps.

      (From David – who has been using this deodorant for over 18 months and loving it.)

      • Patti February 9, 2012 at 12:31 pm #

        David, do you and your wife not have any problems with the homemade deoderant showing on your clothes??

    • Doris February 21, 2011 at 9:00 am #

      I add more cornstarch, I like it to be solid.

      ps: the melt point for coconut oil is 76 degrees F. It pays to be a soaper sometimes….

  7. Meggan February 15, 2011 at 1:43 pm #

    I really like the idea of this recipe, except I have trouble with the consistency…in the summer this just melts everywhere and I hate to have to keep it in the fridge- not convienient because I’m already dressed by the time I go downstairs and then it gets all over my clothes. Any suggestions on getting a firmer, non-melting version? Like replacing some of the coconut oil with something else?

    • Doris February 15, 2011 at 5:07 pm #

      I add some candelilla wax, but I have heard of others using beeswax. You could also use carnauba wax. with all of these, just a little goes a long way for hardness.

  8. kimeka February 15, 2011 at 2:31 am #

    I am sorry for the confusion so let me restate the question. Can I add tea tree oil and/or lime juice to this formula. Which you think have better antiseptic properties. Can you redo the ingredients?based on your recommendation?

    • Doris February 15, 2011 at 5:35 am #

      I would not add lime juice. First, it contains water, which would allow bacteria, mold etc. to grow in the deodorant, which could make it unuseable. Also, it could just decompose/rot, and then it would smell bad! If you want the lime smell, try lime essential oil. Tea tree essential oil would be useable IMHO, it is said to have antifungal and antibacterial properties, and does not contain water, and I have actually used it in this recipe myself.

  9. kimeka February 15, 2011 at 2:17 am #

    could you alter the amount of ingredients so that i could include the lime juice

    • kimeka February 15, 2011 at 2:26 am #

      and tea tree oil

  10. kimeka February 15, 2011 at 2:16 am #

    can i add lime juice to this formula? i am currently using lime juice with the natural mineral salts stone and its been good

  11. Dave01 February 6, 2011 at 5:07 pm #

    I read about baby oil and I’ll better try to get vegetables oil.
    I read is not too good for the skin, I haven’t had problems so far but I will try to do the recipe as you recomend with the coconut oil.
    Greetings.

  12. Dave01 February 6, 2011 at 1:59 pm #

    Hi everyone.

    I have been trying this recipe for the last few days and I can say it really worked.
    But when I was tryin to get the ingredients I had problems to get coconut oil, and this is surely the main ingredient on the recipe… anyway after searching for coconut oil, in some markets told me that I could find it in naturists shops but I deceded to change the rules a little bit and instead of coconut oil I tried baby oil, and it worked too, it has a really good smell and don’t let bacterias grow inside the brew (’till so far). Any advice to this change of ingredient, necessary has to be used coconut oil? or never mind?
    Thank you.

    • Angela February 25, 2011 at 9:44 am #

      I found coconut oil near the vegetable oil in the grocery store, try looking there.

  13. Judy January 31, 2011 at 5:22 pm #

    The tea tree oil is antifungal and should prevent any fungal growth under the arms.

  14. Priscilla January 23, 2011 at 9:53 pm #

    Would Expeller Pressed Coconut Oil work alright? Or do I need to use my better type of coconut oil, smells & tastes like coconut, virgin coconut oil from Tropical Traditions or Nutivia brand?

    • Lindsay January 24, 2011 at 2:03 pm #

      no, you can certainly used the expeller pressed coconut oil. i just use the unrefined because thats all i buy for cooking and body use.

  15. Muriel January 19, 2011 at 12:50 am #

    I’m looking forward to trying some home made deodorant, but I’m wondering about the use of cornstarch as I have occasional bouts of chafing due to candida and cornstarch is not a good idea. What about old-fashioned talcum?

    Also, about the beeswax– wouldn’t that tend to clog the pores like commercial antiperspirants do?

    • Lindsay January 20, 2011 at 12:38 pm #

      I use arrowroot powder and not cornstarch, but you could try talcum powder. I don’t believe beeswax would clog the pores.

      • Andrea March 18, 2011 at 11:09 am #

        Just a note about talcum powder, it is a carcinogen so I would not recommend using it.

  16. Kyri January 10, 2011 at 7:00 am #

    I’m glad I found this recipe! I really want to get away from aluminum based deodorants, and while I’ve tried a few “natural” kinds, they’ve never been that great. So, I’m going to go get the ingredients and try and make this one today.

    But I am curious – being as there is coconut oil in there, is there the chance that it will leave tough to remove stains on my clothing?

    • David January 10, 2011 at 7:04 am #

      I’ve been using this deodorant for well over 9 months now and I have never seen a stain on my clothes. I wear mostly cotton shirts, but so far so good.

      • Kyri January 10, 2011 at 7:18 am #

        Well that’s great to hear, along with all the raving reviews this recipe has had.

        Thanks for the quick reply David!

      • Jude January 10, 2011 at 9:23 am #

        Similar to you, I have used it over a year and have not had stains on cotton clothes. I had one shirt – a wrinkle free collared shirt – that got oil stains under the arms. I was able to get the stains out by pre-treating with liquid dish detergent before washing.

  17. siti aisyah nordin December 25, 2010 at 5:28 am #

    hello, im from malaysia and i found it to be a great invention. i mean, no harmful chemicals are used. currently im doing a research and intend to produce an organic deodorant. i have found out a few info about the ingredients that are used. but im still wondering… how do you come out with this idea..? i mean the selection of the ingredients.(coconut oil, baking powder, essential oil) are good ingredients to be made as deodorants? can you give me the significance of them…

    thanks a lot. i hope that you can reply ASAP and helps me to solve my confusion.

    • jackie s December 29, 2010 at 4:22 pm #

      the baking soda keeps helps keep bacteria away, which helps you not smell, the arrowroot/corn starch keeps you dry, and the coconut oil blends itall together for good consistancy and has natural antibacterial properties. hopes this helps :)

  18. Laurie November 8, 2010 at 5:17 am #

    I love this stuff!!! I still sweat, but it doesn’t smell at all, even in the heat of the summer. The only complaint I have is the rash I sometimes get. I will try reducing the baking soda and increasing the arrowroot and see if that helps. But even so, I’d much rather have the rash than to have the smell or to use commercial deodorants.

  19. Keri October 30, 2010 at 7:00 pm #

    I really wanted to like this deodorant. I whipped up a batch, and I couldn’t bear to put it on my skin because it smelled so foul. I wonder if the coconut oil had gone bad – it was partially runny and partially chunky. I’ve never used or seen coconut oil before, so I don’t know what it’s supposed to look or smell like.

    • Petra October 31, 2010 at 12:19 am #

      Keri, it smells like coconut, makes you want to eat it. Did you smell it before hand? Did you heat it up like it was suggested, it’s suppose to melt completely then add the ingredients and stir to mix in well, then let it sit or place it in the fridge as it will harden slightly.

      • Aaron October 31, 2010 at 12:55 pm #

        Petra, No, I never suggested heating it up. Mixing it in its solid state will require less powder to be added. And it does not have to be refrigerated unless you are in a really hot climate. It will stay solid for application. Keri, It should smell very pleasant not foul. It is rare for coconut oil to go bad, as it lasts for a whole year, but that may be the issue if it was that disgusting to you. Or maybe you don’t like the smell of coconut. In that case, you might add several drops of an essential oil to give it a fragrance of your choice.

    • Lisa December 18, 2010 at 9:41 am #

      try cocoa butter, it’s firmer…instead of coconut oil

  20. Petra October 26, 2010 at 1:35 am #

    Hi Jude thank you for your suggestion. Baking soda on me has always been irritating, and I do believe it’s bit more harsh than arrowroot being that it’s sodium bicarbonate.Arrowroot on the other hand is a starch. Baking soda on me produced a rash and little cysts under my arm for which why i have opted for the arrowroot instead. Although still a little irritating maybe trying the baby powder can stop the need to have to scratch under my arms. Thank you all for your comments and suggestions.

  21. Mark Galyon October 23, 2010 at 4:33 pm #

    Great post with many interesting suggestions! Can’t say I agree with everything you have said here, but there are several relevant suggestions you have highlighted that can be quite usable on natural health and associated topics. Keep providing more suggestions on this topic and associated matters, as there are quite a few folks who are trying to get to know the pluses and minuses.

    • Nia October 31, 2010 at 5:15 pm #

      THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR SHARING THIS! I too had irritation from my homemade deodorant ( a recipe like this one, but with a little less coconut oil). Anyhow, I thought it was due to the tea tree oil I added. I used more than the 10 drops suggested because the publisher of the recipe said she adds about 20 drops due to her love of the scent. I thougtht I should be fine adding the same amount. I know that Essential Oils can be strong and irritating as well. After reading your comment I now believe the baking soda may have played a part. I just made another batch with not quite so much Essential Oil and another batch leaving it out completely, so I guess I’ll see if baking soda or the oil is the cause behind my irritation.

  22. Jude October 23, 2010 at 8:58 am #

    I have had the same problem with recurring irritation, perhaps even cysts, that others have described. Let me tell you the solution I have found. First, I tried all the suggestions of organic baking soda, arrowroot powder, and various ratios. I even tried adding aloe vera gel, but I would still get the irritation. Finally, here is what I have been doing that prevents irritation. It does not work quite as well as the original, but it is good enough. I’m happy not to be using aluminum anymore!

    I buy the pure cornstarch baby powder with added vitamin e, and I mix that with coconut oil to make a thick paste. I apply that paste in the morning, then dust my underarms with a bit more of the cornstarch baby powder to make it very dry. This works fine, and when I have a special event, I use the real stuff with baking soda.

    Best wishes to you all, and thanks for the comments!

  23. Laura October 14, 2010 at 4:37 pm #

    Wow! thanks, I want to try this. I have been spraying a mixture of vinegar & water on underarms & down below, it does keep odour away pretty well but not moisture and …it stings! As this contains baking soda, guess I can’t use this & my old method at once! :)

  24. David October 3, 2010 at 9:33 am #

    I made a batch earlier this summer and let me tell you – this is the BEST deodorant I have ever used. Thanks!!

  25. Genieve September 27, 2010 at 5:48 am #

    Just made this on Saturday and I LOVE it already :) Thanks!!!

  26. Sylvie September 24, 2010 at 9:01 am #

    Hello,
    I am wondering, would this natural deodorant darkens the skin. I am an Indian and I can get pigmentation very easily under the arm area. Thanks ^_^

    • Lindsay September 24, 2010 at 9:31 am #

      I have not noticed any darkening of the skin from this deodorant.

    • Janet October 28, 2010 at 4:21 am #

      That could be a fungal infection. My boyfriend had that and put athlete’s foot spray under his arms (anti fungal). It went away in a couple of weeks.

  27. Rachel September 22, 2010 at 2:56 pm #

    Thanks so much for posting this, it’s the best recipe I’ve found and works perfectly for me. I share it with all my friends (who probably think I’m politely telling them about their body odor!).

  28. Anthony September 9, 2010 at 4:30 am #

    Hi there. I think the idea is really good. In fact, I tried rubbing baking soda (just baking soda alone – sodium bicarbonate) under my arms and it works just fine, goes for about a couple of days without odour.

    I do have a small doubt though. I know these ingredients are natural, however, I would like to ask if anyone here knows how they work? That is, does it work as a deodorant or an anti-perspirant. Apparently there is a big difference, as a deodorant only masks or neutralises any odours, however an anti-perspirant blocks the pores of the skin preventing sweat from coming out. Generally, anything that acts as an anti-perspirant is considered bad/unhealthy.

    • Shannon September 21, 2010 at 6:59 am #

      It’s better to go without deodorant of any kind to allow the body to release toxins. A diet of alkaline foods with 80% being raw and drinking 9.5 alkaline water will keep the body from having an odor altogether. If you can’t abide by this then go without until you have to go somewhere or until you have company. Baking soda is not an anti-perspirant. If you want to know more about pure alkaline water shoot me an email. [email protected]

    • Patty September 21, 2010 at 8:47 pm #

      This deodorant is a deodorant due to its making the atmosphere in the armpit not habitable to bacteria- my opinion. It doesn’t work as an anti perspirant- commercial antiperspirants work by swelling up the pores to the point that they do not sweat- and that IS unhealthy. I still sweat but it doesn’t stink. Sweat doesn’t stink, the bacteria that grow in warmth and moisture stink. The baking soda makes the area alkaline, bacteria prefer acidic environments to grow. You still sweat, but the cornstarch keeps you feeling dry.

    • Corinne October 15, 2010 at 9:14 am #

      It would just act as deodorant not an anti-perspirant. The body needs to sweat and if you shut that down you are shutting down the bodies ability of getting rid of waist and toxcicity from the body. Aluminum is very harmful as well. Two reasons we should not use anti-perspirant. If this formula works well that is great. I love finding a natural solution that works well. It is so empowering to know you can make a difference for you body!

    • Laura October 15, 2010 at 3:50 pm #

      When my grandmother was a nurse in the 40′s they would make deodorant for their poor patients who smelled just as a paste of baking soda + water. I would think that this is the main active ingredient in this deordorant.

      Does the coconut oil have any effect on odor / bacteria, or is it more as an emollient / base?

      • Lindsay October 17, 2010 at 6:24 am #

        It is anti-bacterial and will fight odors!

    • Maria October 23, 2010 at 7:02 pm #

      Anthony, I believe the coconut oil kills bacteria and thus eliminates odor, and baking soda does about the same, we use it in the frig for odors, right? And the cornstarch absorbs moisture, so it would keep us from having the wet spots. I still feel the wetness in times of extreme heat and/or stress, but at least I don’t smell!

  29. Savannah August 29, 2010 at 11:08 am #

    Hello. I was wondering if this would work for me. I often get clogged glands in the under arm area, which are very painful. and store bought deodorants male this worse. Also I tend to sweat a lot, and nothing I have tried keeps me dry anyway. This is extremely frustrating, does anyone have any advice for me? PLEASE and Thank You : )

    Savannah

    • Lindsay August 30, 2010 at 5:39 am #

      I cannot say whether or not this would work for you, but it is important for your body to sweat. This deodorant will only slightly cut back on that, but it will not stick. Give it a try!

    • Theresa September 14, 2010 at 9:52 am #

      Hi, I think you can check on Chico’s blog about this. He actually did this at home and then put it to the test. He will give another update in a few weeks or so of use. Here’s his link.
      http://chicogarcia.wordpress.com/2010/09/13/homemade-deodorant-the-update/

    • kim at allconsuming October 23, 2010 at 3:11 am #

      Hey there,
      I started using this recipe and was so impressed with how it worked – until I developed really painful sebaceous cysts in one armpit and had to go two courses of antibiotics to clear it up. I am presuming that the bicarb was the cause as I’ve heard of a few cases of people finding it a bit irritating. I’m wondering if anyone has played with the ratio and if it still works.

    • Lisa December 18, 2010 at 9:48 am #

      Are you using store bought deodorant or antiperspirant? The antiperspirant will block your underarm pores, and it hurts! Use this recipe and add which hazel for as a natural astringent/ antiperspirant. Fairly sure that will help!

  30. Alicia August 28, 2010 at 10:01 am #

    Re: all the substitutions for coconut oil. I rarely buy it because in Alaska it’s only 60F most of the summer, so it remains very solid. But I’m wondering whether the other oils folks have used have worked as well, because I assumed much of the effectiveness stems from coconut oil’s antibacterial properties…? Though shea may have the same, I don’t know about jojoba?

    Anyhow, I DO have coconut cream on hand (a wonderful deep conditioner/styler for my curly dry hair). I wonder how it would work; it’s a much lighter, fluffier texture than the oil.

    • DJL September 3, 2010 at 10:06 am #

      Alicia: No other oil has the anti viral/bacterial/fungal/parasite qualities that Coconut oil has. Just heat it up and mix the ingredients and let it get solid again and you have a deodorant stick that won’t get mushy, unless the temp gets up around 85 degrees. Did you ever try using a trace of coconut oil in your hair? Works good too. Great on ingrown toenails, it keeps the tissue soft and pliable till the nail grows out and fights infections also. Read the book on the healing attributes of Coconut oil by a Dr. Fife.

  31. Erin August 15, 2010 at 9:01 pm #

    Wow! This works great (even after a long car ride in summer heat without air conditioning)! I am recommending this recipe to my family and friends. I whipped up a batch after coming across this page a few days ago. My two year old daughter was watching me and sneaked a lick with her finger when I turned my head. Probably didn’t taste very good, but all the ingredients are totally safe!! Gotta love it!

  32. charis August 12, 2010 at 12:20 pm #

    i am so excited! i am going to finally make your deodorant today! can’t wait to try it.

  33. yoli August 11, 2010 at 12:40 pm #

    Will this deodorant leave a white mess on black shirts. In my husbands business, he has to wear black tee shirts and gets sweaty everyday in them (Muay Thai Teacher) everyday. I tried a similar homemade deodorant using baking soda and corn starch and people were asking him, what that white stuff was on his shirt. Thanks for any help
    Yoli

    • Emily September 14, 2010 at 2:37 pm #

      As long as he doesn’t put on too much (hardly any is needed to be effective), he should be fine. I’ve be using it and wearing black camisoles without an visible whiteness on my camisoles.

  34. Liz July 28, 2010 at 6:09 am #

    Everyone says their coconut oil smells good, but mine doesn’t have a smell…?

    • Tracie September 9, 2010 at 7:55 am #

      If your coconut oil does not smell like coconut then it is refined. You want unrefined!

    • Gysette October 9, 2010 at 11:31 pm #

      Does it still work?

      • Lynn December 4, 2010 at 7:22 am #

        Yes, I’ve used both refined and unrefined. I couldn’t tell a difference in the two.

  35. Tamara July 26, 2010 at 11:37 am #

    I use pure soda. Just dip a moist finger in it and apply to your underarms, as simple as that. And you can forget about any BO for the next 30 or so hours (even after swimming!)

  36. Joie July 23, 2010 at 7:43 pm #

    Where can I purchase the essential oils and beeswax? I want to try this!

    • Lindsay July 24, 2010 at 12:11 pm #

      I recommend Mountain Rose Herbs.

    • Cynthia Roberts August 4, 2010 at 5:10 am #

      I seem to be allergic to coconut oil in the homemade deoderant – is there something I can use in its place.

      • Lindsay August 4, 2010 at 6:28 am #

        You could try palm oil or almond oil.

      • MJ August 9, 2010 at 6:56 am #

        My sister told me just recently that she has been using apple cider vinegar. You just put a little on a cotton ball, and dab your armpits with it. I tried it a few times this past week, and it really does work. :-)

      • AC August 20, 2010 at 1:04 pm #

        Hi Joie,
        I have made this deodorant, but I use shea butter in place of coconut oil. Just stick it in the microwave to melt it and add the baking soda and corn starch. it will solidify as it cools. It works great and I like the smell of shea.

  37. Sarah July 8, 2010 at 1:07 pm #

    Lindsay,

    I am open to many things, and your recipe is one of them. I am so glad I found it, because my arm pits have been a mess (irritation after shaving, odor before bed, etc.). I cannot wait to try your concoction. However, I do not have any coconut oil at home. I do have walnut oil. Could I use the walnut oil in replace of the coconut oil?

    • Lance August 25, 2010 at 3:33 pm #

      The reason for the need for coconut oil is that is tends to be solid at room temperature, or close to it, and virgin coconut oil smells so nice. Walnut oil is liquid and wouldn’t work well. You could use it, but it wouldn’t smell as nice and your mixture would be more liquidy.

    • Tracie September 9, 2010 at 7:57 am #

      Quit shaving! I quit several years ago and I LOVE the fact my armpits never hurt anymore! :)

    • glenda October 3, 2010 at 6:25 pm #

      If you don’t want to quit shaving (I don’t want hairy armpits myself), instead, just change how you shave. Don’t shave so hard. I used to feel my armpits after I shaved to feel if they were smooth enough, and they weren’t ever smooth enough (because armpit skin just isn’t smooth) so I’d keep shaving over and over in all directions to try to get them to feel smooth and then they were obviously ‘razor burned’. Finally I could not bear to shave because it hurt too bad. I let it heal, and my armpit hair grew a bit during that time. But then when the skin was healed, I decided to only shave gently up once and once down. It trimmed all the hair, but didn’t shave off any delicate skin, I’ve done this for years now. Another thing I have since noticed helps me is not using any soap or shaving foam. Water only. I can’t expalin just why but it really helps. Those products seems to irritate my skin and throw something off balance. I just have been patting baking soda in my armpits to prevent odor, and it really works! But if someone has razor burn then the baking soda alone or as part of this deoderant recipe will likely irritate their skin.

  38. Melissa July 2, 2010 at 4:30 pm #

    I have tried other homemade deodorants before and they stained my clothes. Will this one?

    • yoli August 12, 2010 at 7:48 am #

      Melissa, do you mean stain as in a grease stain or white powdery stuff left on you clothes? I had the white powdery stuff left on black t-shirts

  39. Amanda July 2, 2010 at 4:54 am #

    Hi, I love this deodorant. My family motto is now going to be ‘We Stink NO More’! I made my husband smell me after my last two Zumba classes because I was so excited. My mother-in-law wants me to give this out as Christmas presents. I am not sure what kind of message that would be sending, though.
    I did change the recipe to the 2/3 cornstarch to 1/3 baking soda. I am experimenting with the beeswax to see how much it needs for hardening. My husband has to leave this in his gym bag in the truck (90+ degree weather), so we needed it to solidify. So far, I am at a 1″x1″x.75″ cube and it seems to be working. I had to melt it all down in a pot to blend in the beeswax, and this allowed me to get a better consistency and no clumping.
    I love this site!

    • Sabrina August 19, 2010 at 3:55 pm #

      Amanda: have you figured out how much beeswax works to keep it hard? Also, does it change the feeling of it at all?

  40. SHolmes June 30, 2010 at 11:18 am #

    I am excited that I found a website that focuses on the natural. I will go to the store and purchase these ingredients. It is true that even store bought natural deodorants eventually stop working.

  41. Joyful Girl June 29, 2010 at 4:26 am #

    I have a pretty heavy sweating issue, even in the winter i get huge sweat spots. My natural pharmacist suggested sage deodorant. Apparently sage is a natural PH balancer. But the sage deodorant they gave me doesn’t really work. Does anyone know if i can add sage to this recipe? or without it will it help my imbalance? Thanks for the recipe, I am so excited to find out more, and to try it myself.

    • Liz July 22, 2010 at 4:59 am #

      Sage reduces sweat production by up to 50%. You should be able to add a sage essential oil (or any other essential oil) to this recipe without any problems. Make sure you use a therapeutic grade essential oil to ensure it doesn’t contain any harmful by-products of the extraction process. An added benefit of using essential oils in this recipe is that most of them are anti-bacterial, and bacteria is what adds to the stank! :)

    • Lisa December 18, 2010 at 9:55 am #

      I would purchase Sage essesial oil (Mountain Rose herbs) start by adding just 4 drops and if you feel you need more, adjust it a few drops at a time with each batch. Be careful as Essential oils can also irritate.

  42. Lydia Krupinski June 28, 2010 at 8:15 pm #

    In response to the first comment – almond oil or shea butter are both good replacements if you have a coconut allergy. The trick would be to add more cornstarch to make it thicker.

    I will try this recipe although I’ve perfect my own concoction using neem, tea tree, and baking soda. It even works for my hubby! I have step by step instruction on my blog. The baking soda and oils are natural antibacterials – which helps to stop the smell while the soda absorbs moisture.

    Keep the DIY recipes coming – we all need to know how to get back to the basics!

  43. Megan June 26, 2010 at 1:07 pm #

    I’m looking at trying something similar to this but I have a coconut allergy which makes the coconut oil a hard one. Does anyone know of a replacement I could use?

    • sarah June 27, 2010 at 2:18 pm #

      you just need a fat that’s solid @ room temperature, I imagine coco butter would be similar in function

  44. Alison June 22, 2010 at 7:36 pm #

    I have been using this deodorant for three weeks now and will never go back to commerical ones again. I even have my family, co-workers and 10 year old daughter using it, and all with successful results. I’m so glad to have found your site!

  45. Julie Robbins June 22, 2010 at 6:59 pm #

    I am making the deodorant right now. I’m excited to start trying it as I’ve been looking for something natural that actually works.

    One question…What do you do about the coconut oil melting when it gets warm? We don’t run our air conditioning every day in the summer, and our upstairs can get pretty warm.

    Thanks. I just found your site and it look wonderful! Thanks for ministering to others in this way!

    Julie Robbins

    • Lindsay June 23, 2010 at 1:42 pm #

      In this case, you have to store it in the fridge between uses or add beeswax to help maintain the texture.

  46. Dede Jolicoeur May 25, 2010 at 7:10 am #

    Lindsay,

    I’ve been using this deodorant (with small alterations) for a few months now, and I LOVE it!!! Thanks so much for sharing it with us. When I mix mine, I use about 2/3 cup arrowroot powder, 1/3 cup baking soda and several TBS coconut oil (til it’s the consistency I like). I’ve not had any problems with rashes since I’ve changed to this formulation. LOVE IT!!!

  47. Liliana May 24, 2010 at 2:41 pm #

    Heather, thanks for sharing your recipe. I thought it was only me that was getting a bad rash under my arms, but I see that you’ve got one too. I’ll be adjusting mine. Thanks for sharing.

  48. lacey May 24, 2010 at 10:07 am #

    I was wondering if you needed to “melt” the coconut first, or use it straight from the jar?

  49. Heather May 24, 2010 at 7:36 am #

    Hi, Lindsay. I wanted to send a quick note about your deodorant. I used your recipe at first but, after a few days I got an itchy rash. I was upset because I LOVE this recipe and it works better than anything I’ve ever tried (homemade or store bought) So, I made some adjustments that have really helped and wanted to share them with you.

    3 Tbsp of baking soda (because 1/4 c was just too much for me)
    4 Tbsp of coconut oil
    4 Tbsp of arrow root powder
    1/4 c of cocoa butter (mine happens to have jojoba oil in it. I don’t know if that makes a difference)
    2 vitamin E tablets (poke a hole and squeeze vit E out into mixture)
    10-15 drops of essential oil(s) of your choice (or to your desired scent)

    Mix all together and put in a container. Apply with fingers. I had to melt the cocoa butter to get it to a mixable state, but other than that, I just added all of the ingredients together.

    This recipe works great for me. I do still have red under my arms, but it doesn’t itch or burn. One thing I try to do to lessen the redness and keep rash at bay is to wash my underarms every night and apply some coconut oil. That seems to help a lot. And, I’ll occasionally apply some coconut oil before I put my deodorant on. That seems to help to.

    I’ve been using this for two weeks and have not had any problems. It keeps odor away, which can sometimes be a challenge for me.

    Thanks for sharing the recipe!

    Blessings,
    Heather

  50. Cherie May 12, 2010 at 1:23 pm #

    Wow. All I can say is WOW. I got my entire family converted, Mom, Dad, myself, my hubby and my brother. We all love it and are absolutely amazed to find something so simple that works so great. It is really amazing. How in the world could I have spent so much buying organic deodorants which never worked when all along this cheap home remedy out did even the “poisonous” main stream brands! I read in a book that coconut oil is anti-microbial, maybe that is why the recipe works so great. = )