Make Your Own Deodorant
Week 16
There are plenty of sustainable deodorant options available to us, but if you're on a budget, the prices might feel a little out of reach. According to an article in Smithsonian Magazine, Americans spend $18 billion a year on deodorant. Fortunately, deodorant is very easy to make at home with a few simple ingredients. You can put your deodorant into a empty deodorant tube or keep it in a jar and apply with your fingers or a popsicle stick.
Please note that if this is your first time using natural deodorant, it may take a few weeks for your body to adjust. Until then, you might want to apply it multiple times throughout the day to keep your underarms smelling fresh.
What you'll need
- 4 tbsp Coconut oil or shea butter
- 1 tbsp Cornstarch or arrowroot powder
- 1 tbsp Baking soda
- Optional: essential oils. I use eucalyptus for it's antiseptic properties and lavender for it's antifungal properties. Lemongrass, cinnamon, and peppermint are also good options.
- Empty deodorant tube - this recipe will fill a 2.6 oz tube.
- Bowl or jar for mixing
Let's make some deodorant!
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Scoop 4 tablespoons of coconut oil into a mixing cup. If hard, soften in microwave for 30 seconds.
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Optional step: Add 10 drops of eucalyptus essential oil to coconut oil.
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Optional step: Add 10 drops of lavender essential oil to coconut oil mixture.
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Mix the coconut oil and essential oils until smooth.
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Add 1 tablespoon of corn starch (or arrowroot powder) to oil mixture.
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Add 1 tablespoon of baking soda to oil mixture. Mix well.
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Cut a small oval of wax paper to fit the inside of your empty deodorant tube. This will keep your mixture from pouring through the bottom. Turn the dial so that it is completely retracted.
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Pour or scoop your deodorant mixture into the empty tube and smooth with finger.
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Let harden overnight or pop in the refrigerator for quicker results. Use the same way you would regular deodorant!