I think I may try this out.. huh.

This sounds really awesome! I’m really tempted to try this out! However, I was wondering, is it just a deodorant, or does it also work like an antiperspirant?

although this works well for you, some of us are sweaters and even sweat through t-shirts when we’re using Mitchum. I sweat sucking on ice cubes, so this wouldn’t work for me. awesome though that it works for you!

I use a spritz of Thayer’s witch hazel in peach to wet my pits, followed by a crystal rock deodorant. Works like a dream, and leaves no weird creamy feeling on the underarms. I lurves it.

@ BoxMonkey – You should! And let me know how you like it. =)

@ Sal – It is not an antiperspirant, but the corn starch does a good job of keeping things dry. Like I aid, over 100º, no pit stains!

@ Tara – Yeah, I suppose everybody’s different. Whatever works for ya!

@ baldygirl – I’ve heard mixed reviews of crystal deodorants, but never tried them myself. I’m curious, but I don’t think I’ll ever be straying from my new recipe.

Sigh, I miss crystal rock deodorant, from the time I lived in the States… And my father does too… he is mildly allergic to aluminum chlorohydrate and other aluminum compounds found in most antiperspirants (and I happen to think they make you itchy).

Sweating is a natural body function, so its good for you to sweat, but there is no reason to go smelling bad. I think I might try this (if I find a shop that sells the oils in this Town)

question: it sounds great, and i am currently using a powder form of basically the same thing, but a creamy version would be less messy in the bathroom. i have been hesitant to try it out with coconut oil though, worried that it would lead to oil stains on my laundry. have you had any problems with oil spotting on your clothes?

as for the deodorant crystal, i used it for many years and loved it. i would spray rosewater under my arms and then apply the crystal. but eventually i developed an allergy to it.

so far the cornstarch+baking soda mixture works just fine on me, a tiny faint whiff of funk maybe after a really long hot day in the sun and only a mild amount of sweating apparent, although i have to use a lesser amount of baking soda than you are using in order to keep from having sensitivity issues.

love your blog! i keep coming back for more.

For me, simply wetting arm pits and applying an alum stone is enough…. no smell left, whatever the temperature (often >100F). Good for 24 hrs a day
Much simpler than mixing difficult to find items…

Cool! Right now I’m my husband and I are sharing a hunk o deodorant from Lush which I kind of love, and it seems like it is going to last for-ev-er. But I like DIY sorts of projects, so I’m excited to try this.

Do you happen to know if Thieves oil is antifungal or antibacterial? I guess it is blend of clove, lemon, cinnamon, eucalyptus, and rosemary. I know that it is supposed to be anti-some-sort-of-nasty, but I’m not sure which!

Meghan – Yes, Thieves Oil creates a very unfriendly environment for fungus and bacteria…
http://www.secretofthieves.com/mold.cfm
http://www.secretofthieves.com/bacteria.cfm

And since deodorant is the subject of this post…I use the Thieves toothpaste for that. Just squirt about a chocolate chip’s worth on your finger a rub it on. Especially convenient when traveling.

I am so in love with you right now. Not only do we share the same intense love for baking soda, but I was JUST THINKING about how crappy deodorants are!
Yesterday I went out and bought a new deodorant that advertised itself as “aluminum free”. That (and the delicious smell) lured me into buying it immediately. As soon as I got home, I noticed the very first ingredient was propylene glycol.

I must try your recipe!!

For the oils, try Whole Foods or a natural grocer of some sort

My mom recently told me she’s been wiping her pits every morning with alcohol. It kills the bacteria and you still sweat, but it doesnt staaaaank. So, I tried it and it works! Sweating is good for you.

Sayward, how did you get your recipe to “set up”? I made a batch over the weekend and 48 hrs later it still has not hardened…everything is still fairly liquid and the oils are settling on the top. I’m thinking I’ll just add another pinch of baking soda & corn starch, but wanted to see if you had the same problem. Thanks!

@ Ero San – I totally agree about sweating. It’s one of the most direct routes for releasing harmful toxins! I think antiperspirants are baaaad news, but like you said – no need to go stinky!

@ Melanie – Thanks! And as for oil, you know that hadn’t even occurred to me, ha! But I’ve been using it for a while now, as has my husband and houseguest, and so far we’ve all been oil-free. So I give it the Bonzai stain-safety seal of approval.

@ Triozon – I’m glad you’ve found something so simple that works for you. =)

@ Meghan – Looks like Caleb got you covered, and now I’m interested to try this Thieves Oil stuff myself!

@ Caleb – Thanks for all the great info. In the second part, are you saying you use the toothpaste for your deodorant? Sounds interesting. =)

@ Miss Miranda – Hooray for the baking soda love! It truly is the bestest. That’s a bummer about your new deodorant, but I hope this recipe works out for you!

@ Meg – Yup, Whole Foods or any health foods store, natural remedies shop, ‘occult’ bookstore, or earthy/crafty sort of trinket/gift shops, should all carry essential oils.

@ Magee – Interesting, and makes sense! I’m not sure I’d want to do that daily, but I bet a few times a week to clear up the micro-buggies would be great. Hmmm, so many good ideas here!

@ Leigha – Oh no! That’s so weird, especially about the oils separating. That definitely should not be happening. I’d say add some more baking soda and cornstarch, then give it a real good mix, then put it in the fridge overnight. That should get it good and set.

Hope that works for you, and if it doesn’t, please let me know! I need to know if it’s not universally applicable. =(

hmm, sounds like a need to take a shot at this. i love the idea of using an old deodrant case, seeing as i’d be able to design the outside myself… so that leads me to me question as to why you don’t remomend doing it?

Definatly going to be trying this and the other ideas on here, I’ve been trying to cut down on all products from non-Vegan companies so Deodorants were a bit tough but I’m sure something from here will work !

The coconut oil, is it solid or liquid, or does it not matter? I am this close to making my own batch of deodorant. Especially since I am breastfeeding and having my baby so close to the pit area, it kind of has been freaking me out.

@Sayward – Yes, Thieves toothpaste works wonderful as deodorant! There are 3 different versions, so a little experimentation may be in order. For toothpaste, most people prefer the Dentarome Ultra because it has a consistency most like regular toothpaste. That works fine with the shaved armpits of women, but causes knots in the hairy armpits of men. Best all-around deodorant is the regular (original) Dentarome. I use the Dentarome Plus, but it might be a little hot for beginners. I actually give a lot of details as well as my testimony on lymph node cleansing at
http://eatonessentials.com/news/skincare/01deodorant.htm

I’m very excited to try this recipe! As a former Oregonian I look forward to your blog as a glimpse into what is going on back home!

I want to echo the same question as Megan, I love the idea of re-using old containers; did you have trouble putting the mixture into the
containers?

I also have a love for the baking soda. I recently traveled to Florida and got eaten alive by bugs, yikes! I made a paste with baking soda and water and applied it to the itchy bites on my legs and it seemed to work! I don’t know if science can back it up as it may be just a placebo effect but it works for me. However, it looks unsightly so probably not a good solution for visible bites.

I also used a combination of baking soda and white vinegar to clean my dingy vintage white vinyl chair, it came out so clean! I regret to say that I had tried so many bad chemicals before trying this simple recipe.

Keep up the awesome blog!

@ Megan – The issue with the case is getting a smooth application. The problem is, coconut oil has a very low melting point, so the consistency of the deodorant will change as temperature fluctuates. It never actually *melts*, so you don’t need to worry about that. But when it’s warmer, it tends to squish a bit when you try to apply it with the stick. The last couple of days it’s been cooler here in Portland, and I’ve been able to treat it just like normal deodorant. I rub it on and it comes off in an even, easy application. It’s perfect. =) So, maybe it was just an issue during the heat wave.

I say give it a try if you’d like! If it doesn’t work you can always take it back out and transfer it to a jar.

@ JackP – Yes, this is a great way to get around the issues of supporting non-vegan companies/parent companies/non-vegan companies that make specific ingredients/oh-what-a-mess-it-can-be. I hope it works for you!

@ Farmingtheburbs – The coconut oil is usually solid at ‘room temperature’, but mine melts on hot days due to the very low melting point. It will also melt if you touch it! (plain coconut oil, not the deodorant). You can mix up the recipe either way, but it might be easier if you heat the oil to just melting before you add it.

@ Caleb – Thanks for the info! I’ll have to check that stuff out, it sounds awesome. =)

@ Julie – There have been a lot of scientific studies done on the numerous properties of baking soda, and it definitely gets the science seal of approval. That bug bite salve sounds great, I’ll keep that one in mind!

As for the used deodorant container, it’s really easy to get the new stuff in. I just used a kitchen spoon to scoop it up and pack it in. There was a bit of leftover, which I stuck in a spice jar and stored in the fridge. =)

Love the recipe and love the blog. Must share this on my blog. Come by and visit anytime.

Seriously McMillan

@ Seriously McMillan – Thanks! I hope your readers enjoy it! =)

Sayward,

Great post. I love natural products, and may give this a try sometime. I wanted also to comment on something you said above, that the coconut oil “never actually melts.” I assure you that it can. There are two general kinds available for consumption: coconut 76 and coconut 91. The numbers correspond to the temperature at which they begin to melt. For the deodorant, then, I would recommend the 91. It will melt a bit for application, and should then absorb into the skin, which is both harmless and moisturizing. This is also why your clothes don’t get oil stains–your skin has probably absorbed it.

Any soap maker would know,

Amy

(p.s. ….I sounded snarky at the end, there, and didn’t mean to. I can’t think straight today. Let’s end it with … “A soap maker who knows about coconut oil”…) No snarky! Sorry!

@ Amy – Don’t worry, you didn’t sound snarky at all. =)

*But*, I think you misunderstood what I was saying. I meant that once made, the deodorant itself never actually melts. Coconut oil alone definitely melts – I think I cover that elsewhere in the comments. So yes, coconut oil definitely melts (but not at normal room temp), but the deodorant will NOT melt. Hope that clears up the confusion!

I don’t think I’ve ever seen vitamin e oil, where do you find that? I tried this recipe for homemade deodorant – http://www.marilynfarms.com/blog/my-favorite-deodorant.html – which seems similar to what you have only you have a couple other elements.

@ Jeremy – You can get vitamin e oil at any health food or herbal remedy store. They carry it at Trader Joe’s and Whole Foods for sure.

Yeah, there are a bunch of recipes like this around the ‘net. Some more complicated than others, but they’re often very similar. Variations on a great theme! =D

I love the idea of making home made deodorant, but all of these oils are so expensive! Sadly, there’s no way my family could afford that at this time.

@ Lisa – I definitely understand when the purse strings are tight, believe me I do. But really, this recipe is SO economical!

You’re looking at about a $20 upfront investment for the coconut oil, vitamin E oil, and essential oil. That’s $20 for enough supplies to make, literally, multiple *years* worth of deodorant.

If you’re spending ~$5 a pop on store bought sticks, how many of those does a family go through in a year?

I think it’s really, really worth the initial cost, but of course that’s just my approach! =)

It does sound very economical when you put it that way. I’m sure the oils will last a long time since you’re not using the whole bottle.

This is my first time visiting your blog and I really love the idea of making your own homemade deodorant. I would have never thought about that. I will have to give it a try, if anything just to give me a project to do.

I did this and love the results. I don’t have the essential oils, so just went with coconut oil, baking soda, and cornstarch. It really works great!

However, after a few weeks, something started to clog my pores as well as give me a rash. I would actually get lumps under the skin where (I believe) my pores were clogged. Any idea which ingredient would cause that? I’m hoping if I cut down on whatever taht is, I can reformulate and start using it again.

FYI (and maybe TMI), you can also use this on your feet when you wear socks with no shoes and it works well to kill the smell.

Ahem. I believe I meant shoes with no socks.

I will definitely be trying this! Great blog – thanks for the recipe. :]

This recipe sounds great, I’d like to try it!~ But I have one question…may sound stupid but I have food allergies to corn and soy- which give me migraines and wonder would the corn starch affect me the way it does when I consume it?

@ Kristie – Try cutting some of the baking soda, which can irritate some people’s skin, and upping the cornstarch. That should clear up any sort of rash. Luck!

@ Laurie – Opposite of Kristie: I wouldn’t put the cornstarch on your skin if you have a corn allergy. You can sub in talcum powder instead, it will work the same but without any risk. Luck to you too!

I really like this idea. I can’t seem to find a deodorant that works for me, that doesn’t have aluminum in it. The commerical-natural deodorants always seem to leave me smelling worse. I especially like the idea of putting it in an old deodorant container. I can’t get my husband to try anything that involves spreading it on with one’s fingers.

I checked out the link on the other website mentioned in the comments (marilynfarms), and noticed it doesn’t suggest anti-fungal or anti-bacterial oils. May I ask if these have a specific purpose, or if they’re putting added as a preventative measure? I’m rather new to all this stuff, so I’m not entirely sure what all the oils do.

Also, may I ask why you chose to do both Vit. E and Coconut? I’d like to minimize the number of oils I use if I can, but don’t want to alter the recipe if it is specifically needed.

I’m in Portland also, and your site looks amazing btw.

Thanks for the tip – I will try that!

antiseptic basically means antibacterial/antiviral on the skin surface

@ Cree – The anti-bacterial and anti-fungals are preventative. bacteria and fungi, like yeasts, thrive in warm moist places – like armpits! We secrete all sorts of yummy stuff for them to eat, and their growth contributes to our odor. So keeping bacteria and fungi away is definitely in our best interest.

The coconut oil is the binder here – it makes the paste along with the powders, that forms the bulk of the product. The vitamin E is for extra moisturizing and soothing. It is not totally necessary; just up the coconut oil to compensate.

@ Kritsie – Thanks, and good luck!

@ Joe Shmoe – yes

Good gracious! This stuff is amazing. I had shea butter at home, so I substituted shea + almond oil for coconut oil. I can’t say enough about how awesome this stuff is. My boyfriend and I are super active and always overpower the store bought natural stuff half way through the work day. In a 24 hour period we rode our bikes to work (sweat), rode home(sweat), went for a run (sweat) and we still smelled like daisies. It’s cheaper and it works better than the store bought stuff. Major win!
Oh, I also used all tea tree oil in what I made.

@ Smythe – Yay! What an awesome testimonial, thank you!

just made a batch and will try tomorrow. i substituted castor oil for vitamin e oil, so i hope i get the same results.
i used to swear by crystal deodorants, but started to developed skin irritation, so i switched baking soda every other day and it worked. but your recipe smells minty, it’s nice.

I finally gave in and made some o’ this just a few minutes ago. I put it in the fridge to firm up because I’m inpatient. I used thieves (I swear I’m not even a YoungLiving sort, I just lived with people who were and got hooked on Thieves!) and lavender oil. I may end up making some peppermint-lavender for my husband, we’ll see!

Ugh! So, against your recommendation, I put my deodorant in an old deodorant container, because I figured it would be easier to apply… but the steaminess of my shower melted it and it spurted all over when I opened it. (Luckily, just enough for me to use spurted all over, I just had to gather my daily dose of deodorant from various places on my bathroom floor and counter!)

I think I’ll store it my bedroom from now on.

@ kat – Interesting, let me know how the castor oil works!

@ Meghan – Oh no! (but also, that’s pretty funny) Yeah, I bet in a week or so you’ll be able to bring it back into the bathroom. I feel like it really takes a while to totally set up. But either way, good luck! I’ve gotta check out this Thieves stuff . . .

Do you have a sense for how long coconut oil lasts? Should I store it under my sink with my olive oil?

Right now my deodorant is living in the fridge. It is surprisingly not too cold to apply! Kind of a nice morning pickmeup, and certainly won’t melt in there!

@ Meghan – Indefinitely! like, years and years. I wouldn’t worry about it. =)

Interesting with the deodorant in the fridge. That’s one way to wake up in the morning!

OH. I meant to ask before, what sort of coconut oil did you use? I stood there in the aisle at the market and was faced with refined, unrefined, and raw. I went with refined because it seemed to have the highest melting point? Actually, the raw didn’t specify.

I got home today and I saw that my jar of coconut oil was liquid! It wasn’t THAT hot today!! Weird…

@ Meghan – Yeah, from the reports I’m getting back from people who make this recipe, I’m thinking that different coconut oils have very different melting points. I buy Raw coconut oil and mine is almost always solid. It seems like others remain liquid most of the time . . . but I guess a lot of it also depends on climate.

Sorry I couldn’t be more help!

pleased to report the castor oil worked. this recipe works great! i love the slight minty-ness. worked better than baking soda alone.

@ kat – Great news, thanks for sharing your experiments! =)

@Meghan – If I may, you want to try and get raw because it’s the least messed with. It’s also the most likely to stay solid. Unrefined is the next best choice, it’s cold pressed (usually) and has a softer feel to it. It may also be liquid depending on where you live. I live in the NW and just putting the refined in warm water made it completely liquid after about 10 minutes. That’s just tap water warm. The refined is going to be really liquid and is the most processed.

Yeah, once I run out of coconut oil I will definitely try raw or unrefined. I tried taking mine out of the fridge the other day and it was melted by morning. For now I’m fine with keeping it in the fridge though, I suppose there is no rule saying where my deodorant is supposed to be stored. It is the perfect texture, just… cold!

I’m interested in trying this, but there’s one thing I wonder…Is there something you could recommend using in place of the coconut oil?

@ Kaye – Shea butter or cocoa butter should do the trick!

As soon as I stumbled upon this recipe I went out and bought the essential oils to make it. I had everything else, which was awesome because it was so CHEAP to make. After wearing it for a few days, and through roller derby practice, I can say that it definitely passes the stink-test. My armpits smell like nothing! It’s wonderful

I am sooo excited about trying this. My son is insulin dept. diabetic and has has a problem with oders due to the insuin when he sweats.I’ll let you know how it works for him and the rest of us.

Awesome! I’ve just been making a little baking soda paste with water and smearing it on (works like a charm, btw), but my boyfriend HATES this and whines about it every day. He might actually like this recipe.

I ended up throwing in the towel on conventional antiperspirant years ago (gives me a rash), and gave up on “natural” deodorant several months ago (doesn’t really work). I sweat a lot too, but I just decided that I don’t care anymore. No poison for me.

I love this blog!

@ Amanda – Yay, I’m so glad it’s working for you!

@ Pamela and Leah – Good luck with the recipe, and please do let me know how it works out for you guys!

Hello

I live in Beirut – Lebanon and the guys that sell oils and essence and can make you a bottle of any perfume in any concentration you want for something between 5 and 10 US. Well they do not call them as essential oils …….. I guess will have to give it a try and either my arm pit drops of or the thing will work.

I am finding it harder to find Vitamin E Oil.

Any Ideas

@ Samid David – That sounds like the same thing, it’s probably just a different name. =) Maybe just start with a few drops and see how strong it smells.

As for Vitamin E, it’s hard for me to know what’s available in different parts of the world. Here in the states you can find Vitamin E oil in bottles or in gel capsules (like little pills). These are usually available at health food stores or natural food/body stores. Also, there’s always ordering on the internet. Good luck!

Just wanted to let you know that I made my third batch of this today… My first batch was Lavender and Tea Tree, like yours, but then I did some reading and found out about Thieves Oil, and have used 20 drops of that since then. It’s a great scent – both the husband and I use it with great happiness! Not a salesman at all, but thought you might be interested… http://www.secretofthieves.com/

@ Erin – Okay, I really need to check out this Thieves Oil stuff. Everyone keeps raving about it! Thanks for the heads up, and I’m glad the deodorant is working for you!

Hi Sayward I have been following your blog for many months now, and I wanted to let you know that I finally got around to making my first batch of deodorant two days ago… THANK YOU! It’s amazing stuff! I’ve been using so-called “natural” deodorants since finding out I was pregnant about a year and a half ago, but I’ve since realized that just because it’s aluminum free doesn’t mean it’s all natural. I also sweat a fair bit and am pretty paranoid about smelling funky. I was skeptical that I’d find success with the homemade route (even though I do that with so many other products in my life, but I’ve been struggling trying to find a good deodorant for YEARS), but I am sold! Thanks again for posting this recipe, I already have it memorized and I’m never going back to store-bought!

@ Neko – Yay, SO glad it worked so well for you. I couldn’t believe it either, but it really is the best I’ve ever used. I’m delighted to share the love. =D

I made this (which was actually so much fun to do, and made my kitchen and wooden spoon smell lovely), and have been using it for 3 days. Its bloody fantastic Thankyou Sayward

@ Annie – You’re welcome! I’m so glad it works so well for everyone!

This looks like fun – I’ve got some ideas to add to my baking soda/coconut oil deodorant I’ve been using for years (and been very happy with!) I’ve been surprised that no one’s mentioned the fact that raw/unrefined coconut oil by itself is anti-viral/anti-bacterial/anti-fungal. I LOVE the way just rubbing some coconut oil into my feet kills the smell from wearing/sweating in sandals.

Whether known or not, the CO really is more than a binder for this recipe. The essential oils probably make up the difference when other oils are used.

I just made up a small batch of this last night with lavender and tea tree oils and wore it today.

Thank you so much! This works better than any of the natural deodorants I’ve tried before and I smell like a girl, not like a smelly hippie.

I’m having so much fun following your blog (found you from natural_living on lj)! You are such an inspiration.

@ FairMaiden – Great point! I forgot that about the CO. Such amazing stuff. =)

@ April in Autumn – Aw thanks lady. So glad you like the site, and SO glad the deodorant is working for you. It really is amazing stuff!

Awesome stuff. First I was a bit skeptic but right from the first time of using the new Deo we all (my wife and our friends) love it. We’ll never buy Deo again. Thanks for all your time and efforts.

Ok, this is *totally* random, but this photo is so weird I’ve been staring at it for 5 minutes trying to figure out how you’re holding that container, if that’s a mirror and if it is, where’s the reflection of the container? Haha! Sorry, I just can’t let go with photos illogical like that, I need to know!

@ Minna – haha, yeah there’a mirror involved. I’m sitting on the counter and Damian is taking the picture . . . but I don’t remember how exactly, and looking at it I’m also having trouble figuring it out. ha!

I just came across your blog, and I share your enthusiasm for this recipe! I’m using one very similar at the moment, and have been for around 18 months, and NO STINK in all that time. So amazing.

It doesn’t work for my daughter though, she is 20, and finds her armpits still stink…not sure why.

I spread the good work about this deodorant recipe wherever people will listen, and am even starting to enjoy the you’re-so-weird looks.
I HIGHLY recommend all the Thieves products by the way, and no, I do not sell them.

Great site. A lot of useful information here. I’m sending it to some friends!

hello!! just wanted to let you know i am a huge fan of your blog and this recipe. i just wrote about it in my blog with a link to your recipe
http://heyavocado.blogspot.com/2010/08/all-naturalaluminum-free-deoderant.html

Thanks for all the great info and recipes!

@ heather – Thanks!

wow
this wirks so much better for me than shop deoderents