When I was in junior high everyone wore these rayon button down shirts from Express. I had one and loved it to death! There was just one big problem. If you sweat, and I mean even one drop, it was very obvious. Like pit stains all day long.
That was just the beginning. I spent the next decade and a half trying not to sweat.
I used Secret, of course, but also tried way harsher antiperspirants. I remember it was prescription grade and you had to apply it every other night (it was that strong!). And did I mention it burned?! It hurt so bad. But I would have done anything to stop sweating.
This continued all through my adolescence, and into my 20s. When I was in my early 30s I started to learn about skin care products and how dangerous they can be. Loaded with chemicals? Cancer causing? In my blood stream?
At the time, deodorant stood out to me the most. I had been abusing it for years! I started trying “natural deodorants”. And can I just say…awful. It was one sticky, wet, weird, non-working mess after another. I gave up. I went back to my conventional deodorant but felt a lot of guilt about it.
One day as I was scanning the internet for a homemade lotion recipe I stumbled on a natural deodorant that I could make myself. At this point I had already been playing around in my kitchen making healthy concoctions from hand cream to chapstick to tinctures and herbal remedies. I decided to give it a try. And I fell in love.
Of course I was skeptical. I had been through MANY deodorants and had many failures. But I was SO hopeful with this one. A few days in and I was hooked. It worked. It smelled like suntan lotion and I loved the ingredients! Today I am sharing it with you…Enjoy!
Have you ever tried natural deodorant?
Natural Deodorant Recipe
Ingredients
4 tbl shea butter
2 tbl cocoa butter
4 tbl coconut oil
1 tbl castor oil
3 tbl baking soda
2 tbl bentonite clay
3 1/2 tbl arrowroot powder
5 drops tea tree EO
5 drops lavender EO
7 drops neroli EO
7 drops orange EO
Directions
1. In a 2-cup Pyrex container (or glass jar), melt the shea butter, and cocoa butter with the castor and coconut oils. You can do this in a double boiler on the stove.
2. Stir in the baking soda, bentonite clay, and arrowroot powder. Make sure it’s all mixed in on the bottom.
3. Wait until the mixture is cool enough for you to put a finger in it comfortably, or it’s under 120 degrees Fahrenheit. Add your essential oils.
* In summer months or warmer climates you may wish to add a tablespoon or so of beeswax pellets to the mix. You can melt them in with the butters.
Lee
I’m game – heading out to gather up these ingredients and feeling confident it will work.
“Thanks for sharing”! (Hate that expression but applies in this case….)
kloadmin
Awesome! Also I will be making a batch soon and happy to make some for you, Lee.
lee
In NYC so found everything but orange oil – substituting lemon as I hope it’s just for “scent” –
Will triple it as I have a lot of ingredients not in my usual pantry! Here goes.
Thanks for the offer….
lee fitzpatrick
Okay I’m back again with my “report” after a full and busy weekend using the deo made with this recipe.
First, it’s fun to make – great smells and textures and a true feeling of chemistry in action. It’s very liquid while hot/warm but once cool is a fantastic creamy consistency which spreads and absorbs easily. Best of all it does prevent odor and in my case perspiration. Will be my new “hostess” gift for the Spring. Thanks again for passing this along.
kloadmin
SO glad it came out well! I just love this deodorant and feel so happy that I completely got rid of all the old toxic stuff. And you can always switch up the scents and add beeswax or take some away depending on your climate or season!