DIY Natural Deodorant Recipe – Dang Good Stuff (2024)

Have you been on a search for an effective natural deodorant? Well, you can stop here! For those of you who want to avoid the seriously toxic ingredients in antiperspirants and commercial deodorant, this is your ticket.

It’s not like you are going to eat it. You could if you wanted. It’s that safe. The things we put on our skin are absorbed into the bloodstream, and the ingredients included in commercial deodorants are definitely not something you want to be taking into your system!

When you are looking for a safe deodorant, if you see the word “natural” you still need to be careful. That word can mean a lot of things. It may have some natural ingredients, but it may also have some of the nasty things we don’t want.

Here are some ingredients you need to be aware of

Aluminum

Many deodorants and antiperspirants,including some “natural crystal” deodorantscontain forms of aluminum, which inhibit perspiration.There is a reason why our body sweats. I have always thought that stopping our body from sweating in itself, was not a good thing. This controversial ingredient is classified inthis review, which was written by an oncologist, as both agenotoxin and hormone disruptor.

I used a natural crystal deodorant for many years. It was good, but it was messy and I still got a little stinky. Although this brand did NOT contain aluminum, some DO! Here are a few informative posts that contain studies related to this. (1) (2)

Propylene Glycol

Propylene glycol (PEG) is a penetration enhancer, which means that one of the things it does is help other chemicals get deeper into skin. It isalso classified as a moderate hazardby the Environmental working Group.

Triclosan

Studies indicate that this chemical, which is used in everything from toys to toothpaste, maydisrupt normal thyroid functionandalter hormones. I don’t think I need anything else to mess with my hormones!

Parabens

Breast cancer most often occurs in the upper outer quadrant, just under where women rub deodorant on. Ina2012 study, 99% of breast cancer samples that were analyzed contained parabens, a common ingredient in deodorants, lotions and makeup.

Parabens mimic estrogen by binding to estrogen receptors on cells. They also increase the expression of genes usually regulated by estradiol (a natural form of estrogen); these genes cause human breast cancer cells to grow and multiply in cellular studies.

Fragrances

The word “fragrance” seems safe doesn’t it? Well, that is just a cover-up word for many chemicals that don’t need to be listed. Inone studyconducted by the Environmental Working Group,nearly half of the ingredients in the fragrance products they tested were not listed on the label.

Even the word “‘unscented’ is misleading. Products that are labeled unscented may contain masking fragrances, which are chemicals used to cover up the odor of other chemicals. Craziness! Check out the article here.

Well, is that enough dirt to make you want to switch over to something a little safer for your body?

Although I don’t want to put a lot of fear out there about products or food, I do want you all to be informed. Don’t despair; I have a great solution for you.

Over the years I have tried MANY different natural deodorants only to be disappointed. I even made up several recipes that still didn’t do the trick.

I heard about a great natural deodorant that had activated charcoal in it. Hmmmm, now that made sense to me. So I purchased a jar of it and gave it a whirl. WOW, it worked and it worked well. The only thing, it wasn’t cheap, I had to order it, and it didn’t last very long. Being the DIY girl that I am, I knew I could make something like this myself. So after making several tweaks to a few recipes, I came up with the perfect recipe. It is way easy to make, a lot less expensive and it works dang good!

One of the key ingredient is the activated charcoal, which neutralizes odor and absorbs moisture without aluminum, parabens, or synthetic fragrances.

Why does it work so well?

The ingredients in this deodorant form an invisible, absorbent, pH-balanced shield on your underarms that neutralizes odor and protects your clothes from perspiration. It can even be used with those who have sensitive skin.

My dear sister, who has tried everything to calm her sweating and odor, swears by this stuff. When I was testing it out, I gave her a jar and told her to give it a whirl. She text me back a week later and said “this deodorant is freaking awesome”!

Even my husband loves it, and he’s not an easy sell when it comes to stuff like this. He usually gets quite stinky under the arms when he does presentations at work or in other meetings, but he doesn’t anymore. This stuff really is the bomb – and not a stinky one!

This recipe, along with several other alternative remedies, can be found in my Alternative Remedies Booklet. You can find it here.

Here are the ingredients

It may seem like a huge list of ingredients and you may be thinking it is going to cost a fortune to get all these items. The items will make several batches and most of the items you can use for other things.

• ½ cup Tapioca Four or Tapioca Starch
• 2 teaspoons Baking Soda
• ¼ cup Coconut Oil
• ½ cup Magnesium Hydroxide
• 1/3 cup Shea Butterif using a bar, grate it first
• ½ Tablespoon Rose Water
• 1/3 cup Cocoa Butter
• ½ Tablespoon Witch Hazelif you get this witch hazel, it comes with rose water in it!
• 1 teaspoon Liquid Vitamin E
• 1 capsule Activated Charcoal
• Essential Oils – 30 drops of your choice (make sure they are clean oils and not synthetic oils)

This is a blend that we really like and is similar smelling to the original PiperWai.

Don’t freak out if you don’t have all these oils. Use what you have or acquire the ones you think you will use. These are all exceptional oils that you could use for many other things. They will last a long time.

3 drops of each Bergamot, Clary Sage, Clove, Eucalyptus, Lemongrass, Peppermint, Tea Tree (melaleuca), Rosemary

6 drops each of Lavender, Wild Orange or Mandarin

Equipment you will need

• Glass bowl
• Sauce pan
• Measuring spoons and cups
• Spoon and spatula
• Whisk

Instructions

• Measure the coconut oil, and butters and place them in the glass bowl. If the butters you are using are in a bar,you want to grate it up before measuring. Pack it down in the measuring cup.
• Fill a sauce pan about 1/4 full with water and bring to a boil.

• Reduce the heat to a simmer and fit the bowl onto the pot. The bottom of the bowl should not reach the water, therefore leave at least 2″ to 3″ space between the bowl and water. You want to heat the bowl with steam and not the water.
• Stir until it has all melted.
• Carefully remove glass bowl from the pan and whisk in the powdered ingredients until smooth. Add the essential oils last just before pouring into containers.
• It will seem rather runny at this point. Don’t be alarmed, the mixture will thicken after it sits a while.
• This recipe makes about 5 – 6, 2oz jars.
• Allow it to set until hardened. I usually just let it set up overnight. If you live where it is warm, you may need to place in refrigerator to set up.

How to apply the deodorant

• Simply dip your finger in and scoop out a small amount.
• You only need a pea size rubbed in the armpit area.
• If you wait just a minute and allow the deodorant to absorb, it won’t stain your clothes.

Deodorant Jar labels

If you want to apply a label to your jars of deodorant, I have a PDF you can download and print. Kinda makes you feel like it’s a legitimate product. You can get the scoop about them here.

You are going to love this stuff! Let me know how it goes.

If you want to apply a label to your jars of deodorant, I have a PDF you can download and print. Kinda makes you feel like it’s a legitimate product. You can get the scoop about them here.

You are going to love this stuff! Let me know how it goes.