I’ll get to the recipe in a moment, but this recipe I came up with is the best natural deodorant recipe I have come across. There are many benefits to using natural deodorant instead of conventional deodorant. One of the main concerns of conventional deodorants is the use of aluminum (which is a potent neurotoxin) and the use of additives, dyes, and chemicals. Aluminum is of particular concern for sensitive individuals, such as those with multiple chemical sensitivities, autism, and those with MTHFR (methylene tetrahydrafolate reductase) mutations.
Some find that natural deodorants actually work better than conventional deodorants, you can also customize the deodorant to your liking. Technically, you can also ingest all the ingredients, which cannot be said for many deodorants. Essential oils are optional but can offer a lot of variety and customization to your deodorant. Only a small amount of essential oil is needed, only a few drops may be required. Essential oils can add different fragrances to your deodorant. With enough experimentation you could even make deodorant for men, women, or unisex.
You can also reuse old empty deodorant sticks or buy empty deodorant sticks online to put on your natural deodorant. For a bain-marie, you only need a pot or saucepan with water and a bowl to put the oil and ingredients while they melt and mix. I personally use a ceramic bowl on a skillet and find that it works well.
Although the original recipe I borrowed heavily from Wellness Mama (http://wellnessmama.com/1523/how-to-make-natural-deodorant-beating-the-bo-with-natural-deo/) uses arrowroot, I find tapioca starch or cornstarch can also work. I also swapped some baking soda for starch, if needed you can lower the amount of baking soda even more.
To get started, you will need a few things, as far as the ingredients you will need:
- coconut oil
- shea butter
- sodium bicarbonate
- arrowroot / tapioca / cornstarch / flour
- essential oils (optional)
As for the tools, you will need:
- empty deodorant sticks
- funnel
- water bath
This is the recipe for the best natural deodorant:
Necessary elements:
- 3 tablespoons coconut oil
- 1 tablespoon of baking soda
- 2 tablespoons shea butter
- 4 tablespoons arrowroot / tapioca starch / cornstarch
- essential oils (optional)
1. Melt the shea butter and coconut oil in a double boiler and, once melted, mix well
2. Remove from heat and add baking soda and arrowroot.
3. Mix well
4. Add essential oils (a few drops should be enough) and mix well.
5. Once mixed, use a funnel to transfer to empty deodorant sticks (may require 1-2)
6. Fill the deodorant sticks almost completely leaving a little space, leave them upright with a paper towel underneath in case they dry out.
Tom’s of Maine is a great natural deodorant, but it’s just as easy and affordable to make yours at home. A very simple deodorant could be to simply apply a paste of baking soda mixed with cornstarch (or arrowroot / tapioca), but baking soda can react strongly to some, so try this first.
