Introduction: Deodorant

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In 5 minutes, you can make your own natural deodorant at home without all that icky Alzheimer's disease!

Using a few simple ingredients, you can make your own all-natural, skin soothing deodorant, scented exactly the way you like it. It's so simple and gratifying, you'll never go back!

Step 1: Materials

To make your own deodorant, gather up:

  • Corn starch
  • Baking soda
  • Coconut oil
  • Essential oils (opt. - adds smellpretty!)
  • Vitamin E (opt. adds ooohskinsoft!)
  • An empty container to be filled with your new deodorant

Some great essential oils for deodorant also act as antimicrobials (since bacteria is what causes the smell, using something to wipe them out is even better!) While the oils of bay, cinnamon, clove and thyme are the most inhibitory, they can also lead to major sensitivity in the pit-ular area.

Tea tree, sandalwood, lavender, lemon, and neem oils are all good alternatives. Use one, none, or create your own blend!

Step 2: Mix It Up

Combine 1/4 cup (60mL) cornstarch with 1/4 cup baking soda.

Add essential oils - I used 8 drops of lavender with 3 drops of sandalwood.

Add 2 Tablespoons coconut oil and a few drops of vitamin E oil (opt). Though the coconut oil I got for this project had a low melting point, the stuff I have at home has a higher one, which I would recommend. That kind I bought in my grocery store near the Crisco and other baking needs.

Mush the ingredients together until they start to form a silky mass. Add more of the coconut oil or dry ingredients to adjust. Then you're ready to start packing it in to your container.

Step 3: The Genius Part

If it's ever bothered you that you don't know when your deodorant is going to run out until suddenly the whole thing has dropped out onto your bathroom floor rendering it scuzzy and no longer useful (though you pick out the gross and use it anyway) I suggest cutting out a piece of colored tissue paper to use as a flag.


Fill your container with about and inch or so of deodorant, insert your flag, and fill the rest of your container!

Step 4: Finis!

Clean up the container and make your own clever label for it (like you won't remember what it is. . . )

Let it set up for a day or two.

Use liberally, and encourage others to do so as well!

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Some final notes based on early comments:

Odor is caused by bacteria, not by sweating. The essential oils I mentioned are great antimicrobials and should do a real number on all that nasty bacteria. But I do look forward to hearing about some of the more interesting scents you all try too!

This product will not keep you from sweating. Aluminum is the key ingredient in antiperspirant, and that's the bad guy in our story here. It took me a long time (and many Texas summers), but I was finally able to get over my discomfort of sweating.

Enjoy!