Best, Easiest, Cheapest, & Safest Deodorant

If you are like me (or most any mammal in existence) you sweat. Sweat breeds bacteria growth. Some good bacteria and some bad bacteria. The bad bacteria give you body odor. Bad bacteria (in the smelly sense) are attracted to particular sweat in particular glads on particular parts of your body (you can guess where those are -- hint: they're the ones that smell when you are sweaty at the end of the day).

I don't like that whole smelling bad thing. I tried a number of natural deodorants, and non-natural-based deodorants, and weird (that salt crystal thing) deodorants, and they aren't that great. No aluminum but you still smell! So I started researching and testing out and I have been using for the last number of months a super simple, inexpensive, and amazingly effective natural deodorant.

What do you need:

(1) A container

(2) a mixing utensil

(3) Baking Soda

(4) Arrow Root powder (or flour, same thing)

(5) Coconut Oil (I used the unrefined kind)

Step 1: Mix Your Ingredients

Baking soda is the key deodorizer in this formula. Some people are sensitive to baking soda, sodium bicarbonate as it were, on their skin so you may need to vary the amounts. I have had no problems as of yet so have not changed my formula. The more baking soda the better the deodorizing.

Formula:

1:1 Baking Soda to Arrow Root powder

Mix together.

Add Coconut Oil to moisten.

The trick is the temperature of the room you are working in. If you are making this in the winter or cooler environments where the coconut oil is solid at room temperature, then I recommend heating the coconut oil up slightly in an oven on low heat to initially melt it to help with mixing.

If you are making it in summer, like I am right now, the coconut oil is liquid at room temperature and I spoon in the oil and mix.

Consistency goal: You want the deodorant to be varying levels of solid. In the cool room case, you want to mix in until the mixture is a thick paste (with the pre-melted coconut oil). This way, when the coconut oil solidifies, you get a good solid deodorant.

In the warm room case, the mixture is going to be a little soupy -- not too hard, but not too soupy either, kind of like a thick toothpaste consistency if you can get there. Once done mixing in a warm environment, stick it in the fridge. If in a cool environment, leave it out and let it solidify.

Step 2: Use!

Once cooled, the deodorant is ready to use! Some people use an old empty deodorant container to put the mixture in as it cools so they can swipe it on. I take a half dime-sized amount on my finger and just rub it in and then wash my hands afterwards. Because of your body temperature, the deodorant goes on solid but as you rub it in, it melts and forms an amazing level of protection.

In the summer, the coconut oil can melt more and create a soupy deodorant (depending on how much or how little coconut oil you use). Some people store their deodorant in the fridge in the summer to keep the solid consistency. It is not necessary but a preference.

Enjoy! And, seriously, I have had zero body odor when using this deodorant, for months. It is amazing.

Step 3: PS

Some people add a few drops of essential oil to add a fragrance to the deodorant. Feel free to do that. Test the oil on the skin first so to make sure you do not have any adverse reactions.