My one and only resolution this year was to clean up my act–food wise and body product-wise. That includes things I can’t pronounce and things I don’t know what they are, and the more obvious ones–the things I know are bad for me 🙂
The last container of deodorant I bought was Tom’s brand and I have never been completely happy with it. Although it doesn’t have the aluminum and other nasties in it that anti-perspirants do, I still smelled like a–a–marathon runner in the 23rd mile by 3:00 every afternoon.
I’ve been collecting ingredients for a batch of deodorant and when the stick of Tom’s ran out, it was time to find “the recipe”. I’m so sorry I don’t have the source of this particular recipe, BUT there are a lot of recipes out there that are very, very, similar to this one. It’s called “Homemade Natural Deodorant that Works” and here’s the recipe:
6-8 Tbsp coconut oil (not melted)
1/3 cup arrowroot powder
1/4 cup baking soda
1 Tbsp beeswax and/or shea butter (optional)
Essential oils (optional)
- Mix arrowroot powder and baking soda together in a medium bowl.
- Mash in 6 Tbsp of coconut oil with a spoon until well mixed. It should be creamy with a slightly dry texture. If you need more oil, add 1 Tbsp at a time.
- Add in essential oils, if desired. You will need about 10-15 drops total for each batch. I added 5 drops tea tree oil and 10 drops patchouli.
- Store in a small glass jar.
A few essential oil combinations mentioned in the original recipe are:
Tea tree and rosemary
Lavender and orange
Lemon, lavender and frankincense
Tea tree and lavender
Peppermint and lemon
The first time I used it I put it on after I showered in the evening and it lasted all night and all day the next day–I work outside, too. I never smelled any odor and am simply amazed! I’ve used it for several days now and still, no odor—AWESOME!
Note: Do not apply to freshly shaved armpits–it will itch and sting for several hours or until you finally go to sleep.
So far I’m using homemade lotion, soap, shampoo, now deodorant, and one thing I love about making my own is that I can make them all smell like patchouli 🙂
Finding healthy food and body care products in today’s world is getting to be a real challenge, but thanks to the interwoven web of worldwide technology, one can learn a lot while simply sitting on your butt at the computer. Amazing, huh?
Wild Things Farm 