Table of Contents[Hide][Show]
Today, I tackle a subject that no one really wants to talk about: body odor.
More importantly, I will tackle it naturally. Chances are, you’ve probably experienced body odor at some point. I am posting this because it was a touchy subject for me for a long time, and I’m hoping my (embarrassing) plight might be able to help you!
Why Natural Deodorant?
Eating a good diet and drinking enough water can really cut down the odor, but sometimes you need something else. Sure, the conventional deodorant antiperspirants work great, if you don’t mind infusing your armpits with aluminum and other additives!
For those of us who have sought a more natural option, you may have noticed that the pickings are rather slim. There are a lot of natural deodorants out there, it’s just that, well… most of them don’t work well. I say this from experience, as a woman who has been pregnant multiple times in the last few years (pregnancy increases sweat) and worked out through the pregnancies.
So what to do?
Sweat like a horse or slather on the aluminum? Is there no other option?
Fortunately, there is!
Unfortunately, it takes more time than going to the store, but it lasts a lot longer and is a whole lot healthier! In my pursuit of healthy armpits, I finally stumbled upon a natural homemade deodorant recipe that works and is still natural. This is after trying every natural variation I could find (which didn’t work or caused a rash) and after several very failed attempts at making it.
I did find in the process that pure baking soda or plain coconut oil work pretty well, so if you aren’t into making your own, maybe try that. Some people get a rash from baking soda, so test this on a small area of skin first. I’ve also recently been using this pre-made natural deodorant, which is very similar to these DIY recipes and that smells amazing and works well!
How to Make Natural Homemade Deodorant
Both of the recipes below work really well. I prefer the softness of the first recipe, but if you don’t have shea butter lying around, the second recipe works just as well and has fewer ingredients. You can customize your deodorant to your scent preferences with essential oils, if desired or omit them for an unscented version.
If you’d like a slightly stronger deodorant recipe with a manly scent, see my DIY Men’s Deodorant recipe.
Not Into DIY?
If you are looking for a pre-made option that smells incredible, I’d recommend this handmade one from Crunchy Betty.
Homemade Deodorant with Shea Butter Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 TBSP shea butter
- 3 TBSP coconut oil
- 3 TBSP baking soda
- 2 TBSP arrowroot powder (or organic cornstarch, optional)
- essential oils (optional)
Instructions
- Place the shea butter and coconut oil in a quart size mason jar.
- Place the mason jar in a small saucepan of water and heat over low heat until the shea butter and coconut oil have just melted.
- Remove from heat and add the baking soda and arrowroot if using.
- Mix well.
- Add the essential oils if using, and pour into a glass container for storage. It does not need to be stored in the fridge.
- If you prefer, you can let it cool and pour it into an old deodorant stick for easier use, though it may melt in the summer!
Notes
If you don’t have all those ingredients around, or don’t want to wash a double boiler, this recipe is faster and easier:
Coconut Oil Homemade Deodorant Recipe
Coconut Oil Deodorant Ingredients
- ¼ cup baking soda
- ¼ cup arrowroot or organic cornstarch
- 6 TBSP coconut oil
- essential oils (optional)
Coconut Oil Deodorant Instructions
- In a medium size bowl, mix together the baking soda and arrowroot.
- Use a fork to mash in the coconut oil until well mixed.
- Add oils if desired.
- Store in small glass jar or old deodorant container for easy use.
Why Use Natural Deodorant?
I started this pursuit to avoid nasty additives in regular deodorant, but I’m a lifelong convert because it works!
No, really! I was the girl who rejoiced when Secret Clinical Strength came out before prom one year. I’ve had to use regular deodorant a few times since I started the natural, and it doesn’t work as well. Although not an antiperspirant, it does seem to absorb a lot of wetness.
After a few weeks of using natural, I noticed an unexpected side effect… I wasn’t sweating as much to begin with. Months later, and I notice this even more!
I urge you to try making your own deodorant. Even if you aren’t daunted by the ingredients in your own deo, wouldn’t you feel better knowing you weren’t putting anything on your skin that you couldn’t eat (not that you would want to eat shea butter!)? If you do try it, let me know the outcome!
If you don’t want to make it, this is a pre-made natural one I use.
Troubleshooting and FAQs
After years of using this recipe and hundreds of comments from readers who have tried these recipes. If you have any trouble with making these natural homemade deodorant recipes, this may help:
Q. This homemade deodorant is giving me a rash… Did I do something wrong?
A. Some people react negatively to the baking soda and develop a rash or underarm discoloring. If this happens to you, I’d suggest stopping using the natural deodorant until you are able to resolve the issue. Many people cut the baking soda amount in half and notice that the irritation goes away. Also, make sure that you aren’t reacting to any essential oils you use in your homemade deodorant.
A simple clay-based armpit detox can help pull out some of the chemicals from past deodorant use that may store in the underarm and lead to a rash.
Acid-Based Deodorant: Other readers have noticed that if they react to a baking soda based deodorant, an acid-based deodorant works better. Suggestions that seemed to have worked include using diluted lemon juice or apple cider vinegar alone or with essential oils.
Spray Deodorant: A magnesium-based spray deodorant can also be helpful, especially for those who react to coconut oil or shea butter. This is also a lighter option that dried more quickly. If you prefer to spray on your deodorant, here’s a recipe to try.
Q. I’m allergic to coconut oil… can I make this recipe without it?
A. Absolutely!
You can use half as much of a liquid oil like almond, jajoba or avocado oil in place of the coconut oil, especially in the shea butter recipe. This will create a thinner recipe. If you want a formula closer to an actual deodorant bar but without the coconut oil, use this recipe but use ¼ cup almond (or other liquid oil) in place of the coconut oil.
Q. Can I put this in a regular deodorant container?
A. Yes, though it will work better with the first recipe that contains shea butter. To make an even firmer bar, increase the shea butter to ¼ cup. These inexpensive deodorant containers work well to store this recipe. I also recommend letting either recipe firm up in the fridge before attempting to use if you are putting in deodorant containers.
Q. This seems to be staining my clothes… How do I fix this?
A. I’ve personally never had trouble with this, but it seems that this can be a result of using too much of the mixture at one time or not letting it absorb into skin before putting on clothing. I use a tiny amount (not much is needed) and wait 3-5 minutes before putting on a shirt to avoid any staining issues.
Q. This stings if I apply right after shaving… how do I prevent this?
A. The baking soda or magnesium will sting after shaving. Usually, waiting a few minutes will solve the problem.
This article was medically reviewed by Dr. Ann Shippy, who is Board Certified in Internal Medicine and a certified Functional Medicine physician with a thriving practice in Austin, Texas. As always, this is not personal medical advice and we recommend that you talk with your doctor.
Ever made your own deodorant? How did it go? Share below!
Practical Paleo Book Review
Hi! I have heard that coconut oil in deodorant stains clothes sometimes. I just use a simple baking soda slurry which doesn’t have that problem. Have you found that to be a problem with you? Thanks!
I have the same problem. I created my own natural deodorant using coconut oil, baking soda, cornstarch, and a few drops of lavender. I LOVE it because it works, but hate it because it is staining my clothes. I don’t know what to do.
I make my homemade Deodorant with shea butter. Coconut oil make a mess and leaves white marks of dark clothing. I haven’t noticed any staining and I’ve been using my shea butter formula for over a year.
Can you let us know the recipe for your deo please? 🙂
The shea butter recipe worked really well. It is a little hard when set as I live in a cold climate, but warms up quickly and is easy to apply. No more stinky pits for me!
How do you get the stains out.?
Dry baking soda works well on it’s own.. it can be applied with a powder puff or finger tips.. I prefer finger tips.. If you rub it onto skin tags or warts it will reduce them in size..
Wow! Last summer I decided to try to make my own deodorant and did not have any recipes to follow. I experimented and mixed together coconut oil, baking soda, and corn starch till the consistency I thought looked right. I enjoyed using the product and it did work really well. The opposite thing happened to me, in that, I have never been one to sweat. I found myself sweating freely in the summer heat but without the odor. So, I guess I am on the right track following my own intuition!
I’m in awe of how AMAZING this works, I just used the coconut oil, baking soda, and corn starch. I haven’t tested it a lot yet with sleeveless, and have had some white residue on my bra tops but had no smell. At first I wondered how to use it but I’ve been applying scoops with my fingertips and since the ingredients are harmless (if not pleasantly moisturizing to my hands) I rinse quickly under water and rub off on a towel. I did have a little more irritation than normal with ingrown hairs, but I do think it might be detoxing from my husband’s strong chemical Deo that I had occasionally been using (I hope to get him to try it soon!).
try it without the cornstarch next time. It could be irritating you
Have been doing this for a few weeks and I love it. Smells awesome and works so much better than the millions of natural deodorants I have tried. Thanks! 🙂
Thanks for posting this as it gave me the courage to do some experimenting. I actually haven’t worn anything under my arms for most of the last month or two — only baking soda when I had a job interview or on very hot days — although I did resort to real deodorant when I had a formal wedding to attend and knew we’d be drinking and eating fried foods… Because I have discovered that I don’t HAVE B.O. when I am eating a real foods diet! (No sugar, very little flour, and only natural fats, with most foods prepared at home.) If I eat something sugary in the afternoon, I will notice I am beginning to smell not so great by bedtime. If I am eating well, I can even go out in the sun here in Brasil where it is summer time, get nice and sweaty, and I only go back home smelling like a clean, normal sweat.
(This is very exciting for me, because I used to buy prescription-strength deodorants!)
Why can’t you use cornstarch in the first recipe? I have everything except the arrowroot.
You could, I just keep arrowroot around as we don’t really use any corn products, but I would think it would work just as well!
I found that cornstarch and arrowroot tends to grow more bacteria when you sweat therefore defeating the whole purpose of DIY deodorant. I have been using the baking soda and coconut oil for two months now and have no issues with wetness nor odor at all.
I tried this and absolutely love the results…I think it works better than the regular stuff even through workouts. However, I’ve only used it for two days and have noticed some irritation. Any thoughts?
I noticed that a couple days after I started using it, and it went away within a couple days. Not sure totally what causes it, but perhaps the pH change or the old chemicals coming out of your system. Until it goes away, maybe try just using coconut oil, which is antifungal and will prevent odor. I have noticed though, it is best not to put in on right after shaving, if that helps…
What about rubbing coconut oil into your legs right after shaving? Is that a good or bad idea?
I use coconut oil on my freshly shaved legs with no issues whatsoever and I have SUPER sensitive legs. I can’t put anything other than pure coconut oil on my shaved legs
I have eczema & SUPER sensitive legs too. The only thing I can put on my legs after shaving is organic extra virgin coconut oil (or homemade coconut oil sugar scrub w/ lavender). I’ve never had any reactions. I only get a rash when I forget to oil up after shaving.
Coconut oil sugar scrub??!! Where do I get that recipe?
I use a slightly different recipe than Kate Wellness Mama. I use a 1:2 ratio of coconut oil to sugar. I prefer light brown sugar as it is the gentlest on sensitive skin. The actual measurements I use are 1 1/2 cups sugar, 3/4 cup coconut oil, 25 drops of vanilla essential oil & 25-30 drops of lavender essential oil depending on how strong I want the lavender scent.
Sounds amazing! Going to try this. Thanks
You’re very welcome Katie! If you haven’t tried any of Kate Wellness Mama’s recipes for natural DIY products I highly recommend them! She’s got one of the best natural living blogs around!
I have tried some recipes and they are great! Next I’m going to try this deodorant and then chapstick!
What is something I could put in place of coconut oil? I am allergic!
I have done this many times. In my experience, it took a little while for the coconut oil to completely absorb. I’d say in about 15min it would absorb and I could get dressed. However, be warned, if you have dogs and they smell that tropical goodness they will proceed to lick your freshly shaven and moisturized legs. 😉
My cat would lick my legs too. That is so funny.
I know this comment has been awhile back, but thought I would share in case it helps you out or anyone else out. I think Wellness Mama recommends waiting to put the deo on after shaving your armpits b/c of the baking soda…it will burn! I use coconut oil straight on both my armpits and legs after shaving, and it works great.
I have been using a similar recipe ( a little less baking soda and some bees wax for a more solid consistency in hotter weather) for 2 years now it’s wonderful I love it! I never stink even after a vigrious day hiking or gardening. Don’t give up change your recipes as you find you need to. Theses are a great starting point and the sky is the limit. I even made my sister in-law some with cocoa butter (she is highly allergic to coconuts) and it works great for her. I can use Shea butter because of latex allergies and the coconut oil is all I use as a base. I don’t sweat like I use to and the best part is I never have to buy chemical laden stuff again! Good luck and trust me it’s 100% worth it.
Try shaving with coconut oil instead of shaving cream! It is the best! For post shaving, there is a body butter recipe on this site that is awesome.
For me before, if I used too much Baking Soda on my underarms they became irritated, you could try to lower the amount of Baking Soda and see if that helps. 🙂
Just FYI, not all Baking Sodas are created equal! I’ve made my own deodorant a lot, and had major issues with the Baking Soda. So I stopped using it. Then, I decided to try again, and have no issues now. The difference? I tried using Arm & Hammer first. Now I use Bob’s Red Mill with no problems. 🙂
I hear some baking soda has aluminum which is what makes regular deodorant bad for you .. use natural baking soda like red mill is best
Baking soda does NOT contain aluminum, regardless of the brand and regardless of the fact that BRM puts “aluminum free” on their label. Baking POWDER can contain aluminum (there are truly “aluminum free” powders, though). Apparently, this is a myth that continues to be perpetuated
Thank you for this tip. We just switched to this recipe and my husband and I both had a reaction. I will try red mills baking soda! Thanks!
The arm& hammer stuff has Aluminium in it that is probably why there is irritation happening
Arm & Hammer does NOT contain Aluminum. It contains 100% Sodium Bicarbonate…this is not an aluminum.
Baking POWDER contains sodium aluminum sulfate which is an aluminum.
It’s as simple as turning the box, bag, or can around and reading the ingredients.
This is a natural living blog, so why would the author tell you to use something which is un-natural in a recipe?
Agreed – do NOT use Arm and Hammer with this recipe. Use Bob’s Red Mill baking soda, and it’ll work better.
All I have is Arm & Hammer and I have been using this recipe (#1) for like 7 months now. Works just fine 😉
it could be that you are sensitive to other ingredients. I have sensitive skin and found that making it only from coconut oil and baking soda, I have not irritation issues at all.
I HAVE BEEN USING THE 2ND RECIPE AND ADDED LAVENDER OIL FOR ALMOST 3 WEEKS AND MY SKIN STARTED GETTING IRRITATED. WHAT DO YOU RECOMEND I DO? EVEN MY UNDERARMS STARTING GETTING DARK. ANY WORD OF ADVICE?
Some people experience this at first and then it fades after a while. Most of the time the irritation is due to the baking soda. You could try decreasing the amount of baking soda.
Is it possible to remove the baking soda entirely and still get decent results?
Patty, I had the same issue using this recipe and a variation of. Underarms get red and irritated, underarm skin gets really dark. I read that one should exfoliate underarm skin regularly to get rid of the darkness issue and so I started light exfoliation with each shower but of course then I am just scrubbing an area that’s irritated and making it worse. Then putting more of the DIY deodorant on makes it more inflamed. What did you end up doing? I started using the natural roll-on salt deodorant (from the natural section at the store) everyday and the DIY stuff every few days when I knew I would sweat more. The natural salt deodorant doesn’t really work that long, like 1/2 a day for me at controlling odor.
I’m still looking for an alternative DIY natural deodorant that I can use daily. This recipe actually worked for me on odor control – its the first natural deodorant that EVER worked for me. I’ve tried probably hundreds of products over the years. Had to use Secret Clinical daily or would end up smelling like a nasty sweaty onion! 🙁 However, I wasn’t happy with the side effects of the DIY and I don’t want to go back to the mainstream chemical laden products. Patty, if you or anyone else has encountered the same and had good luck with an alternate product or recipe, I’d love to hear from you!
Hi drishte
i’m having the same problems you did. Were you able to remedy it?
Lavender is an irritant to skin just like citrus oils are, so people with more sensitive skin can experience irritation from it.