I got a question for you:
What do we know about deodorants and how often to we even think about them?
Chances are, purchasing a deodorant, like for most people, is a common, futile task, just as buying a roll of toilet paper. But sadly, it’s not something to be ignorant about, because commercial deodorants are definitely the bad guys among most store-bought cosmetics.
Containing horribly toxic ingredients that have often been linked to cancer and hormonal imbalances in the body and the nervous system, such as aluminum, parabens & phthalates, they’re something you’d rather want to avoid if you don’t want to inject these substances in your body (yep, skin is the largest absorption organ in the body, remember?).
Thankfully, it’s super easy to make your own, and you can get super creative with the scents, too!
Now, sure, you won’t get the same “feeling” and ritual as a standard deodorant, but it’s worth getting used to:
- It’s quick & easy
- No weirdo ingredients, just curiosity
- Nothing toxic
- All vegan
- Does good to your body & skin
- You can customise it infinitely
- As it’s handmade, it’s definitely not tested on animals like most supermarket brands.
- It’s eco-friendly, as you don’t have to purchase a new packaging every time. Tip: re-use old jars and tins to store your homemade deo.
Homemade Natural Deodorant – INGREDIENTS
- 3 tbsp baking soda
- 1/2 cup (50 gr) cornstarch – like maizena or arrowroot if you feel fancy
- 3 tbsp coconut oil
Directions:
- Mix all ingredients together, coconut oil will soften gradually as it will heat when being mixed.
- Choose your favourite scent combo, add it in and mix again.
- Pour this mixture in a little jar and let it harden at room temperature.
- Use it as a cream deodorant by applying it directly on your armpits.
- Note: if your armpits happen to feel itchy after a few uses, don’t give up. That means your skin is not yet accustomed to this amount of baking soda. Try making a new batch with more arrowroot/maizena and much less baking soda, it will be a gentler mix.
Scents:
First off, an important note on using essential oils to perfume your deodorant: if you have sensitive skin or have experienced previous skin irritations around your armpits, make sure you start really LOW on the essential oils, if you use any at all. Start with 2-3 drops only. If you feel any irritation, either stop using this deodorant, or make a new batch with no scent.
Orange & Ylang Ylang scent – sweet, feminine, dreamy
- 10 drops sweet orange essential oil
- 10 drops ylang ylang essential oil
If you don’t like the scent of ylang ylang, combine with vanilla extract instead, or just keep it to sweet orange alone. It smells yummy and cheers you up right away.
Lemon & Basil scent – fresh, rejuvenating
- 10 drops lemon essential oil
- 5 drops basil essential oil
Lavender & Eucalyptus scent – calming, healing
- 10 drops lavender essential oil
- 5 drops eucalyptus essential oil
Lemongrass – refreshing
- 10 drops lemongrass essential oil
Have fun making your homemade bathroom essentials!
Credits: Photos & Lettering Illustrations by Linda Dieschbourg.