The Best, Easy Homemade Deodorant

There are lots of great reasons why I like the idea of making my own homemade deodorant.  It’s easy, frugal, and as a big bonus, I know I can smell however I like. This uses only natural and healthy ingredients and creates a scent with essential oils instead of questionable fragrance oils.

Be careful though, it doesn’t really matter how much you love the smell of your deodorant, people just don’t respond well when you run around the house asking them to smell your armpits.  Better to have them smell the deodorant straight out of the container.

I had no choice but to switch to deodorant and not wear antiperspirants.

During college, the lymph nodes in my armpits started to swell to golf ball size, which was very painful.  I went to a few doctors, but finally it was the school nurse who told me to stop using antiperspirants and switch to deodorant because of the aluminum zirconium found in antiperspirants.  Sure enough, days after switching, my painful lymph nodes began shrinking back to normal.  Just think what continual daily application of anti-antiperspirants is doing to the body!

For a while, I started taking store bought deodorants with me when I left the house and reapplied it once or twice throughout the day. A wonderful discovery of making my own is that with this homemade deodorant recipe, I don’t need to reapply throughout the day. A great bonus!

Homemade Deodorant Ingredients

When considering which essential oils to add to your homemade deodorant, take into account that some essential oils are astringents (They help close pores = less sweat) like sage essential oil.

Others, like Tea Tree, kill bacteria.

While other essential oils like ylang ylang, lavender, or cedarwood are calming and focusing.

You can definitely use a combination of these. Just make sure that you are not sensitive to them first.  You don’t want a rash there (ouch). Test essential oils on your wrist with one drop and wait to see if you react. Click here to learn more about essential oil safety.

If using corn starch instead of arrowroot powder, make sure to use organic, non-GMO.

***Important*** Coconut oil solidifies below 76 degrees.  During hot summer months, I put my deodorant in the fridge because on super hot days it will liquefy (which is no big deal if it’s in the jelly jar, but it may leak or spill when you pick it up if it’s in the deodorant container).

For hot summer months, you can buy coconut oil that has a melting point of 92 degrees Fahrenheit instead. Find some here. It will then stay firm at room temperature in most locations.

Homemade Deodorant Recipe

This recipe makes about 4.5 ounces and can be made and placed in a jar and scooped out using a spoon or finger, or it can be poured into a deodorant container like those found here.

I had an empty deodorant container, and I poured it there and put it in the fridge until it set up.  Like I said, you can buy them here and then refill them each time they are empty or use a mason jar.

For a full simplified skincare routine, see these Best Homemade Skincare Recipes for Healthy Skin.