homemade deodorant

I have a fear of being stinky. I know how terrible deodorant is for me, but I hate to stink – so I use it regardless of the dangers. It’s sad, though, because I feel like I’m still stinky most of the time anyway. I’ve even tried the clinical strength stuff. Mmmm, extra aluminum. Yes, please. It still didn’t work. I’ve tried all sorts of different kinds from the health food store too – crystals and lavender, tea tree oil, and even just straight rubbing alcohol sprayed under the pits. Nothing works for very long.

I don’t know if its hormonal, but I only ever remember feeling stinky since I was pregnant with my first baby. Maybe I always was, but only noticed then – who knows. Hormones do strange things. They could have altered my smell or altered my perception of smells. 🙂

Anyway, I’ve wanted to make my own deodorant for a while now. I’ve come across a few recipes that I thought I’d give a try. I liked this one from Angry Chicken and this one from How About Orange. I decided to try the second one, because the ingredients were cheaper and I already had coconut oil (best ingredient on earth) and baking powder. The first one calls for Shea butter which is kind of pricey. So, here is what I did…
Ingredients:
1/4 cup baking soda
1/4 cup arrowroot powder
4 tablespoons coconut oil
10 drops grapefruit essential oil
A jar with lid

Stirred together all ingredients in bowl. I added an extra shake of baking powder because it seemed too soft. Store it in a closed container at room temperature. If the mixture seems too soft, you can also try refrigerating it for a bit to firm it up. Essential oils have antibacterial properties, and bacteria is what causes the odor. The baking soda also absorbs odor.

To apply: scoop up a little with your finger and rub it around.

So, the verdict – so far so good. Usually I feel stinky by about lunch time, but I have been using this every day for a week and I feel so fresh and so clean, clean!! The combination of a light coconut scent and the citrus from the grapefruit is lovely and I am not absorbing metal into my pores – awesome! Try it. I gave a little to my mom and she loves it too!