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I’ve used countless store-bought natural deodorants, and they always leave me stinky and sweaty. In 2011, I decided to make my own homemade deodorant recipe. After a few tweaks, I have created the best natural diy recipe that smells great, works wonders and I’ve used for 13 years now. I’ve shared this recipe with thousands of others— and I can’t wait for you to join my diy deodorant party.
Table of Contents
Why I Use Natural Deodorant
Making your own deodorant saves money, is healthier for your body, and actually stops sweating and body odor. Seriously, jump on this bandwagon ASAP!
In 2011, I went on a journey and started making homemade granola bars, natural cold and flu remedies like ginger lemon honey tea, elderberry syrup, homemade lip scrubs, and even went 10 days without shampoo (I don’t recommend that last one).
It was during this time that I began questioning all the things I was putting in and on my body.
Most store-bought deodorants contain chemicals like parabens and aluminum, which I wanted to avoid. Why use those when you can create the best natural deodorants with safer, more effective active ingredients? Even newer products with labels like organic deodorant often include ambiguous ingredients like “fragrance.”
To me, that’s reason enough to ditch commercial deodorants and make my own. I’ve been using the same recipe for over 13 years now, and I absolutely love it and use it every day. The only thing I change up is the essential oils I use, depending on what scent I feel like that season.
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The Best Natural Deodorant Recipe
No joke—you can put this deodorant on at 5AM, run a few miles, blend the world’s Best Green Smoothie, throw on some work clothes, work an 8-hour shift and come home smelling good.
At first, my husband and I were baffled by how well this DIY deodorant worked. We would smell each other’s armpits just to brag. Then we decided to push the boundaries and slathered it on before a long day of helping friends move. We sweated all day and still came home smelling good!
It’s important to note that this is not an antiperspirant deodorant. We are meant to sweat, it’s natural. The harmful chemicals in conventional deodorants to stop the body’s natural need to sweat is not something I want to use (and you prob don’t either).
Ingredients You’ll Need
You only need four ingredients to make your own all-natural deodorant. Chances are you probably have at least half of them already. You can buy arrowroot powder in the baking section of most natural food stores or online.
- Baking soda: Absorbs moisture to keep you dry and helps neutralize odor (feel free to use less if you’ve got sensitive skin and notice irritation in your underarm area). Opt for aluminum-free baking soda, as it’s gentler and free from unnecessary additives.
- Non-GMO arrowroot powder: A better choice than traditional cornstarch, arrowroot powder helps absorb moisture to keep you dry. You can easily find it in health food stores or online.
- Organic unrefined coconut oil: Provides a moisturizing base and has natural antibacterial properties that help combat odor-causing bacteria. You can find this in most grocery or health food stores.
- Essential oils: Grapefruit oil, tea tree oil, spruce oil, and sweet orange oil are my favorites for their refreshing scents and antibacterial properties. They add fragrance while also helping to fight odor naturally.
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How to Make Homemade Deodorant
This DIY deodorant recipe is super quick to whip up with just four ingredients. If you’ve ever wondered how to make deodorant at home, don’t worry—I’ve got you covered! Just follow these 4 simple steps:
- Mix the arrowroot powder and baking soda together. I use my Kitchenaid Stand Mixer.
- Add the coconut oil and your favorite essential oils, like grapefruit or tea tree, to the mixture. You can adjust the consistency by adding more coconut oil if needed.
- Pour into a small glass jar (I like pint-size mason jar) and store at room temperature. Homemade deodorant will last up to two years in an airtight container.
- Use a popsicle stick to get the deodorant out of the container and transfer to your finger. Make sure you use enough under your arms to keep you “sure” all day long. A pea-size amount is usually good.
Application Tip
If you’d prefer to have it in a traditional “stick form,” melt 1 tbsp of beeswax and 1 tbsp of shea butter right into the recipe. Pour into a reusable deodorant containers and store in refrigerator until solid.
Tips for Switching to Natural Deodorant
- When you initially make the switch, you may experience an itchy rash, red bumps, or increased sweat and odor when transitioning to a homemade deodorant. Don’t let this stop you!
- Drinking plenty of water and dry brushing are two awesome ways to assist your body as it adjusts away from the chemical-laden deodorants you used to use. My #1 recommendation (drumroll, please!) is to detox your armpits. Sounds weird, I know! But it’ll help speed up your body’s adjustment period to this natural homemade deodorant.
- In addition to detoxing your armpits, you may also want to consider detoxing your whole body. All the processed foods we eat contain chemicals that end up affecting the way we smell when we sweat. Try out a 21-Day Cleanse to get started on a whole-body detox.
- These cleanses are super easy to follow and use only whole, plant-based foods (no expensive supplements!) to gently clear your body of unwanted toxins.
Common Questions
Making your own deodorant at home is easy with just a few simple ingredients like baking soda, arrowroot powder, coconut oil, and essential oils. It’s a natural, effective way to stay fresh without any harsh chemicals. Once you gather your ingredients, you’ll be able to whip up a batch quickly and enjoy the benefits of homemade, toxin-free deodorant.
To extend the effectiveness of homemade deodorant, apply a thin layer to clean, dry skin. Storing it in a cool, dry place will prevent melting or spoilage, while absorbent ingredients like arrowroot powder can help increase its longevity by controlling moisture and odor.
Yes, coconut oil is a key ingredient in my homemade deodorant recipe. Its natural antibacterial properties help fight odor while keeping your skin moisturized.
Leave a rating and review to let me know how this diy deodorant recipe works for you! As you can tell by the over 250+ reviews so far, this is a recipe you must try.
Best Homemade Deodorant
Ingredients
- ½ cup baking soda use 1/4 cup if have sensitive skin
- ½ cup arrowroot powder or cornstarch
- 5 tablespoon coconut oil, unrefined melted or softened
- 20 drop essential oil grapefruit, tea tree oil, etc
Instructions
- Mix baking soda and arrowroot together.
- Add the coconut oil and essential oils. Mix well.
- Pour into a clean, air-tight jar and store at room temperature.
- Use a popsicle stick to get the deodorant out of the container and transfer to your finger. Use a pea-sized amount to apply under your arms.
Notes
- Consistency: This deodorant changes consistency depending on the temperature. In cold climates, it can be pretty hard to get out. If that’s the case for you, I recommend storing it by the shower and allowing the steam to warm it before applying. If you live in a warm climate and the deodorant is too liquidy, store it in a cool cupboard to thicken it up.
- Technique: For the past couple of years, I stopped using the popsicle stick and actually just use my fingers and dip them in the jar.
Over time mine gets clumpy and hard, is there anything you do to prevent this from happening ?
I love the recipe thanks so much:)
Hey Kayla,
If you keep it in a bathroom where it can soften up from the heat of the shower that should help keeping it softer and not so hard.
Hope that helps!!
Thanks for the guide. That’s really helpful.
You are very welcome!! Glad this was helpful to you!!
Not sure if the quantities. US tablespoons are different to European ones. Your pints and gallons are different to British ones too. And what quantity is a ‘c’, please? Amounts in grams, litres cubic centimetres or in old fashioned ounces will be fine. Thanks for your understanding.
We completely understand needing to convert your measurements to fit your needs, so we made a conversion table that is easy to access. You can check it out here: https://simplegreensmoothies.com/app
Hope that helps!!
Hi there,
I’m intolerant to coconut oil. Is there an alternative to this?
Here are the options I’m allowed on my diet… canola, vegetable, rice bran, safflower, soy oils (without antioxidants).
N
Hey Natlaie, I am sorry that you cannot use coconut oil. We have not tried this recipe with another oil before. MCT oil would be the closest to coconut oil. Would you be able to use that?
Hope that helps!!
Hi !
For the homemade deodorant, are you using solid or liquid coconut oil ?
Thanks !
The coconut oil is solid when in cold temperatures otherwise it is a liquid. I would recommend warming the coconut oil so that it is in a liquid form before mixing.
Hope that help!!
You have officially converted me from buying deo at the store to making it myself FOREVER. This stuff is amazing. My only criticism is that if you use the whole jar to the end, it’s not as effective. So i just chuck the last tablespoon and make a new batch. Otherwise, I LOVE IT!! Thank you for posting this
Hey Julie,
Yay!!! I am so happy that you love this deodorant and that you are converted from buying store bought deodorant. Isn’t it amazing that you know exactly what is inside your deodorant!!!
Yes! And that it’s so simple. I can’t find my other comment but have you found a good way of removing the deodorant? I scrub and scrub and it still builds up and harbors odors….
Hi Julie! I responded to your question last Monday. 🙂 I wrote: I’m not sure what to tell you about your build-up problem. How long have you been using homemade deodorant and do you think the buildup could be from the store bought deodorant you used to use? Because this recipe calls for all-natural ingredients, it seems strange that you’d have trouble washing it off your armpits. I suggest detoxing your armpits using products that contain detoxifying properties (such as bentonite clay, charcoal or ACV) to help clear your pores of dead skin and/or product buildup. I like to make a mask using bentonite clay, ACV, and a little water. I use it on my face and armpits at the same time for a mini “spa” session in the bathroom before I hop in the shower and rinse it all off. Give this a try and let us know if it helps!
May I ask why you prefer arrowroot to cornstarch? I am shopping now and there is a significant price difference.
Thanks
I am going to make this but I have a question; I have peppermint essential oil. Is this antibacterial; if not, which scents are please?
Hey Lorie,
Yes Peppermint is antibacterial. Make sure to test a small amount before you apply it to your skin just in case!
Let us know what you think when you try it!
I started using this in July and couldn’t be happier!
I have thrown out the 5 different organic store bought deodorants that were in my medicine cabinet, none came close to the effectiveness of your super simple recipe! Thank you for this. Making a new batch today with orange
I have been wanting to make my own deodrant for years and last week I made this in less than 10 mins (I should of done it ages ago). I love it! I live in Scotland which has a cold climate, so I put the mixture into old deodrant stick containers which makes it a perfect way to store and apply it. It isn’t as soft as other solid cream deodrants but I find that if I don’t rub it on as hard as I used too then it doesn’t feel too rough. Thank you for this receipe 🙂 I’ll never need to buy deodorant again
Hi there. First of all, thank you for the recipe, i tried it and it works. However, i have 2 questions need you to clear my doubts.
1- can i totally not put in any soda and without soda is it still gona be effective? because my under arm currently is having skin burning, turns to rashes, dark brown and itchy.
2- why the paste after 2 weeks, it turn to light brown? the content put in is: soda, corn flour, essential oil and coconut oil.
Thank you very much!
Hey There!
We recommend using baking soda because that is one of the main ingredients for fight off bacteria. I would suggest adding in less baking soda and see if that help with the irritation. Also for the color changing that might be from what type of essential oil you are using. I use lavender and the color consistency does not change.
Hi there!
I havent yet tried this recipe but I am so interested! My only concern is the coconut oil as I am worried it will oil stain my clothes at my underarms … do you find this happens to you?
Thanks!
Hey Emily!
We have never had this issue with our recipe however we have never applied it directly to our clothing before to test it. This recipe absorbs very well into your skin which makes it not appear oily.
Hope that helps!
I LOVE this idea… thank-you! I must be doing something wrong: please help: mine is pasty and the bicarb is gritty which I find weird to rub under my arms and then it kind of brushes off for ages afterwards, and then I feel sure that I am just rubbing off the deodorant in that way. What am I doing wrong? Do I need to mix it more? I don’t have a stand mixer, but have a hand mixer, nutribullet and hand blender 🙂 any ideas? Thanks!!!
I am sorry that does not sound nice at all! Lets see, make sure to melt the coconut oil before mixing first. That will probably make a huge difference if you are not already doing that. Also you might need to mix it a little better. I would mix it for about 5 minutes if you can. That way it will be all nice and creamy! If it’s still not creamy you might have accidentally added too much of the dry mixture so feel free to add in some extra oil until it is the consistency that you are looking for.
Hope that helps!
Hi there,
What a great recipe! I love it. One question I have is, what to do when it gets crumbly?
Does that happen to you? Should I sift the baking soda/arrowroot perhaps?
Thanks for your time…great product!
Hey Susy,
The only time mine is ever crumbly is when I do not mix the coconut oil and the powder well enough. Make sure to completely melt the coconut oil so that you can mix it perfectly fine!
Super easy to make. Haven’t given it the sniff test yet but hopefully it keeps me smelling fresh all day.
Hi!
I really want to try this recipe, but I don’t have any baking soda.
What would you suggest as a replacement ingredient? I’m considering self raising flour, or baking powder alone.
I appreciate the recipe and thanks in advance for your help!
Xoxoxoxo
Hey Emily,
You can use the arrow root ingredient instead of the baking soda. Let us know how you like it!
I just made and tried the deodorant recipe and not sure it looks like it should. It is very cakey and when applied to my armpits, it does not blend into the skin completely. It is flaky. Should I add more coconut oil?
Hey Kim,
I would make sure that the coconut oil is melted down completely that way you will be able to blend it really well until it is smooth. I would add in some extra coconut oil too if it still seems flaky after doing that.
If it hardens when cold.. could you put it in a roll-on type container and stick it in the fridge? Then use it as a roll-on instead of a cream?
Hey Holly,
We have actually had a few people suggest that and they said it worked for them. Let us know how it is for you if you give it a try!
I adore this and it’s better than any I’ve ever bought BUT after a while it seems to go sort of grainy and it then really hurts to rub it in- it’s like rubbing sand in my armpit and makes them really sore.
Maybe I’m doing something wrong with the recipe?
Hey Katherine,
Hmm I would suggest keeping it in the bathroom where you shower. That way when it heats up it will not be as grainy and more smooth + plus easier to scoop out.
Hi, it looks easy to make. Please tell me how much is “1/2 c”? Thank you 🙂
Hey Magdolna,
That stands for half a cup! 🙂