This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
Table of Contents
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.
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.
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.
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 seasonal 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 200+ 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 tbsp coconut oil melted or softened
- 20 drops 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.
Equipment
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.
Hello – can you tell me what the ‘c’ measurement is? Cup? I normally measure in metric.
Just don’t want to get quantities wrong.
Thanks, Chloe
Yes, the c stands for cup. So 1/2 c would be 125 mL.
Hi! I was wondering how well this works as an antiperspirant. I don’t have any odor problems but I do sweat a lot and it can feel pretty gross! I’m trying to go zero waste but I don’t think I can sacrifice staying dry.
Cindy, I think it depends on how much you sweat. If you’re looking for something that will keep you completely and totally dry, this may not do that. BUT, I would encourage you to try it and give it at least six months. I have been making this deodorant recipe and using it for over five years and I found that as my body adjusted to the natural ingredients (and away from all the chemicals in store-bought deodorant), I actually sweat less. I really feel like switching to homemade deodorant has been one of the best health/beauty changes I’ve ever made!
I put this deo to a hell of a test today – air conditioning broken at work with a half hour walk to and from work.
85 degrees today, so pretty warm to boot.
Sweated plenty but this truly is a no BO deo!
Yes!! We love BO free days, and 85 degrees without air conditioning sounds like the absolute BEST TEST!! Keep smelling fresh!!
I made this deodorant and it works beautifully but my daughter and I have both reacted to it with a rash. I made another batch and reduced the baking soda to 3 tablespoons. I am still reacting. I also changed the essential oil from Grapefruit to tea tree. Any suggestions?
Hey Mary,
I am so sorry to hear that you are having reactions with this recipe. Are your essential oils organic? If they are not that might make a difference. Also, I personally only use peppermint oil. I haven’t tried the other oils but my skin doesn’t react to that one. I would suggest changing your oils around and seeing if that makes a difference for you.
Hope that helps!
would it be possible to sub all purpose flour for the arrowroot powder?
Hey Emily,
We have personally never used flour before but I feel like that would give it a dough-like texture which wouldn’t work for this recipe.
I’m in Oaxaca Mexico and ran out of my usual deodorant. I went to a natural food store and found a similar type to your recipe. I am amazed as to how well it works! I definitely have been having my husband sniff my pits, lol.
That is so great you found a deodorant with Simple ingredients!! Your skin will be thankful for that!
In addition to my previous message, do you recommend that I should use “pure” essential oils or cheaper essential oils (”blended with a quality carrier oil”)?
Many thanks
Thank you so much for sharing your homemade deodorant recipe, I am looking forward to try your recipe soon 🙂 I just have a few questions. Were your favourite essential oils ”pure” or ”blended with a quality carrier oil’? What are the brand names of your favourite essential oils? As I have a sensitive skin and I can usually get armpit rash from any of store bought unnatural deodorants, which of the essential oils do you recommend – like one for Summer season and one for Winter season?
Cheers
You are very welcome and I cannot wait for you to give it a try! I have used a few different essential oils that I really love. The key is that I make sure it is certified organic and a pure oil that doesn’t have anything added to it. One brand that I love is The King’s Cabinet from Dr Axe. I would also try using less baking soda at first because sometimes that can be harsh on sensitive skin.
Hope that helps!
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!