I’ve used countless store-bought natural deodorants, and they always leave me stinky and sweaty. In 2011, I made this homemade deodorant recipe and still use it daily. I love it, along with thousands of others who swear by it.
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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 honey lemon ginger 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 parabens, aluminum, dye and a bunch of chemicals I can’t even spell (or type correctly). Why put these things on your body if there are safe, natural alternatives that work even better? Since I started this journey, new “safer” products have been launched, but even they contain ambiguous ingredients like fragrance. What does that even mean?
To me, that’s reason enough to ditch commercial deodorants and make my own. I’ve been using the same recipe for over 11 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
No joke— you can put this deodorant on at 5AM, run a few miles, blend a 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 it 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 sweat all day and came home smelling good!
Ingredients to Make Homemade Deodorant
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 (feel free to use less if you’ve got sensitive skin)
- non-gmo arrowroot powder (a better choice than traditional cornstarch)
- organic unrefined coconut oil
- essential oils: grapefruit, tea tree, spruce and sweet orange are my favorites
How to Use Homemade Deodorant
Using natural deodorant can seem a little intimidating at first. Since it’s stored in a jar, you have to scoop it out with your finger, a popsicle stick or a tongue depressor. If you’d prefer to have it in “stick form,” you can add a little bit of beeswax and shea butter to the recipe to thicken it. I found that didn’t work as well for me and went back to the jar recipe.
Tips for Starting Natural Deodorant
Some people encounter issues with an itchy rash, red bumps or more sweat and odor than usual as they transition to homemade deodorant. Don’t let this prevent you from making the switch!
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 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.
Best Natural Deodorant to Buy
While making my own deodorant works for me, I’m also a realist and know that not everyone wants to go this crunchy. That’s where Pretty Frank (formerly known as Primal Pit Paste) comes in.
They have natural deodorant lines that have a variety of strengths and scents that work and are better for your body.
I’ve used them while on vacation or if I run out of my own homemade blend and haven’t had time to make another batch.
More Home Remedies
If you’re ready to try a few new recipes (that really work!) and transform your home with safer products, then give my go-to remedies a try. They can help you sleep better, fight illness faster, clear congestion, hydrate and more:
- Fire cider: While this tonic is not for the faint of heart, it does wonders to shorten the length of an oncoming cold and I keep a batch on standby year-round.
- Lip scrub: A hydrating and fun recipe to make for gifts or just for yourself.
- Elderberry syrup: A great supplement to take during cold and flu season to keep your body healthy.
- Hot-flash remedy: Menopause, pregnancy, post-COVID- anything that brings on the unwanted hot flash can be soothed through this cooling beverage.
- Sleep tea: A tea that will help you drift off to sleep more naturally.
- Vapor rub: My kids and I use this at night to clear away congestion.
- Popsicles for sore throats: Whether it’s allergies or a cold that’s causing that sore throat, these tasty and soothing popsicles can help!
Leave a rating and review to let me know how this recipe worked out for you! As you can tell by the over 200+ reviews so far, this is a recipe you must try.
Simple Homemade Deodorant
Equipment
- mixing bowl
- air tight container
Ingredients
- ½ cup baking soda you can use less when starting out if it irritates you
- ½ cup arrowroot powder you can also use cornstarch, but I prefer arrowroot powder
- 5 tbsp coconut oil
- 20 drops grapefruit essential oil or another essential oil with antibacterial properties
Instructions
- Mix baking soda and arrowroot together. (I used my Kitchenaid Stand Mixer.)
- Add the coconut oil and essential oils. Mix well.
- Pour into clean air-tight jar (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.
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.
I’m a breast cancer patient and I have been looking for a safe natural deodorant I could use for a while now. My sister uses coconut oil on her body and discovered how it helps keep her underarms odor free. She currently uses regular deodorant / antiperspirant as well, but skips days using it and the coconut oil keeps her fresh. I’m going to make this and tell her about this recipe so she can ditch the store deodorant altogether. I’m excited!
Alright, Anjanette! Could you let us know how it goes once you try it??
Hey does the “.C” in your recipe mean cups like 1/2 cup? Can’t wait to try it out and your toothpaste recipe as well 🙂 thanks
Yes, it stands for cup 🙂
Is the “.C” in your recipe for 1/2 cup?? I can’t wait to try it out and your toothpaste recipe as well. What a great website girls 🙂
Some suggestions:
* Some photos of the final product, or better yet, a short video (so we can get an idea of consistency) would be helpful.
* As a man, I’d appreciate some advice regarding application. It seems easy enough to apply if you shave or wax your underarm hair, but with underarm hair, the solution tends to get trapped in the hair. Any tips for how to avoid this?
[This would be good stuff to add to the original post, not just in the comments]
Hi Bruce!
Thanks for your questions 🙂 The picture in this blog is of the final product. Hopefully that’s helpful!
Underarm hair can be trick. You may have to rub your arms against your side a few times to make sure it has an even coat.
We’ll look at adjusting this page and possibly making a video!
What is the purpose of using arrow root powder?
Amazing! I have just made my first ever homemade deodorant. It really works! Super. I am a big fun of coconut oil, so I really love it!
Thank you for the recipe:)
Greetings from London!
Hope you enjoy the homemade deodorant!
Hello, thank you for the recipe. Would love to try it but as I come from Europe I don’t know (and couldn’t find it) what does the c. in measurement stands for :-).
The “c” stands for cups 🙂 I believe it is about 240g or so, or a medium to large sized handful!
The smallest bottle you can get will have at least 20 drops, Kerri 🙂
Have some time off for the holidays so just made a batch with sweet orange oil and a drop of peppermint. Looking forward to trying it! Thanks for the neat idea.
I love this idea! I am definitely going to try it. Do you wait a while before putting on your clothes? (Die to the oiliness? Is there a strong grapefruit smell? Do you have to add the essential oils?
You don’t have to add the essential oils for the grapefruit smell, Holly. You could try a different smell, too, if you’d like! You don’t really have to wait to put on your clothes, but you can if you want to 🙂
Hello….I made this deodorant earlier this year, and it worked for a while, but I got a rash from the baking soda 🙁 I know it was the baking soda because I bought an all natural deodorant with similar ingredients, and I started to react to the baking soda in it; it was basically making my pits irritated and causing discoloration. I tried the lemon instead as one person mentioned above, and it works! Lime also does the job too so I would recommend this as an option for anyone sensitive to baking soda. I appreciate the recipe even though it didn’t work for me because it did the job aside from the irritation so I would definitely recommend it to others to try. Thanks
Awesome! I mean… awesome that you found a substitute 🙂 Thank you for sharing that with us. We’ll have to try it!
after I moisturized it into my skin I left it for a coupe of minutes and it turned gluggy. is this normal??
Is arrowroot powder the same as arrowroot starch?
Same 🙂
Great … made a batch and tried it out by taking a stroll in the not so nice Texas sun. Worked wonderfully!
AMAZING! Deodorants never get the job done for me and this one really does! I’m already passing it on. THANK YOU!
Very cool. I have taken to just using baking soda as deodorant for a while now, and that typically works well, but this is a nice recipe and I look forward to trying it out. I plan on melting my coconut oil a little and spooning the mixture into an old, cleaned out natural deodorant applicator for use (I know I will make a mess otherwise).
You can use tea tree oil or peppermint oil in place of grapfruit and still get the same anti-bacterial effect. Even going unscented is okay; the coconut oil already has a nice, subtle smell, and anti-baterial is not really necessary if the baking soda is doing it’s work.
I just made my fist batch! it was easy and fun! Thank you so much for this idea! Keep them coming:)