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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.
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.
Hey I have been using this for sometime now. But I’m not able to get a super creamy consistency. I can feel the granules in my cream. Any suggestions to give it a nice smooth silky texture??
Depending on the room temperature where you’re storing your homemade deodorant, your mixture may seem a bit dry and hard to scoop out of the container. I like to keep my jar on a shelf in the shower so the warm humidity helps the mixture stay nice and creamy. I use it as soon as I get out of the shower. Try that and see if it helps. 🙂
Day 2
I don’t smell and my ‘pits’ are soft and smooth
I will keep you updated. I did start out with less baking soda. Maybe an 1/8 cup. Gave it 4 star’s for 2 days
Glad it’s working so far, def keep us updated!
I made it but it still came out very powdery im going to add more coconut oil to see if that’ll make it more of a paste
Hey Cameron! Sometimes that happens when I make a batch and I add a little bit more coconut oil and that does the trick. 🙂
I haven’t tried it yet, but I was thinking of removing the baking soda completely, I tried it before in my armpits and it really gave me a bad burning sensation, almost intolerable. Do you think that’s ok?
Hey Mary-Ann. Reducing the amount is ok but I don’t know about leaving it out altogether. Def check out the section in the article that speaks about detoxing your armpits. I think that will help with your sensitivities to the baking soda. It helped with mine. 🙂
This deodorant is fantastic. Been using it for three months –all during a very hot summer. Never did I feel like I stunk. I only had to reapply maybe two days in that three months. I love experimenting with different scent combos too. Thanks so much!
So glad this works so well for you, Amanda! 🙂
Just made your diy deodorant! Super easy to make, I’m excited to see how it works.
Hey Tiffany! I love this deodorant and I hope you do, too! Come back after a few weeks and let us know how it’s working for you. 🙂
Another option to purchase is from Little Seed Farm. Native didn’t work for me and Primal pit paste has baking soda, which I can’t do because of a sensitivity to it. So if you are also sensitive to it, try little seed farm. It is amazing, especially the grapefruit lemon scent.
Thanks for the tip, Chantelle!
Super easy recipe and smells great. Like some of the other people here, my skin started to get red, burn and I developed a bit of a rash, so I’ll try this again using a lot less baking soda and see what happens. Fingers crossed!
My fingers are crossed for you, Seb!
Thank you for this recipe!
I first made the original recipe which turned out to be too strong for me (I did not know I was sensitive to baking soda). But this was also my first stop on the path to a more natural deodorant experience. I got a rash and then quartered the amount of baking soda (1/8 cup), which helped. As I was also in the detox stage, I made a powder from the arrowroot starch and lavender oil to dry out my armpits before applying the deodorant and that seemed to help my initial discomfort and extra humidity until the transition was complete.
That’s a great tip for those with sensitive skin, Linaia! Thank you for sharing it. And I’m so glad we could help you on your journey! 🙂
Hi! I’ve been using your recipe for quite some time now – I’ve made it four times – and I love it. Deodorants never work for me and it’s driven me crazy for years. THIS though. This works so incredibly well and it’s a life-changer. Now my husband uses it and my daughter does too.
I don’t add any oils to it because I don’t know which oils can be used on skin (vs. for making the room smell nice) and I’m in the camp of less is more. I put the paste in lots of small cute containers we had lying around to take around. It makes me happy to know that I’ve simplified one aspect of my life. It means that we aren’t populating landfills with more plastic and we don’t have to worry about dangerous chemicals.
THANK you for your amazing recipe!
This is such a fabulous testimonial, Heather! I think it’s awesome you have your husband and daughter using it, as well. I agree, it’s nice to know you’re doing something positive for both your body *and* the environment. Thank you so much for sharing your story! 🙂
Hello!
I just made a batch last week and I AM LOVING IT!!! used a couple of tea tree oil drops + lots of mint oil… yum.
Just a question, I ended up with a lot of it, and probably will last for more than 3 months… will it go bad? Have you kept it for more than 3 months? I think because of the ingredients it will stay in good condition, but just curious…..
Thank you!!
Hey Mayra! First of all, I think it’s funny that you said “yum” to a deodorant but I totally get it! It’s nice having something that smells so good (and doesn’t smell like chemicals or fake natural scents) to put on your body!
I’ve been using this recipe for years and I don’t really keep track of how many months each batch lasts but I know it’s longer than three months. Of course, I wouldn’t tell you it can last for years without going bad but I think it’s safe to say it will still work great in the 3-6 month window. 🙂
I have been making my deodorant with these same basic ingredients and I usually make enough to last a year and its fine… my favorite smell is virgin coconut oil and lime essential oil… smells like cake 🙂
Hey I’m young and my parents absolutely loved this! Thank you so much!!!
YAY!! We love hearing that, Heather. Thank you so much for sharing!
Hello! Phenomenal recipe! I used this on an outdoors adventure weekend. I was sweating and moving for about 30 hours with no showers and never once smelled bad! Amazing!
The only problem I have is with the oils separating from the arrow root and baking soda. Have you ever tried whipping the oil and adding some cosmetic grade beeswax before adding the arrowroot and baking soda?
Hi Ray,
Love to hear you spent the weekend smelling great. You know, we haven’t, but now I totally want to! If you give it a try, please reach back out + let us know how it turns out!
Thanks for the recipe!
My skin doesn’t always love coconut oil, so I used half coconut oil and half shea butter to try. Grapefruit EO sounds lovely, but I had lavender in stock so used that. Works so well for reducing odour, and no skin reaction! But I found it very dry, and it just stuck on my skin rather than absorbing. I’ve added more coconut oil to make it softer, which has helped. Next time I might just reduce the arrowroot/baking soda amount a little.
Megan, those sound like great tweaks to make it work for you! So glad we could help you find a better-for-you alternative to store-bought deodorant. 🙂
I love this recipe so much. I wanted to switch from store bough deodorant for environmental reasons, but this may be better than store bought even otherwise. Thank you!
You’re welcome!!
Hello! My youngest daughter has just hit puberty and has been telling me about her odor I’ve been using store bought deodorant but it doesn’t work that well. I wanted to try this recipe out but I wanted to ask a few questions first.
1. I am going to use cornstarch instead of arrowroot, is that ok?
2. I will be using almond EO, will that work?
Hi Samantha. Arrowroot powder is preferable but if you need to use cornstarch, you can. As far as the essential oil(s) you use, you will want to use one with antibacterial properties and I’m not sure if almond EO falls into that category.