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.

jar of natural deodorant surrounded by pine cones and flowers.
Table of Contents
  1. Why I Use Natural Deodorant
  2. The Best Natural Deodorant
  3. Ingredients to Make Homemade Deodorant
  4. How to Use Homemade Deodorant
  5. Tips for Starting Natural Deodorant
  6. Best Natural Deodorant to Buy
  7. More Home Remedies
  8. Simple Homemade Deodorant Recipe

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.

glass jar of white homemade deodorant.

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.

  1. baking soda (feel free to use less if you’ve got sensitive skin)
  2. non-gmo arrowroot powder (a better choice than traditional cornstarch)
  3. organic unrefined coconut oil
  4. essential oils: grapefruit, tea tree, spruce and sweet orange are my favorites
glass jar full of natural deodorant with a wooden popsicle stick applicator.

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.

glass jar of DIY anti perspirant recipe to help with sweat and odor.

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.

4.75 from 281 votes

Simple Homemade Deodorant

I invite you to make my family's homemade deodorant recipe that uses safe, natural ingredients like coconut oil and essential oils. The ingredients for this natural deodorant will fit nicely into a 125 mL Ball Elite mason jar (I got mine at Target).
Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 5 minutes
Total: 15 minutes
Author: Jen Hansard
Course: Natural Remedy
Cuisine: Plant-Based
Serves: 1 jar

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.
Tried this recipe? Show me!Mention @SimpleGreenSmoothies or tag #SimpleGreenSmoothies!

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Comments

  1. Hi – thanks for your amazing ideas, energy and website! I have a question re the deodorant – does the coconut oil leave a mark on your clothes? Marks from oils can be impossible to get out. I’m looking forward to the 30 day challenge starting today! Thanks again.

    1. Hi Jo,
      The oil gets absorbed pretty quickly and I’ve never had it mark my clothes. If you’re concerned about it, just wait a couple of minutes before you put your clothes on. 🙂

  2. I have been observing my natural odour since i have become plant based/vegan and what i’ve noticed is that i dont smell as much. Obviously, when exerting myself I sweat more and produce an odour and will certainly put this lovely concoction to the test.
    Thanks. 🙂

    1. Keep in touch and let us know how it works for you. 🙂

  3. Hi,
    I too live in a hot humid climate and wear a lot of tank tops, so I was wondering if this solution will absorb into the skin and be invisible? … And on another topic, I’m day 4 drinking smoothies and I already notice that I crave sweets less. I feel great!!

    1. Hey Cheralyn.

      Thanks for reaching out to us. Yes, it should be invisible once applied and dried. Happy to hear you are loving green smoothies! Cheers!

  4. I find that natural deodorant works really well ONLY if I combine it with a natural cleansing method such as rhassoul clay. Regular soaps kill all of the bacteria on your body, and that includes friendly ammonia-eating bacteria, which also help combat BO.

    1. Happy to hear you found a great deodorant to combat your BO. 🙂 Thanks for the tips.

  5. i live in a very hot and humid climate – i’m afraid the coconut oil will be just that – oil – i.e., not congealed like when you get it out of the fridge – which is where i normally store mine so that it doesn’t go rancid. so, what do you reckon – will it be like a runny liquid or will it be like a paste?

    1. Hey Tanvi! Yes. I suggest putting it in the fridge. You don’t want runny liquid deodorant. 🙂

  6. We made this and the toothpaste. After a few days, my mom and dad both have what they call “armpit rot” that itches. It works but has anyone else gotten a rash?

    1. Hey Michelle. There should not be an itch with this. I would stop using it right away. There might be something that you mom and dad’s skin is sensitive to. Did it make your skin itch too?

    2. my husband and I have both gotten a rash under our arms as well. Is there a certain ingredient that does this? I don’t want to go back to normal deodorant because none of it works, but I’m not sure what else to do.

    3. Michelle and Emily, sometimes when people first start using a homemade deodorant, they experience a rash in their armpits from the baking soda. You can 1. decrease the amount of baking soda until your body gets used to a more natural method and 2. detox your armpits with a mask of bentonite clay, ACV and water. Doing both of these should help greatly.

  7. I make a very similar recipe and I LOVE it! I’ve tried a number of “natural” deodorants, and this recipe works much better than anything I’ve tried (I think I even like it more than “conventional” deodorants that I used to use). I do two things slightly different in my recipe. I use a few drops of tea tree oil, for added antibacterial properties, and I use cornstarch instead of arrowroot. Seeing as cornstarch is easier to find, is there any reason you wouldn’t recommend using it?

    One other note that folks might want to be aware of… if you live in a warm climate, the coconut oil melts when it gets too warm and the entire deodorant gets soupy! Now that I have it in a jar it’s not a big deal, but when I first made it I packed it into an old deodorant container and when it melted it leaked all over the place.

    1. I believe the reason cornstarch isn’t used is because starch converts to sugar. Bacteria feeds off of sugar, so I assume the use of cornstarch would make the product not as effective.

    2. Great insight Sophie! I personally avoid cornstarch because corn is a common allergy and can actually irritate people. Yet there are recipes that use cornstarch— I just find arrow root powder to be higher quality and yield amazing results when it comes to BO. 🙂

  8. Hello,
    Amazing recipe! I used white clay kaolin instead of arrowroot and it works. Now it is too hot in Spain and this works much better tan commercial deodorants.
    Many, many thanks.

    1. We’re not big fans of xanthan gum, Molly, but please do what works best for you!

    1. We buy it, Kaye! Look for organic, unrefined, and cold-pressed!

  9. What should the consistency be of the final product? I tried to make this and it’s still powdery when I expected it to be more paste-like.

    1. Hmm… It should be more paste-like, you’re right. Tough to say why without being there to see what you did 🙁

  10. 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!

    1. Alright, Anjanette! Could you let us know how it goes once you try it??

  11. 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