Well, maybe you’re still thinking about making homemade deodorant. You haven’t quite committed to it yet. After all, it sounds a little intimidating.
What if you make a mistake and come up with a bowl full of slop. Unusable slop that’s a waste of money and time.
Or even worse, the deodorant doesn’t work. You start to stink. A stinky, smelly mess. How embarrassing!
You want to be natural, yet don’t want to smell au naturale.
Am I Right?
Making your own deodorant is more simple than you realize. If you can make a cake mix, you can make your own deodorant. Combine a few ingredients, melt them together and pour. Done. Simple.
Why Make DIY Homemade Deodorant?
When you DIY homemade deodorant you control what goes on your skin and in your body.
What you put on your skin is absorbed into your bloodstream. You can learn more about what the most important deodorant ingredients to avoid.
When I started on my natural deodorant journey, it’s wasn’t pretty. You buy a natural brand of deodorant in the health food aisle to avoid all the nasty ingredients in regular deodorant.
The problem is, most natural deodorants don’t work. You end up smelling halfway through the day. Frustrating and embarrassing. Even my husband took notice to my “odor”.
After a little searching, I stumbled upon the idea to make my own deodorant. I took the leap and never looked back.
The DIY homemade deodorant worked. It worked crazy good.
Better than any deodorant I’d ever used.
Period.
You can recycle an empty deodorant container or buy new ones like I do.
So here’s the magic recipe I started with. And two bonus recipes. One with less baking soda and other is baking soda free. Too much baking soda can irritate very sensitive skin.
How to Make DIY Homemade Deodorant
Simple 3 Ingredient Deodorant 
Ingredients
2 TBSP Baking Soda
2 TBSP Cornstarch or Arrowroot Powder
2 TBSP Coconut Oil
Directions
- Combine equal parts of baking soda and cornstarch (or arrowroot powder) in a bowl. Mix thoroughly.
- Melt your coconut oil. If it’s summer, it will naturally be softer. If it’s winter, just gently heat it in a double boiler or the microwave if you’re in a pinch. I get my coconut oil on Amazon’s subscribe and save so I never run out.
- Add the coconut oil to the baking soda and cornstartch/arrorowroot mixture.
- Mix thoroughly mixed until a runny mashed potatoes consistency is achieved.
- Pour into an empty deodorant container for easy application. You could also use a jar or container for storage. I buy new deodorant containers from amazon (affiliate link).
The temperature outside will make a big difference in the consistency. In summer, I find I need to add a little more baking soda and cornstarch. If the mixture is too hard, just add some more coconut oil.
You can put it in the fridge to harden for a few hours. Then store it at room temperature for easy application.
Super Simple Sensitive Skin Deodorant
Ingredients
1 TBSP Baking Soda
3 TBSP Cornstarch or Arrowroot Powder
2 TBSP Coconut Oil
Directions
- Combine baking soda and cornstarch (or arrowroot powder) in a bowl. Mix thoroughly.
- Melt your coconut oil. If it’s summer, it will naturally be softer. If it’s winter, just gently heat it in a double boiler or the microwave if you’re in a pinch. I get my coconut oil on Amazon’s subscribe and save so I never run out (affiliate link).
- Add the coconut oil to the baking soda and cornstartch/arrorowroot mixture.
- Mix thoroughly mixed until a runny mashed potatoes consistency is achieved.
- Pour into an empty deodorant container for easy application. You could also use a jar or container for storage. I buy new deodorant containers from amazon (affiliate link).
The temperature outside will make a big difference in the consistency. In summer, I find I need to add a little more baking soda and cornstarch. If the mixture is too hard, just add some more coconut oil.
You can put it in the fridge to harden for a few hours. Then store it at room temperature for easy application.
Magnesium Deodorant
Ingredients
1/4 cup magnesium chloride flakes
1/4 cup distilled water
Directions
- Bring distilled water to a low boil.
- Add the magnesium chloride flakes and stir until dissolved.
- Pour the solution into a spray bottle and spray your underarms as you would normally apply deodorant.
My Mom actually discovered that this works as a deodorant by mistake. Google it – many people rave about it. There are a lot of magnesium deodorant recipes out there.
This one is super simple and can be adapted based upon your skin’s needs.
NOTE: If you are magnesium deficient, it will sting when you spray it on your underarms. It did for me at first too. After a week or two, the stinging went away. Be careful to wait a little while after shaving your underarms as it will sting then as well. Once the adjustment period is over, you should be good to go.
Deodorant Additives
If you prefer a scented deodorant, feel free to add 10-20 drops of your favorite antibacterial essential oils into the deodorant.
Here are a few essential oils to consider adding to your DIY homemade deodorant:
Petitgrain (works really well to combat oil)
lemongrass
thyme
lavender
lavender
tea tree
rosemary
geranium
- lemon
Tips for Success
Have a container specifically for making deodorant, like a glass jar. That way you don’t have to clean it each time, just wipe it out.
You can make a makeshift double boiler by placing a glass bowl over a pot of boiling water.
If you’re already up to date on the dangers of store-bought deodorant let’s dive in!
Wrapping up
I’d love to hear how our DIY Homemade deodorant is working for you and which recipe you choose. Please comment below!
If you’re not into DIY – you can grab a stick of my DIY Homemade deodorant with shea butter & Vitamin E in my Etsy shop.
Hi Shannon! I am a nurse and work 10 hr shifts. By the time by shift is over the coconut oil recipes are worn off! I didn’t know about the Magnesium oil. I have some flakes now! I definitely will give this a try!
Thanks!
Hi Sandra!
Thanks so much for stopping by and taking time to comment.
Baking soda is key to keeping the stink away. If you’re using just coconut oil, it won’t be nearly as effective.
The 1st recipe is super effective. I’m stink free for over 24 hours with just one application.
Magnesium takes a short time to get adjusted to. My adjustment period was about 1 week. It works great for me.
Make sure to stop back and let me know how it’s working out for you!
Shannon
I’ve read about how magnesium chloride flakes can help with other health issues. I looked it up on Amazon to purchase some and there’s so many options – Is there a certain kind to look for? Do you have a certain brand you recommend? Thanks for your help!
Hi Sandy!
So good to hear from you!! There are a lot of magnesium chloride flakes out there. Personally, I use these http://amzn.to/2xr4vvt (affiliate link). The magnesium works really well, it just takes a little while to adjust. You’ll probably experience a little stinging at first. It will subside. Just be careful not to apply it right after you shave. I learned the hard way!
Thanks so much for stopping by!
Shannon
hello..can i use olive oil instead of cocunot oil? virgin cocunot oil perhaps?thank you and more power
Hi there Marjorie!
I would recommend a solid oil at room temperature instead of olive oil. Your mixture will be more runny in consistency if you use olive oil. It could work if you applied it with your hands, just not sure on that one.
I’d recommend the coconut oil since it melts at our body temp. That helps the deodorant glide on easily. Some other oils that are solid at room temp to try might be shea butter and mango seed butter.
Happy Deodorant Making!
Shannon