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If you’re concerned about the type of chemicals you put on your skin, natural deodorant might be a good option. It’s not simply deodorant made with all-natural ingredients. It works to eliminate body odor but doesn’t include chemicals normally found in store-bought deodorants such as parabens, triclosan, and formaldehyde.
Before you transition to an all-natural deodorant, learn more about it, how it works, and deodorant differs from antiperspirant to make sure it’s the best option for you.
Making your own natural deodorant at home is super easy! And it only takes about 20 minutes. We’ve included a few DIY natural deodorant recipes below, but first, you need to decide which ingredients you want to use.
Top 6 All-Natural DIY Deodorant Ingredients
- Baking soda
- Cornstarch or arrowroot powder
- Coconut oil
- Essential oils
- Shea butter
- Beeswax
Simple Recipes to Make at Home
There are a million reasons people choose to make their own deodorant. Some do it to save money, others want control over what they put on their body for health or skin sensitivity reasons. As mentioned above, most homemade deodorant recipes use the same basic ingredients — baking soda or cornstarch — and add different items depending on skin type and personal preference.
When choosing essential oils to use in your recipes, consider which scents you like and who will be using it. Some good options for women include lavender, sage, and lemon. Cypress, rosemary, and bergamot are all good options for men. You could also use patchouli, frankincense, or tea tree oil to scent your deodorant.
Easy, Cost-Effective DIY Natural Deodorant
If you’re looking for a simple, cost-effective option, this DIY natural deodorant recipe only uses three ingredients:
1/2 cup of coconut oil
1/2 cup of baking soda
40-60 drops of essential oils
To make the deodorant, put the coconut oil in a mixing bowl. Then, mix in the baking soda. Lastly, add the essential oils you’ve chosen. You can store this homemade deodorant in a small glass jar and apply it using your fingers.
Natural Deodorant Recipe for People Worried About Excess Body Odor
If you’re worried about having a strong body odor, this recipe helps eliminate even the manliest, musky scents:
3 tablespoons of baking soda
5 tablespoons of arrowroot powder or non-GMO cornstarch
6 tablespoons of shea butter
30-60 drops of essential oils
To make this natural deodorant, put the baking soda, arrowroot (or non-GMO cornstarch), and shea butter in a large mixing bowl and use your hands to combine the ingredients. It might seem like the deodorant is a bit powdery at first — that’s okay. Add your essential oils, and then, use a hand mixer to whip the mixture together until it becomes creamy. Store the deodorant in a 4-ounce jar and apply sparingly with your fingertips.
If this recipe is too harsh for your skin, you can replace the shea butter with four tablespoons of melted coconut oil and eliminate the essential oils. This is a good option for anyone with really sensitive skin because it shouldn’t cause a pH imbalance.
Calming DIY Natural Deodorant Recipe for People with Sensitive Skin
Did you know that frankincense has anti-inflammatory, anti-fungal, and anti-bacterial properties, but it’s still gentle enough to use on sensitive skin? That’s only one reason why this recipe for natural deodorant is a great option for anyone with overly sensitive skin — the rest of the ingredients are also gentle.
- 2 tablespoons of shea butter
- 2 tablespoons of coconut oil
- 2 teaspoons of beeswax
- 1 teaspoon of baking soda
- 4 teaspoons of tapioca, arrowroot, or potato starch
- 50 drops of frankincense essential oil
Place the beeswax, shea butter, and coconut oil into a glass measuring cup. Then, fill a pot partially with water and place the measuring cup into the water — this makes a double boiler. Simmer on medium heat until the beeswax melts completely. Once the beeswax is melted, remove the mixture from the heat and stir in the baking soda and starch. Make sure it’s completely mixed in, and then, add the frankincense oil.
Before the mixture hardens, pour it into two 2-ounce tins. You can keep this deodorant in the tin for up to 12 months, as long as the tin is kept in a cool, dry place. The mixture won’t harden completely, so it’s easy to apply with your fingertips.
The Effectiveness of Natural Deodorant
Many people avoid switching from their go-to antiperspirant and deodorant because they think that natural deodorant won’t work as well. After all, who wants to be the person in the office with a funky body odor? The good news is, natural deodorant works a lot better than you probably think.
Are Natural Deodorants Effective?
Natural deodorants are effective, but it’s important that you understand the difference between deodorant and antiperspirant before making the change. All-natural deodorants control body odor, but not sweating. For that, we recommend an antiperspirant like our SweatBlock towelettes. They help cut down on sweating and they can be used to provide relief for issues such as clammy hands, in addition to underarm sweat.
What Ingredients Are in Natural Deodorant?
All-natural deodorants are made using organic ingredients. These are typically plant-based components and essential oils that work together to reduce unpleasant odors.
The essential oils are used to scent the deodorant, so it’s possible to purchase or make non-scented versions as well, which is a good option for anyone with extremely sensitive skin. Natural deodorants that aren’t scented are typically used solely to neutralize unpleasant body odors. So basically, they will help eliminate body odor, but won’t make your armpits smell like flowers.
Some people prefer using a DIY natural deodorant instead of a store-bought option. These are typically made using ingredients such as baking soda, cornstarch, lemon juice, and rubbing alcohol. They’re pretty easy to make at home and can be used with an antiperspirant that helps control sweating.
How Do Natural Deodorants Work?
Did you know that your sweat doesn’t stink? Body odor is actually the result of protein-packed sweat mixing with the bacteria that sits on your skin.
So deodorants, including natural ones, work by reducing the bacteria on your skin to neutralize body odor. Most are scented to help mask the smell of body odor throughout the day. For example, a natural deodorant for women might be scented with lavender essential oils to give it a fresh, flowery smell, while options for men might use a more masculine-smelling oil such as bergamot. The type of essential oil you use is completely up to you, but before you make a selection, consider researching the benefits of specific oil types — beyond scent. For example, if you choose an option that’s anti-bacterial, it will also reduce the bacteria under your arms, which can help control odor even further.
The Pros and Cons of Natural Deodorant
Like everything else, natural deodorant has both pros and cons. However, for most people, the good outweighs the bad. The biggest concern for most people who want to switch is finding an organic deodorant that works.
Many people think that because natural deodorant doesn’t include an antiperspirant it isn’t working. But it’s easy to find one that works. In fact, most do work — really well.
Remember, natural deodorant blocks odor but doesn’t prevent sweating. So if you sweat a lot, it’s important to use an antiperspirant with your new deodorant to help prevent stains and wet spots on your clothes. SweatBlock antiperspirant is a great option for this because our towelettes help cut down your sweating for four to seven days. Also, if excessive sweating is a major concern, there are several sweat-reducing foods you can eat to help alleviate the problem.
Because there are so many different ways to help prevent excessive sweating — and avoid embarrassing pit stains — the fact that natural deodorant doesn’t have a built-in antiperspirant isn’t really much of a “con.”
Why Natural Deodorant is Better
Natural deodorant is a better choice for most people because it doesn’t include the harsh chemicals found in regular deodorant and antiperspirants. It’s common for deodorants and antiperspirants to be made using ingredients that are considered toxic or harsh such as propylene glycol, which is known to cause eye and skin irritation. Other potentially harmful ingredients normally found in conventional deodorants include parabens, which can affect your hormones; triclosan, which is actually used as a pesticide; and bleach, which can irritate your skin.
Ingredients used in organic and do-it-yourself natural deodorants are, as you would expect, natural. In most cases, the plant-based ingredients used to make natural underarm deodorants that work are a lot more gentle, making them ideal for people with sensitive skin.
Why You Should Switch to a Natural Deodorant
Switching to a natural deodorant is a great option if you have any type of skin issues or you’re prone to rashes. Because you’re eliminating the use of harsh ingredients by making the switch, it’s possible that you won’t have as many skin problems or it won’t become irritated as much once you start using natural deodorant.
When you switch from conventional to natural deodorant, there is a transition period. But once your body has eliminated all of the toxins in it, you may actually notice that you sweat less than you did when using conventional brands.
All-natural deodorants are also a good option for anyone concerned about the environment. They feature environmentally-friendly ingredients, and many come in recyclable packaging.
Also, one thing many people don’t realize is that switching to organic deodorant can actually save you a few bucks. Sure, some products labeled “all-natural” or “organic” will be more costly, but when it comes to deodorant, it’s so easy and cost-effective to make at home.
Which Natural Deodorant Works Best?
There isn’t one “best natural deodorant” on the market or a natural deodorant recipe that’s one-size-fits-all. The fact is, everyone’s body is different, so one type of all-natural deodorant may work great for you, but not your best friend.
The key to finding the best all-natural deodorant is reading product labels. You might think a product is all-natural when it actually includes some harsh chemicals. So be sure to read the ingredients on the label carefully.
Also, remember that you won’t find a product that’s really the “best natural deodorant for sweating” because natural deodorants only mask odor. They don’t include an antiperspirant that helps prevent sweating. That’s why, if you’re worried about getting sweat stains on your clothing, we recommend that you use an antiperspirant, such as SweatBlock, in addition to your new natural deodorant.
Ultimately, when it comes to finding the most-effective all-natural deodorant for you, there’s a good chance you’ll need to try a few different options — whether you buy them or make your own. Homemade organic deodorants work just as well as store-bought options, so it’s really just a personal preference. Regardless of which option you choose, you should consider using an antiperspirant, such as SweatBlock, with your new natural deodorant to help cut down the amount of sweat your body produces.
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