What ingredients are suitable for a natural and homemade deodorant?

Making your own deodorant with natural ingredients is a very useful project. You save money, you make sure the deodorant does not contain toxic substances Plus, it’s a lot of fun to make. The first step in this adventure is to select the right ingredients.

A homemade deodorant can contain a wide variety of ingredients, such as baking soda, coconut oil, shea butter, hydrogen peroxide, apple cider vinegar, or clay. They are products that perhaps you already have at home and that, in any case, are easily achieved.

Where can I get the ingredients?

Vinegar, rubbing alcohol, and cornstarch or baking soda can be easily found at any grocery store. The other ingredients can be found in herbalists, pharmacies and organic product stores, whether physical or online.

Many recipes call for essential oils, that provide disinfectant properties and good smell. You have to be careful with this product because if you don’t pay attention, you can take home an oil designed for setting the environment and that, moreover, is not natural.

In hygiene and natural cosmetics, pure natural essential oils are used, if possible certified by ecological production. See if these concepts appear on the label.

In the formulas to be made at home, there is the possibility of making changes based on personal taste, but remember that not all essential oils can come into contact with the skin. Some are irritating or need to be diluted a lot. That is why it is better that you follow the instructions of a reliable source of information to the letter.

In any case, to minimize the risk, try homemade deodorant that you have made on a small portion of the skin, on the forearm, for example. If no irritation appears after several minutes, you can use it on your underarms.

A general tip is Do not exceed 20 drops per 100 milliliters of oil or basic cream. It is better to start with two or three drops and increase the amount if necessary.

Is homemade deodorant going to be cheaper for me?

A self-made coconut oil deodorant, for example, costs less than 1.50 euro the 100 grams. Comparable deodorant products are much more expensive.

You can reduce the price by purchasing large quantities of each ingredient instead of small doses. For example, with a kilo of coconut oil, 400 g of baking soda and 400 g of cornstarch, more than 50 servings of deodorant cream (approximately 30 g each) can be made.

You may wonder if it is not going to spoil you. It is true that the life of homemade natural products is shorter than that of deodorants with synthetic ingredients and preservatives. But if they do not contain much water or are dry, your life can be long.

For example, you can put an expiration date of up to two years on a deodorant cream with coconut oil and baking soda. In contrast, a home-made spray-on deodorant will last only a few weeks. This time can be significantly increased by using a higher proportion of alcohol in the composition.

In general, it is not necessary to store your homemade deodorant in the refrigerator. But it is true that a dark and cool place is the most appropriate. In fact, if you use coconut oil and you want the product to have the consistency of cream, you should store it at less than 25ºC (above this temperature it becomes liquid).

If you notice that your deodorant smells rancid, it means that the fatty ingredients have oxidized and you can no longer use it. If you like the deodorant, the next time you make it again you can add a few drops of vitamin E (you will find it in pharmacies), which prevents the oils from spoiling.

Very simple homemade deodorant formula

Ingredients:

30 g of baking soda
30 g cornstarch (cornstarch)
60ml coconut oil

Preparation:

Mix the three ingredients to obtain a deodorant cream, capable of keeping you free of bad odors throughout the day. If you want to improve the formula, you can add 10 drops of lavender or eucalyptus essential oil.