Here are some of the handmade deodorants that I made recently:
I gave up wearing deodorant when I was a senior in high school after reading a book about the toxic chemicals inherent in our so-called modern, factory farmed, industrial society. It's not difficult to find articles online about the crazy chemical cocktails hidden in deodorants or antiperspirants actively marketed to women and men of reproductive age all over the world. What the ads fail to mention is that we are applying these endocrine disrupting chemicals into very sensitive places (our underarms) which just-so-happen to be located near and dear to the 20-30 lymph nodes next to our armpits and breasts; meanwhile, cancer rates are on the rise. Lymph nodes are a location where toxins get filtered out of the lymph fluid which flows between your body's cells and tissue. White blood cells are the little witchdoctors also present in the lymph fluid which help remove toxins or foreign substances and purify the lymph as it passes through the nodes. If you have ever been swollen in your neck or underarm area it is likely that your lymph nodes were swollen with white blood cells trying to filter out an infection or a contaminant.
My sister Miranda, author of the blog,
Bunker Hill Remodel, used to get swollen lymph nodes around her neck from reactions to certain foods when she was a child. Her experiences, along with massage therapy school heightened my awareness to this special region of our bodies and catalyzed my efforts to limit the toxins I put on or in my body. After insisting that I "smelled bad" (I still deny it to this day) Miranda promptly urged me to try a homemade deodorant that her friend made. Rolling my eyes I reluctantly spread the mixture into my underarms and after a few hours I was hooked. Not only did it neutralize my "smell" but it also absorbed a bit of my perspiration and rinsed off easily in the shower in a wonderfully silky smooth way. This recipe is something that I feel comfortable putting on my body because I know it's safer than conventional deodorant, especially on my lymph nodes and it works better than any deodorant I've ever used in my life.
After getting scolded for trying to steal my sister's jar, I begged for the recipe and now I make deodorants for myself, friends, and family. I also sell them independently at craft fairs and at a nonprofit in Berkeley, California called the Berkeley Student Food Collective.
If you are interested in making your own, here is the ingredient list. I don't have an exact recipe because I work off texture and scent, but practice makes perfect and its actually quite simple.
You only need 3 ingredients to make a basic jar:
- Coconut Oil
- Baking Soda
- Tapioca Flour/Starch (or non GMO corn starch will work too)
However, beyond these three ingredients I always add a pinch of salt and pure vanilla bean extract, always. I just love the way it smells like cookie dough!
You can also get creative and add spices or essential oils to them to scent them as you like.
Think pumpkin pie, lemon cake, vanilla chai, winter pine, lavender vanilla, etc. :)
Warm winter pie: garnished with cinnamon, pine, and jasmine.
Or go romantic with a bit of rose petal and garnish with vitamin C rich rose hips:
You can't go wrong with drying your own herbs and flowers and coming up with your own favorites.
But honestly, my favorite is just simple, plain, vanilla scent. I think it smells wonderful with the coconut oil and it is simple to make so don't feel like you
have to dress it up or garnish it with anything.
Here are the basic directions for making your own deodorant:
- In a mixing bowl combine equal parts Tapioca Starch and Baking Soda.
- Pour in as much vanilla extract as you think is appropriate
- Pour (liquid) Coconut oil slowly into the powders and begin mixing with a spoon until dough forms
After you mix in the oil and dough begins to form you can use your hands to "knead" the dough.
**If your Coconut Oil is solidified, you must warm it slowly and carefully so it becomes a liquid, or that point where it is almost a liquid. You
do not want to overheat your coconut oil, so I typically put a pot of water on low on the stove and put my glass jar into the pot and let it melt slowly while I prepare my powders and jars. Then pour in the liquid oil as needed.
You want your "dough" to be a solid dough ball, not too sticky and not too dry. Add baking soda, oil or tapioca starch in an appropriate ratio until you achieve the ideal texture. Ideal is when you can hold the dough in your hands and divide it into smaller dough balls with minimal stickiness and minimal crumbling. The surface should be smooth and beautiful.
If the dough feels or sounds a bit "squeaky" there is too much starch (touch the starch between two fingers--> that is what I mean by squeaky). If the dough is crumbling then there is too much baking soda. If the dough is too sticky or looks wet there is too much oil.
And just remember you only need about a half cup to last you several months!
This is where your deodorant making becomes an art and an aromatic culinary creation, have fun experimenting with it! Your dough is your deodorant so put it into a glass jar and enjoy!
