homemade deodorant (that actually works)

About a month ago I made a batch of deodorant to get us through the hot summer months. It works amazingly well. Seriously. My husband echoed that this morning even, “I can’t believe this works so well!” Which is how I remembered that I had snapped a photo of the jar, but never blogged about it. I do that a lot. I used Amy’s recipe, which she shares for free on her website, and also includes in her beauty booklet (which I adore).

In lieu of cornstarch I used arrowroot powder, mainly because I’m avoiding grains in my diet, among other things. For me, the diet doesn’t just stop with food, it continues on to anything that comes into contact with my body, including skin care. Hardcore, I know, but a necessary part of the healing process. This deodorant whipped up in about 7 minutes, including prep and clean-up, and will last us a long time, and will save us moola in the long run. While it does contain essential oils, the smell dissipates really quickly, so it’s not one of those pseudo “perfume deodorants” that simply mask odor. I went on an hour long bike ride yesterday in 80+ degree weather, unshowered, and this kept me fresh.

Bambino Step: If making your own freaks you out, try to make the switch to a natural, mainly toxin-free deodorant (found in health food stores, or most stores carry Tom’s of Maine) instead. Not all brands work for all people, so it might take some trial and error before you find your match. I make my own deodorant because I never had luck finding a natural deodorant that did the job well. Also, it’s cheap, fun to make, keeps packaging out of the landfill, and it replaces a skin care item that typically contains toxins. If you’d like to make your own but don’t want to purchase all the ingredients that go along with this particular recipe, there are lots of other (free) recipes around the Web. For instance, try using Kat’s method: dab coconut oil under your pits and dust with baking soda. Voila – freshness.