Natural Deodorant Alternative Recipes
Thrifty Thinking
Deodorant. We all need it. Everyone sweats at times, and some more than others. I’ll warn you that I will get a little personal here, so don’t read anymore if reading about arm pits makes you uncomfortable, or just look down at the bold-type recipes. I have three deodorant alternatives for you, all of which are naturally effective and economical, costing just pennies!
I am VERY cold most of the time, for those of you who don’t know me. Typically, I wear four layers in the winter, and you usually don’t see my arms uncovered unless it is at least 78 degrees outside. I don’t generally sweat very much, but the one place I do sweat is the pits, probably because they don’t get much breathing room with all my layers and little relief.
All that to say, a couple of summers ago, we discovered another very interesting problem. One of my EARLY elementary kids started having B.O. on a hot day, and he (the generic he) was running around a lot. This was not just a one time occurrence either. It made me start thinking, “This REALLY young person NEEDS deodorant, but who wants to put all those chemicals on a little body?” It just didn’t seem right putting adult deodorant on him.
Anyway, I was reading on some money-saving blog (that I can’t find now) a year and a half ago or so, and guess what? A lady was using baking soda only for deodorant. I have heard of making your own deodorant with different oils and baking soda, but hadn’t done it yet. So I decided to try it on this child. It TOTALLY worked. I was amazed, so the next day I tried it on myself. I just put my fingers under the faucet really quickly and dipped them in my little baby jar container of baking soda and applied it. I was amazed at how well it absorbs sweat, the lack of odor, and the pleasant way my clothes smelled. I used this method for over a year, and my family could still tolerate my presence; it worked great!
I wasn’t doing this to try to save money, because honestly, I have a small stock pile of de-o that I got for usually $.50 or less, and in some cases free. It would be easier just to use a de-o stick, but they don’t always work great for me. But really baking soda is SO incredibly frugal, especially if you get the big bag at Costco, (which may last you a lifetime). I am sure it cost way less than a penny per application. Anyway, I am now singing the praises of baking soda.
If you decide to try it, give it at least 3 weeks. I think it takes a couple of weeks for your body to adjust to it. It may seem a bit grainy at first, but that went away for me after about a week. I don’t notice any graininess anymore…at all. Give it a try; it is amazing! The only negative side for me is that baking soda can be a bit messy in apply it. Do you have any suggestions? I have not found a way to get around that. I also don’t worry about the baking soda getting on my clothes because regular deodorant does that anyway, and it is good in the laundry.
Deodorant Recipe #1:
- baking soda
- a damp armpit, or damp fingers to apply
In looking for an alternative to the messy baking soda, my friend was talking about her husband using rubbing alcohol only and how successful it is on him. I decided to give it a try for one week. I found it kills the odor causing bacteria well. The problem for me is that I ended up with wet pits constantly as it doesn’t absorb the sweat. So I love the idea, but I can’t use this alone, though it might work for you.
Deodorant Recipe #2:
- rubbing alcohol
- cotton ball or small cloth to apply
After a year of using straight baking soda, I missed the convenience of using a deodorant stick. I finally made my own deodorant stick with coconut oil (you can now find coconut oil at some Walmarts, Costco, and Trader Joe’s), and I love it, overall! It’s such a quick recipe to prepare. The con is that it has a low melting point, so if it’s hotter than 76 degrees, the deodorant turns into goo, and you get a mega mess. It happened to me the first week I made it at the end of our muggy late September/early October days. You can store it in the fridge to prevent the melting though, so learn from my mistake!
Deodorant Recipe #3:
- 1/3 cup baking soda (other recipes call for 1/4 cup of the dry ingredients, each, but I LOVE the absorbent nature of the baking soda and wanted to use more)
- 1/3 cup cornstarch (arrowroot powder works, too I hear, but I don’t own it yet and haven’t tried it)
- 5-6 T coconut oil, slightly melted, enough to mix well like frosting; don’t melt it into a liquid (I melt mine in the microwave)
- a couple of drops of essential oil, optional (I’ve used tea tree oil and lavender)
- old deodorant container, or other closed container
Instructions:
- Mix all three ingredients until you get the desired consistency. You may want to add more oil or dried ingredients depending on the consistency you desire. Since I LOVE baking soda so much, I like using more of it.
- Pour into the container of your choice (to avoid leakage of the melted coconut oil, you can harden the coconut oil a bit in the fridge before pouring it in the container. Work with it when it’s the consistency of frosting. You can also put a plastic baggie at the bottom of the deodorant container and fill up the bag while it’s in the container).
I usually make a double batch of the Coconut Oil Deodorant and store the remainder in a glass jar. When I need more, I just microwave it for 30 seconds and scoop it into the deodorant container.
In conclusion, I am now doing a mixture of all three during the winter. I wear too many layers in the cold winter months to really let the pits breathe properly, so I think I need a higher concentration of baking soda. In the winter, at night I put on the baking soda after a shower. In the morning, I will use rubbing alcohol and then reapply either the baking soda or Coconut Oil Deodorant. In the months that I don’t wear as many layers, which is typically June-late October, I can solely use the Coconut Oil Deodorant. So whether you want to get away from the aluminum and chemicals of typical deodorant or looking for some thrifty deodorant ideas, you may want to try these.
What are you using? Are you thinking about going more natural with de-o for the b-o? Do you have any other natural deodorant ideas?
Have you made your own…?:
Hi Sonja, I really loved this post, but I have a question. I lead a fairly active lifestyle with lots of soccer and running, and not only am I sweaty, but it’s extremely humid in the area where I live. So will these deoderants work well even if I’m running around in the heat and humidity? Thank you anyway, I’ll try it soon!
Hi Laura. I run, too and stay active too. Give the baking soda a shot. That’s a super easy way to get started, and if you are scared, bring your normal deo along, but you might not need it…I might take a few weeks to adjust to the baking soda, but it really works AMAZINGLY! Some people are a little sensitive to baking soda, so check it out. Hope this helps. If the baking soda works for you, you should try the coconut oil deo.
Hi Sonja! Thanks so much for taking the time to linkup with us at our weekly From the Farm Blog Hop! I’m so glad you did, because this week I selected your posts as my favorite. Natural deodorant was one of the HARDEST things for me to change when we ditched chemical products. You offer some fantastic options THAT WORK! I hope to see you link up in the future. 🙂
Hi Krystyna. You are welcome for linking, and thanks so much for the feature! Gotta love getting away from the chemicals!
Thanks for the article. You should definitely try Lavilin also. Great, reputable brand. They have a line of natural underarm and foot deodorants. http://www.lavilin.com
Hi Lucy. Thanks for the heads up! It’s always nice to find some natural alternatives.
After much research and testing I discovered that Milk of Magnesia (magnesium hydroxide and water) works great. I put it in a small spray bottle and rub it in. You could also get a refillable roll on bottle. I’ve also added some essential oils for fragrance and many have antibacterial properties but it’s optional – works great all by itself. And it’s very inexpensive at the drug store. Both my son and daughter use it think it works great. I was considering using a thickener in the future (arrowroot or cornstarch) or maybe some beeswax to harden slightly. But for now I like how well this works and the simpicity
Thanks so much for sharing! That’s great to know!
It would be easier just to use a de-o stick, but they don’t always work great for me. Anyway, I am now singing the praises of baking soda.
Totally agree! There ain’t nothing like it. Just put it on.
I’ve been using baking soda for quite a while now. It works great. I keep it in a small jar and apply with a makeup brush that I keep just for that. Baking soda by itself can be a bit irritating at times so I also have a small jar of coconut oil that I dab on first to moisturize and then brush on the baking soda. This works better than regular deodorant for me especially during the summer and over time I’ve noticed that my armpits aren’t drenched with sweat like they used to be which is a bit improvement. During the winter sometimes a dab of coconut oil is all that is needed and I apply the baking soda only every other or every 3rd day. You really don’t need much baking soda at all for it to be effective, in fact too much can come through dark shirts… but not to worry it washes out great and even removes the deodorant smell left from before I started using baking soda!
Hi Jill! Thanks for sharing, especially since I know some people can be irritated by baking soda. Gotta love the baking soda!
Ahhhh! someone cold intolerance like me. Anyway, I have been experimenting with alternatives to deodorants as I don’t like the petroleum content of commercial deodorants. First I used fresh lime wedges, then lemon wedges. Now I have been using the zest of the blood oranges I like to eat. I drown the zest in white distilled vinegar and apply with a cotton ball. I keep in the fridge. We will see how this progresses in 90+ degree weather. I wanted to melt beeswax somehow for better application but I wasn’t sure about the beeswax and vinegar combo.
From UK, I have used crystal stick deodarant for several years, bought from chemists or health shops,expensive but lasts for months/years.
Hi Karen, I have tried a crystal, and I will I could say it worked for me and my family, but it didn’t. It’s great for those who it effects. Thanks for sharing!
I love the third recipe! I sweat, so the rubbing alcohol wouldn’t work for me either. Ive been wanting to switch for years but (selfishly) haven’t wanted to give up the convenience of the tube. Thanks so much!
XO
Hi Corinna, You are welcome, and thanks for visiting!
Hi, I am a little confused about terminology so I’d like to find out for sure, in australia we have baking powder and bicarb soda. so when you say baking soda, which one is it? thanks 🙂
Hi Penny, It’s bicarb soda. Thanks for asking!
This all sounds great! I was thinking….what if you combine ideas? For instance, start by misting underarms with rubbing alcohol (or vinegar) for bacteria/odor control, then dust with baking soda/cornstarch to remain dry? My son has problems and we’ve tried different deodorants and not even the clinical strength is working. But I have hopes that these natural remedies might be effective since they treat the bacteria, which is the source of the problem.
Hi Valerie, I would love to hear how it works with your son! I hope you have much success, and thanks for sharing!
I use this same recipe and keep mine in a pretty jar on the bathroom counter….no mess. Solid in winter and liquified in summer.
Hi April, I love using the homemade deodorant. Thanks for sharing and visiting!
Thanks for the great tips! I shared this link over on my blog.
Hi Amelia, Thanks so much for sharing!
Really great ideas! I have wondered about homemade deodorants, but have been worried to try, I am quite sweaty!
Hi Bethany, Deodorant is REALLY easy to put together, so I encourage you to dive right in! Thanks for visiting!
You can use Phillips milk of magnesia (plain not flavored). Just put into an empty roll on deodorant bottle. There is a company that makes this and sells it, I think it is Peoples pharmacy?
Also add essential oil to alcohol and put into a spray bottle.
I like Lavilin cream.
Hi Rosemary, Thanks for sharing your ideas!
The baking soda alone works great for me. My problem is my teenagers. At home they are sometimes willing to use baking soda or an essential oil potion I make, but at school, they want to use a commercial deodorant stick. I’ve tried Tom’s and another brand that I can’t remember, but the kids said they don’t work for them. Any suggestions of natural brands that work well (and isn’t super expensive)? Maybe I’ll try your coconut oil recipe with bees wax and stick it in an old deodorant container.
Hi Kristel (sorry this is so late), My husband tried the natural Walmart brand deodorant 3 1/2 years ago, and it was ok. Sorry I can’t give you more suggestions. I have really like the coconut oil recipe and the baking soda. I don’t know how much bees wax to use as I have never used bees wax. Hope you find/found something that works for your family!
Congratulations! You were featured on Natural Living Monday! I would love to see you back this week. Thanks so much! <3
Thank you so much for sharing on Natural Living Monday!
I have been meaning to make my own deodorant for a while, but I don’t have an old container to use to put it in. I have been using coconut oil and baking soda (apply oil then soda) and it works pretty well but a stick would definitely be more convenient! Thanks so much.
for Amanda…I just dip fingers into coconut oil and then sprinkle baking soda on the oil and rub into armpits. I believe a stick may be more convenient but wasteful since you only need small amount for an application. For me using this has even made my sweat less and no more underarm stains on my clothes(usually would never wear white shirts since they maybe lasted 2 or 3 washings).
When my son was getting friction rashes in his pits from running around on hot days I dusted them with corn starch. To minimize the mess I used a blush brush to apply it. A quick dip, small tap and then dusting it on was very effective. Just a few days ago I thought of using rubbing alcohol to kill odor causing bacteria in my own pits, as the commercial sticks weren’t helping well with that aspect. As I did not have any in the house, I tried my facial astringent instead. (I use Sea Breeze) So far that has worked well. For Marilyn: I would think that most fats that are solid at room temp, and will not go rancid would work for the stick recipe. Maybe just vegetable shorteneng? Might need some experimenting.
What might one use in place of coconut oil? (I’m SEVERELY allergic to coconut & coconut byproducts.)
i stink & sweat so much i probably quality for botox treatments in my pits! i wipe them down with vinegar before applying antiperspirant (i can never spell that word!) & it works wonders at preventing odor (i also spray vinegar on my feet, between my toes, after i get out of the shower).
Vinegar sounds like a great idea. Thanks for sharing!
This is very handy, to have all 3 in one spot. Great post! Thanks for sharing at Healthy 2Day Wednesday and come back tomorrow to see if you were featured!
Thanks! I’ll be back!
I tried making the coconut oil deodorant and it leaked out the bottom of the used deodorant container making a mess! Does it need to solidify before putting it in the container?
I’m allergic to antiperspirants as well as wanting to avoid aluminum, so I’ve been using natural crystal deodorants. But they don’t deal w/wetness. So I’m hoping the baking soda & cornstarch combo will work.
A couple of things: If it’s super liquidy, you can add equal parts of the dry ingredients until you get a pasty consistency. Also you can let it solidify a little, and then fill your container. Also, the deodorant should be pliable when you put it in the container. Don’t give up. It will work! Let me know if I can help you any other way.
Just wanted to add that you can melt a small amount of beeswax and add it to the mixture – it helps harden it all up a touch more. Works great!
Half cornstarch and baking soda mixed and applied with a makeup powder puff works wonderful.Keeps you dry and odor free.Momma used this forty years ago and so have I.Very inexpensive…