Today I am going to share with you the deodorant recipe that my husband and I have been using for over a year now. I found the basic recipe I am using at thehumbledhomemaker.com. I have to say that both my husband and I absolutely love it!

For a while I had been thinking about and wanting to find an alternative to the aluminum-packed varieties of deodorant that I would normally buy at the store. I felt like my arm pits, even after showering, were clogged {which honestly, they probably were}. I had also been thinking about how we are seeing such a huge increase in breast cancer in our country and it seemed logical to me that one, of many, contributing factors may be from rubbing aluminum directly into this tender area over the course of many years. I wanted to find an alternative for me to use that actually worked…meaning I didn’t want to stink! These thoughts rattled around in my brain for over a year or two and then one day when I was almost out of my store-bought variety I decided to do some research and learn how to make my own. I am so glad that I did!

Once all of the ingredients are acquired, this homemade deodorant recipe is very simple, quick and convenient to make if you happen to run out…especially for those of us that live miles away from any grocery store! I will share the recipe I use for my husband’s scent {Tea Tree, Mint & Lavender – which really can be used for men or women and smells great either way} as well as the scent I make for myself {Orange, Lavender & Sandalwood}. Of course, the essential oils that give the scents can be personalized for each one’s particular preferences. I hope you try it out. If you do, let me know how you like it! -Shelley.

Homemade Aluminum-Free Deodorant
*Makes enough for 1 bar

Tea Tree, Mint & Lavender Scent – unisex
Clean and empty deodorant container {link on Amazon}
1 heaping T beeswax pellets {link on Amazon}
1/2 T shea butter {link on Amazon}
2 1/2 T coconut oil
1/8 c cornstarch
1/8 c aluminum-free baking soda {like Bob’s Red Mill brand – link on Amazon}
7-8 drops tea tree essential oil
7-8 drops lavender essential oil
5 drops peppermint essential oil

Orange, Lavender & Sandalwood Scent
Clean and empty deodorant container {link on Amazon}
1 heaping T beeswax pellets {link on Amazon}
1/2 T shea butter {link on Amazon}
2 1/2 T coconut oil
1/8 c cornstarch
1/8 c aluminum-free baking soda {like Bob’s Red Mill brand – link on Amazon}
9 drops orange essential oil
7 drops lavender essential oil
7 drops sandalwood essential oil
3 drops vanilla fragrance oil {optional}

Start by measuring the baking soda and cornstarch into a small bowl. Set aside.

Combine the beeswax pellets, shea butter and coconut oil in a glass dish. I have used a double boiler method in the past, but have found that melting it all in a pint-sized glass mason jar works just as well. Either place the mason jar {with a lid on it} in a pan with a couple of inches of boiling water in it and allow it all to melt together, or another way is to place the mason jar {without the lid on it} into the microwave and melt on high, checking every 30 seconds or so, until it is melted together.

Once it is melted, add essential/fragrance oils and swish around to combine.

Pour beeswax/oil mixture into the cornstarch/baking soda mixture and stir to combine until smooth.

Depending on how much it has cooled off at this point, either pour mixture into a clean deodorant container, or spoon into the container making sure to tap the container on a hard surface every so often to get it all to settle to the bottom of the container.

If there is any leftover, or if you don’t have a clean deodorant container to place the mixture in, place in a small mason jar. It can be scraped out daily with a clean utensil, if desired, and applied with fingertips.

Clean off rim of deodorant container and shape the top as nicely as you can. I guess that part really doesn’t matter all that much unless you are planning on giving one as a gift. Allow to cool completely before placing the lid on the container.

The jar that I melted the beeswax and oils in? After it has cooled, I just place a lid on it and store in a box with the supplies that I use to make the deodorant. It makes it easy and I don’t have to wash it!

I chose some of the essential oil scents for these deodorants because of their anti-bacterial properties…which is important to have at least one in the mix. Here is a list of other essential oils that have anti-bacterial properties as well. I am not saying that all of these would necessarily smell good under your pits {I would imagine having a black pepper and oregano odor wafting about as you raise your arms might be a bit of a turn-off for most people…but hey – each to his own!} but at least there are quite a few to choose from:

Essential Oils That Have Anti-Bacterial Properties:
basil
chamomile
cinnamon bark
clary sage
clove
cypress
eucalyptus
fennel
geranium
grapefruit
helichrysum
hyssop
lemon
lemongrass
marjoram
tea tree
myrtle
orange
oregano
patchouli
black pepper
peppermint
ravensara
rosemary
rosewood
sage
sandalwood

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