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Holy grail homemade deodorant (different area of "skincare," but still important!)
Okay, I'm sure this has come up before somewhere deep in the recesses (or not so recesses) of SKA, but I had to share with you guys, because this is my holy grail deodorant.
My skin issues:
I can't use any kind of white-stick deodorant because I get pimples and just general unhappiness under my arms. So that's out.
Gel-like ladies deodorants are messy, and gets all over my clothes, and I never feel dry. So that's out, too.
I've been using men's clear stick deodorants for a couple years, and they've been working, until recently. I have to re-apply halfway through the day and I'm gross and sweaty and I smell bad and it's just a big 'ol "no." That's out!
So I came across this on Tumblr, actually. Found here!. Figured I'd give it a shot.
Use equal parts of the following:
corn starch
baking soda (maybe add a little less of this if you've got sensitive skin. EDIT: If you have an alt for this piece, please let me know!)
coconut oil (virgin)
cocoa butter
a drop or two of any essential oil you love
If you don't use an oil, it smells kind of like cookies at the beginning of the day, and closer to baby products later on. What I actually recommend doing is putting it into an empty deodorant container and putting it in the fridge. If you put it in tupperware, then the fridge, you've got to cut pieces off and it gets melty.
The first day I used it, I stayed dry, and it lasted through the night and into the next day. I am so so sooo happy. I am used to having to worry about how gross I smell and I've finally found something that works. Had to share.
Also, if anyone else has tried this, have you found it to be as good? Or do you have another amazing thing that works for you that we might try?
I used something like this before and liked it but I'm pretty sure this is gonna get shot down because SCA is very against using baking soda on the skin.
Is it really a big deal? I can't say I'm overly concerned with the acid mantle of my underarms the way I am for my face.
I'm not overly concerned either but I've seen people immediately jump on others for mentioning baking soda use here so I thought I should give warning lol.
I'd say if it works for you, screw what SCA thinks. SCA is so strongly against baking soda because it causes negative effects like stinging or redness for many people. If you can use baking soda without any negative effects, good for you, stick with it :)
Honestly I don't know - I assume skin is skin no matter where it is. I've used a similar recipe like this myself so I'm not against. I just wanted to give fair warning to OP but so far no one else has mentioned anything about it so maybe it was premature of me to bring it up haha.
Armpit skin can be pretty sensitive, though, especially after shaving/waxing.
I'm happy to find alternatives! This is just what I've used so far. I'll be sure to put that above, too!
If it works for you then go for it! I use something similar myself. I just wanted to give warning incase others started nitpicking on it but maybe it was premature of me to bring it up haha.
I've substituted zinc oxide in place of baking soda. It's amazing as a deodorant, but it's very white.
Then do you just use a spray bottle? That's a brilliant idea - I tried making one like OP's recipe and it was awful. And I used to use a solid crystal, but seem to have misplaced it. The crystal is great because I forget to put on deo about 50% of the time, but the salt in it kills the bugs so I don't smell if I forget!
I use a similar recipe! The measurements are a little different, and it calls for a couple tablespoons beeswax, but otherwise it's pretty much the same. I don't keep mine in the fridge and it still stays solid and works fine in a deodorant tube.
Instead of essential oils, I usually add a little bit of perfume oil for fragrance. It's the best natural deodorant I've tried, homemade or storebought!
An oil based deodorant sounds like a really good way to stain your shirts.
I use this stuff:
Which is literally just an alum block. But it's the only deodorant that I've tried that doesn't irritate my very skin and is effective. And I feel like I've barely put a dent in it in the year or so I've been using it. I'll probably just buy a generic alum block when this runs out but I don't see that happening anytime soon.
This is my favorite deodorant. It doesn't smell like it's masking an odor and leaves your under arms feeling like clean, bare skin.
It surprisingly doesn't stain. I've used this recipe for years. I've also eliminated the dreaded ~yellowing~ on white shirts by using this.
I just use Dry Idea deodorant. It doesn't irritate my skin, it's the gel but dries very quickly, and has no scent.
Thanks for posting. After I use up my current commercial bar I will be diy-ing it.
I use spray deodorants, they usually smell awesome and don't irritate my armpits.
Just in case you're ever too lazy to make this, give spray deodorants a shot. There are tons of natural ones too.
I haven't gotten a pimple on my underarms since I switched from sticks/gel.
Is there any tacky feeling or anything from those? I want to try them but they're too expensive to try if I'm not sure they'll work unfortunately. I have SUPER long arm pit hair, and my current stick deodorant just feels gross.
Not that I know of, I don't use any all organic-all natural-all everything ones, so I don't know if that's the case with all of them.
But I have found ones I've liked better than others, it's mostly like just spraying perfume onto your armpits, except instead of lasting like one or two hours, it lasts like the entire day and prevents you from reeking of BO.
How expensive are they where you live?
Because the ones I buy are the same price as stick deodrants at like 1-4 USD
And why don't you just trim your armpit hair, lmao.
Trimming my armpit hair is waaay too much work, haha. I don't shave partially because of lazy, so trimming sort of defeats the purpose for me.
It's like a dollar more than normal deodorant and I feel like it will last less time? Maybe that's not true but that's what I always think when I go to buy it. I'm glad it's not tacky feeling though.
I'd just take some scissors and cut some inches off every once in a while, trust me, it'll probably feel so much better afterwards.
I mean, I have like four different bottles that I use interchangeably, but I've probably been using just these four for the past two years (daily, I live in FL where it's always hot and humid.)
They're between to 3.75-4 oz
Seems pretty long lasting to me haha, and I usually just spray it in the morning.
The only reason I have 4 is because I started off with two, but then like the a couple months after I saw some on sale for like a buck so I grabbed two more haha.
Holy shit. That actually sounds cheaper then. I might have to get some. That lasts a really long time. Thank you~
I tried trimming for a while. I don't like the feeling of hairless armpits and it's too close for me. Feels blah.
Ya, definitely check it out if you're having armpit issues.
I've found I liked some sprays better than others, so watch out for the texture it might leave on your skin.
Like, I bought a really large one that was really cheap, except for it left this powdery feel and smell and I hated that.
The ones I use now are more like perfumey, like I wouldn't even have to put a perfume or body spray on if I didn't want to. I've had people compliment me on it before HAHA, which gets kind of awkward 'cos they ask what you're wearing and you just say "deodorant."
Are you a guy? My husband has long arm pit hair too so he trims it. He told me the reason why one day when I asked wtf he was doing. "Guys stink because they don't get the deodorant on their skin, just in their hair and then it doesn't work." So maybe try trimming it?
its true. it gets all clumped up in the hair, and doesnt get to the skin. trimming down, even if its to half an inch long or so, will still be an improvement.
I'm a woman. I'm really not into trimming it. I'll probably try the spray on and see how it goes. My current stuff seems to be working for me, it's just clumpy. My friend rubs hers in but to be honest I forget to try that every morning. If those don't work I'll probably trim it.
i heard that clay is a good sub for BS. ive got some enroute right now, and i was planning on making some when it gets here. :) I found a recipe that uses shay butter, coconut oil, beeswax, EO's and clay. shes got some good stuff in there.
those who already make their own, what type of container do you use?
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