I recently went on an all-natural deodorant kick, and subsequently purchased TOMS All Natural Deodorant from Trader Joes. It didn’t feel very dry at all, so I also bought a homemade version from a Yoga studio, but the lemongrass scent was so over powerful that I couldn’t stand to wear it after a few weeks. Then my friend Michelle told me she had a fabulous recipe for it, and let me tell you….it works! Keep reading for the recipe and to see how it went…

I still sweat a little when I wear it, but it has worked for me better than the previous two all-natural deodorants.

Michelle can take it from here:

(Michelle) I am normally not a crafty person, but I do get the occasional itch to try and make something new. I mostly blame Pinterest for making things look so easy! I recently had a binge watching weekend of documentaries with my boyfriend, who randomly picked the Netflix series “Cooked,” and “Forks over Knives.” It was all so insightful and made me really think about what I am putting into my body. This also made me think about what goes into products we buy vs. making them ourselves.

A few weeks later my coworker told me she recently made her own deodorant, and that “it really works!” Intrigued, I went home and looked at my Secret deodorant – the active ingredient is 19% Aluminum Zirconium trichlorohydrex gly, so I did some research.

Based on foodmatters.com here are some facts about Aluminum:

• We are continually exposed to aluminum due to its many uses
• Humans absorb aluminum through the skin; applying aluminum to the skin is a very effective way to get aluminum in your system, and in your brain
• Aluminum as a Neurotoxin: linked to Alzheimer and other neurological diseases
• Post-mortem analysis of Alzheimer’s infected brains has shown increased levels of aluminum compared to people that did not die from Alzheimer’s
• Short term symptoms of aluminum toxicity include memory loss, learning difficulty, loss of coordination, disorientation, mental confusion, colic, heartburn, flatulence, and headaches
• The majority of breast cancers occur in the part of the breast that is the closest to the armpit called the upper outer quadrant (UOQ), where we apply antiperspirants and deodorants
• The proportion of breast cancer in the UOQ has been rising steadily with the increased use of antiperspirants and deodorants

Yikes! So I finally decided to give a natural deodorant a try. I brought all the stuff to my lovely and crafty friend Hanalei’s house.

We made this deodorant using 3 simple ingredients:

• 6 tablespoons Coconut Oil
• ¼ cup baking soda
• ¼ cup cornstarch
• Optional– essential oils (recommended if you don’t like coconut scent)

Directions:

1. Mix the baking soda and cornstarch together in a medium sized bowl.
2. Mash in coconut oil with a fork until well mixed.
3. (Optional) Add essential oils (we didn’t add any).
4. Store in small glass jar or old deodorant container for easy use (caution: coconut oil melts easily, so be careful when storing in old deodorant container).

(Hanalei) We’ve used it now for a week. Between workouts, and just everyday use (of both us and a few guys too), it has held up well for us. The drawback of putting it in a glass jar is that you have to get your fingers icky, but it washes off easily. Thanks for sharing the recipe Michelle!