Deodorant

[Bettacreek]

In further research since my last post, someone had mentioned using 10% salt (any kind of salt) in their water base when making a lotion. I guess it worked for them. This is why I don't get stuff done very quickly... I like to continue my research for about half of my life before jumping in. :/

 

[Laureli]

THis is a cut and paste from THE KRAZY COUPON LADY:

It will take me a month of Sundays to gather all the ingredients. But I want to stop buying as much as I can at the grocery and drug store.

Deodorant is the one toiletry most of us would never go without. I mean, there are occasions when Im sure I could make do. Say, for example, I was on holiday hiking in a South American rain forest and was kidnapped by rebels. I wouldnt poke the rebel leader on the shoulder and tell him I needed to stop at a convenience store for some pit stick.
Sweaty rebellious jungle hypotheticals aside, deodorant is just plain necessary! Nobody likes body odor, even in a rain forest.
These days, commercial deodorant brands work well to stop odor and sweat. But they also contain aluminum and parabens. Now, there is no scientific link between deodorant use and disease. But I like to stay on the safe side of things and out of the jungle. Aluminum has been linked to Alzheimers disease. Parabens mimic the hormone estrogen and have been implicated in certain cancers.
All-natural deodorants, like Toms of Maine, are free of aluminum and parabens. Still, dont confuse that free with inexpensive. At Target, that brand runs $5 or $6. Or you could pick up a 2.5 oz. stick on Amazon.com for just under $5.00. Thats still $2.14 an oz. I learned to stay natural and cheap by making my own deodorant at home. Trust me, it is a lot less daunting then running into FARC rebels in the Colombian backcountry.
You need:
Beeswax: Maintains the deodorant in solid form and prevents it from melting. A 1 pound bag of beeswax pellets is $13.70 on Amazon.com. Thats $0.86 cents per oz.
Coconut oil: A binding and anti-bacterial agent. A large 54-oz. jar of coconut oil is $21 on Amazon, which works out to $0.39 cents per oz.
Corn starch: Acts as an antiperspirant. Pick up a 16 oz. box for $0.88 cents at Walmart. Thats just $0.05 cents an oz.
Baking soda: Fights odor. A 1 pound box of Arm & Hammer is just $0.68 cents at Walmart. Thats $0.04 cents an oz.
Tea tree oil: An antibacterial agent that adds a pleasant smell to the deodorant. You can purchase tea tree oil for as little as $3.25 per ounce.
Essential oil (optional): Prices range from $1 $20 per oz.
A one-quart saucepan.
Mixing spoon or whisk.
Two empty deodorant containers (re-use commercial containers. Wash and turn dials down.)
The Recipe
2 tablespoons beeswax ($0.88 cents)
4 tablespoons coconut oil ($0.80 cents)
6-7 tablespoons cornstarch ($0.15 cents)
2 tablespoons baking soda ($0.10 cents)
30 drops tea tree oil (roughly 1/4 teaspoon or $0.14 cents)
15 drops essential oil (roughly 1/8 teaspoon or $0.21 cents on average)
The Steps
Melt the beeswax in the saucepan over low heat. Add the coconut oil and mix together until the liquid is uniform.
Turn the heat off and add the remaining ingredients to the saucepan. Mix with a spoon or whisk until completely dissolved. You should have a very thick syrup by the end.
Keep whisking the syrup so it doesnt harden in the saucepan.
Pour the syrup into the empty deodorant containers until their top levels are filled. Let the deodorants cool either on the counter or in the refrigerator.

This recipe makes two deodorant sticks at a per stick cost of $1.14 or $.51 cents per oz.
Your body will need about a week to adjust to homemade deodorant. Initially, you may feel sticky after using all-natural deodorant. That will ease over time.
If you prefer a harder deodorant, try replacing half the coconut oil with Shea butter, available for about $9 a pound ($.055 an ounce) on Amazon.com.

 

[LilacSpring]

I almost wet myself, I laughed so hard while reading your response.

I'm not sure what the pit detox thing is either. I was reading one, and it says to scrub your pits with a natural bristle brush once a day for three days and to massage your lymph nodes. (wth?). Then it says you may experience itching. And that it's your body's reaction to getting rid of the toxins. Um... try not scraping the skin away with a brush???

I can see not using chemicals on your skin, but yikes.

 

[luvinlife offthegrid]

Glad it was amusing. I think it's fine to exfoliate, but reading the comments on that one site... Lets just say that it seemed like some folks were a bit to vigorous with the brush.

 

[txcanoegirl]

I like finding ways of making my own stuff, but continue doing it ONLY if my homemade product meets or exceeds the quality or effectiveness of the store-bought stuff. I don't have any experience with the homemade deodorant, so can't comment on the above recipes, but I find Dove very effective for me, and I'm a sweater. Not the fuzzy type, but the other kind. Anyway, I was in the warehouse store the other day and saw that a multi-pack of Dove was a darned good buy, so I bought it. When I got home and started putting my purchases away, I discovered how many Dove deodorant sticks I already had on the shelf. Okay, now I've determined that I probably don't need to buy more for the rest of my life, hence the idea of making my own deodorant from scratch a moot point.

 

[Denim Deb]

I don't buy a lot since I don't use it a lot. So, making my own also isn't something I need to worry about.

 

[Hinotori]

I've taken to using a chunk of Himalayan salt. I react badly to almost all deodorants. Blisters and rash. The salt works well for me and I don't smell.

 

[me&thegals]

I use a recipe nearly identical to Laureli's, and love it!! I biked in my basement 1 hour this winter, didn't shower, put it on and went to church. Smelled great--no odor at all. I haven't had a summer yet to test it out, but nothing can stand up to summer work and sweat.

Be sure to melt beeswax thoroughly and blend the powders VERY thoroughly. I didn't and ended up with bad scratches in my armpits. I've learned to melt well, then stickblend well, and it's great for texture. Just sold 16 for $6 each (3+ oz) at a garden expo this past week. Wish I'd made more, as that was all I had.

 

[Pk leghaei]

Deodorants is sole product it does not use aluminum in their formulations therefore consumers can use deodorants without having any worry about the toxic effect of aluminum in an antiperspirant. Those who are especially health-conscious can choose to use any natural deodorants made of therapeutic-grade essential oils. These types of products can greatly reduce the appearance of allergies or adverse reactions that can occur from the use of deodorants made with synthetic ingredients like those used to give the product fragrance.
better4u.co.uk

 

[Emerald]

I've taken to using a chunk of Himalayan salt. I react badly to almost all deodorants. Blisters and rash. The salt works well for me and I don't smell.

I just got a big old Himalayan salt lamp. I now know what to do in pit stick emergency! lol thanks..