Why Use Natural Deodorant
Have you seen what is in conventional deodorant? Likely you’ve glanced at the bottom at least once in your life and seen a list of ingredients that appear to be written in a different language. But did you know that many of these ingredients can be incredibly harmful and toxic for your body?

Let’s go through a couple of them:

–aluminum: this is the ingredient that clogs your pores and prevents sweating (more on this below). Aluminum exposure has been linked to Alzheimers as well as to build-up of estrogen in the body which can also be correlated with increased chances of breast and prostate cancer.
–parabens: these ingredients are used as a preservative in deodorants but can also mimic estrogen in your body. This leads to hormonal disruptions and is also linked to breast and prostate cancers.
–phthalates: these chemicals are used to make other ingredients more flexible and are also used as fragrance ingredients. They primarily affect the endocrine system and exposure can lead to early onset puberty as well as breast cancer later in life.
–Triclosan: An antibacterial chemical that can also disrupt the hormone system and is associated with increased chance of breast cancer. It was actually banned by the FDA in hand soaps but for some reason they still allow it in deodorants?!

What You Need to Make DIY Deodorant:
Unrefined coconut oil – Coconut oil contains fatty acids, like lauric acid, which are known for their antibacterial benefits. It can help reduce the bacteria in these moist areas, leaving you refreshed and smelling clean.
Unrefined shea butter
– Also super antibacterial and non-comedogenic so it won’t clog your pours.
Arrowroot powder/flour – A highly absorbent powder to help wick up extra sweat. Effectively acts as an antiperspirant. You can replace with tapioca starch if that’s all you can find.
Baking soda
-super effective at fighting body odor and also soaks up sweat.
Lavender essential oil
– this is primarily for scent so you can replace with a different essential oil if you prefer.
Grapefruit essential oil
– same as lavender in that you can replace with a different essential oil if you prefer a different scent
Tea tree essential oil
(optional)* – tea tree is antibacterial and a super effective odor-buster.
STEP 1: Place coconut oil and shea butter in a glass bowl or jar and place the bowl/jar inside a medium sauce pan to create a double boiler. Add water to the saucepan (enough to surround bowl/jar but not to overflow it) and bring to a boil. As water is heating up, stir coconut oil and shea butter and continue to do so until it melts.
STEP 2: Once melted, add in arrowroot starch, baking soda and essential oils.
STEP 3: Place in a 3 ounce jar and allow to cool at room temp or in fridge (will harden faster in fridge) until it’s reached a solid state. Cover with lid until use.