It is summertime which means that it is time to sweat. Most of us are probably reaching for our deodorants and antiperspirants to keep that stinky smell of sweat at bay. But how many of you know what is in your deodorant and how it affects your body and health.
There are bacteria all over your body and the ones in your armpits love the taste of sweat. This means that whenever you sweat, the bacteria in your pits have their own personal buffet table. The body odor associated with sweat is released by these bacteria. Deodorant kills good bacteria. Antiperspirants block the pores on your skin, preventing the sweat from breaking the surface. This blocks the bacteria’s food source thereby killing them off.
All this sounds great on the surface, but this is not magic! Most popular deodorants and antiperspirants use chemicals to achieve the claims they make. However, these chemicals come with some undesirable results such as:
- Removal of good bacteria
- Can make you smell worse over time
- Toxins moving into the skin
- Skin ailments like Intertrigo or Candidiasis
Instead, one of the best ways to keep yourself smelling clean while going chemical-free is by using a natural deodorant! Given below is an easy recipe for making your own chemical-free deodorant. This recipe uses easy to locate ingredients and will only take ten minutes of your time!
Related Article: The Best Environmentally Friendly Deodorants for Men
Ingredients:
- ½ cup Baking Soda
- ½ cup Arrowroot Powder or Cornstarch
- 5 tbsp Unrefined Coconut Oil
- 15-20 drops of your favorite essential oil
Appliances:
- Glass Bowl
- Spatula
- Saucepan
- Jar for Storage
Directions:
- Melt your coconut oil! There are two ways to do this.
- Transfer the coconut oil into a microwave-safe bowl and microwave it until melted.
- Transfer the coconut oil into a glass bowl. Place the bowl inside your saucepan and fill the saucepan with enough water to surround the bowl.
- After the coconut oil has melted, remove the bowl. Add the remaining ingredients.
- Transfer the mixture into your storage jar and let it cool at room temperature until the mixture is solid.
- Keep the jar covered until use.
How to Use:
Using your fingers or a popsicle stick, scoop out a pea-sized amount and warm it up with your fingers. Apply directly to underarms.
If you live in a cooler climate, you can store the jar in the shower so that the heat from the shower can soften the deodorant.
Spice it up!
- Instead of 5 tbsp, use 3 tbsp coconut oil and 2 tbsp shea butter
- Add some CBD (Cannabidiol)
- Add 1-3 drops of tea tree oil
- Look into essential oils with antimicrobial properties, such as grapefruit oil.
Hopefully, this easy recipe will help you in making the switch to natural deodorant. If things do not work out as listed, play around with the recipe to see what works for you!