Homemade natural deodorants - with shea butter

Why natural deodorant?

With a balanced healthy diet and a sufficient drinking regime, we can influence many things in our body, including how strongly we feel. In some cases, however, it needs a little more help. Sure, regular antiperspirants are great. Until we realize what's in them. Through the skin in the armpits, aluminum and other bad substances enter the body through deodorants. And we don't want that.

So what should we do?

Either sweat and "smell" badly, or settle for unhealthy aluminum? Isn't that another option here?

Fortunately, yes! A deodorant made from natural ingredients that you can create yourself at home. The production will take a little more time than running to the drugstore, but the homemade product will last much longer and is much healthier!

Some people even rely on pure coconut oil or baking soda instead of deodorant. If you don't want to go into production, maybe try this simple option. But baking soda itself can be irritating for some and sometimes cause a rash, so always test on a small piece of skin before the first "proper" use. And if you don't like this option either, take a look at the offer of ready-made natural deodorants, you will definitely choose!

Underarm Detox

Sorry? Yes, if you have been used to using conventional deodorants, before using the natural ones, it is advisable to clean your armpits and remove deposits of bad substances from antiperspirants. This will incredibly speed up getting used to the natural deodorant and will increase its effectiveness many times over.

How to do it?

Mix a tablespoon of bentonite (read more about it in the miracle clays article) with a teaspoon of apple cider vinegar and a teaspoon or two of water and make a paste. Apply this in a thin layer to the armpits and leave it on for 5-20 minutes. If you are doing a detox for the first time, start with 5 minutes and gradually increase the time. It is possible that the armpits will turn a little red, do not panic, after a while the redness will subside. However, if the mixture causes pain on your skin, wash it off immediately. After the time has passed, rinse the clay in the shower or simply wipe it with a damp cloth. Do this for as long as it takes (as long as the natural deodorant causes you discomfort), at first two to three times a week, then every day.

Essential oils (and other substances) suitable for deodorant

Essential oils not only replace synthetic fragrances and keep you fresh and fragrant throughout the day, but also have an antibacterial effect.

Not all types of essential oils are suitable when making deodorant, avoid cinnamon, oregano or clove here. On the contrary, it is excellent to use:

- Evergreen cypress: strengthens immunity, has an antiseptic effect, constricts blood vessels (locally) and is widely used for problems with excessive sweating, perfectly complements geranium, sage and lavender

- Sage: antifungal, antiperspirant, lowers blood pressure, harmonizes, improves mood, calms

- Bergamot: soothing, has excellent cleansing properties, fresh, fruity, antibacterial

- Palmarosa: antibacterial, antiseptic, antifungal, soothes, tones, refreshes, natural deodorant, optimizes the functions of the sebaceous glands

- Lavender: has an antiseptic effect, regenerates skin cells, relieves muscle tension after exercise, soothes, natural deodorant

- Camphor: antibacterial, antiseptic, harmonizes, strengthens, relieves pain, perfuses the skin, deodorant

- Tea tree: antibacterial, antiviral, antifungal, stimulating, refreshing

- Bisabolol: an active substance found in several plants, including chamomile, is strong, soothing and healing, highly effective even at low doses, suitable for irritated skin, anti-inflammatory, antifungal and antibacterial

- Grapefruit seed extract: antibacterial and antifungal spectrum, prevents the development of bacteria, yeast, mold in cosmetics

- Bacti-pur: active deodorant, antibacterial, very well tolerated by the skin, prevents the formation of body odor, regulates the production of sebum

Making homemade deodorant

Because different products suit everyone, we don't have just one recipe for you, but three (more here and here)! For all of them, choose a fragrance and a combination of essential oils according to yourself and your imagination, or leave the deodorant completely fragrance-free. As you wish!

Homemade deodorant with shea butter

- 3 tablespoons of coconut oil

- 3 tablespoons of baking soda

- 2 tablespoons of shea butter

- 2 tablespoons of tapioca ground into a very fine powder or high-quality cornstarch

- Essential oils

Melt the shea butter and coconut oil in a water bath. Remove from the heat, add baking soda and tapioca or cornstarch and mix well. Add essential oils and pour into a glass or other container. If you want a deodorant that actually looks like deodorant, let the mixture cool a bit and then squeeze it into a deodorant container. Deodorant does not need to be stored in the fridge unless it is really warm. So in the summer, shove it somewhere cool. At the same time, it refreshes you beautifully.

Note: Deodorant may take a few hours to set completely (soda is to blame). Don't be afraid at all, everything is fine. If you are in a hurry, put it in the fridge for a few minutes to speed up the hardening.

Something to think about

Less is more

The most important thing! It should be remembered that the composition of a natural deodorant is much more concentrated than that of conventional deodorants, which often contain water and other substances that will reduce their intensity. So use natural ones less.

Let's not overdo it with the amount of essential oils either. A few drops of essential oil is enough. If we overdo it with them, they could be irritating.

If your skin is more sensitive, reduce the amount of baking soda (or omit it altogether) and replace it with tapioca.

Stains on clothes

This point overlaps with the previous one. If your natural deodorant leaves stains on your clothes, you are probably applying more than necessary. Just a little bit is enough. But if you can't remove it anymore and the shirt is still dirty, try leaving the deodorant in the fridge and waiting three or four minutes after applying it before getting dressed.

Rash

Baking soda can be harsh for some and cause a rash. If this is your case, it will be better if you stop using natural deodorant and try to adjust the composition of the product. Halving the baking soda in the recipe may help. It is also possible to omit it completely. It is quite possible that you also react badly to one of the essential oils, test that too. Long-term use of conventional deodorants, which have "contaminated" the armpits with chemicals, also often contributes to rashes. Detox will help with this.

Shaving

Baking soda on irritated skin after shaving may sting a bit, so be sure to wait at least 20 minutes after waxing before applying deodorant.

Have you tried a natural deodorant yet? Or are you just getting ready for it?