Never let them smell your sweat! The Truth about Deodorants

I'm sick of buying natural deodorants that just don't work!

My medicine cabinet is full of partially used natural deodorants.  They sit along side a number partially used conventional deodorants brands as well.

Expensive as it has been, ALL now sit abandoned because NONE of them seem to work anymore.

Because I want to be as healthy as I can, I've attempted to convert to all natural deodorants on many occasions.  I’ve tried everything – sticks, sprays, roll-on liquid, made by countless different brands. But in a few days I would encounter some unwanted odor and would revert back to the commercial brand.  

Using commercial deodorant worries me because I know that I am putting myself at risk as they always contain aluminum which is said to contribute to Alzheimer’s disease (not to mention the host of other toxic chemicals included in conventional antiperspirants). Tom's of Maine (a respected natural peoducts brand for tooth paste and deodorants has ok'd using aluminum in their deodorants.  (Removing the aluminum also takes away the ability for it to fight odor causing bacteria)

Here’s another problem -- Antiperspirants plug up your sweat glands which is harmful to your body. Our body was designed to perspire to cool us down and eliminate toxins.

But we still need deodorant right?

So for some time now (especially since I started realizing the wonders of coconut oil) I’ve been planning to make my own deodorant, but also wondering if it would just be another ineffective natural deodorant that wouldn’t keep smell or wetness at bay.

The other day I decided to go for it.  I had already done some online research and knew that the recipe was pretty simple.

So I whipped up a batch....Easy Breezy

A simple natural deodorant (for men & women) that will help you steer clear of cancer-causing ingredients while keeping you fresh and dry all day.

lasts about 3 months for 2 people 

Make it your own:

Since people have different preferences for consistency, scent etc -  it might be advisable to start off with a smaller batch. That's what I did. You can also adjust the amount of coconut oil if necessary. For a drier deodorant - add more cornstarch or arrowroot.

Baby Batch

3 tbsp coconut oil

2 tbsp shea butter

3 tbsp baking soda

2 tbsp cornstarch

5 drops essential oil 

For daily use, just roll a little bit into a ball and apply with your fingertips  

Storage Suggestions:

Always cover with a lid. As coconut liquefies at room temperature you can store it in the refrigerator. Also any oil can become rancid at some point, so refrigeration is also a good way to avoid that. Personally, my experience is that I have never encountered rancid oil and like to store mine in the bathroom for ease of use. I have never had a problem with it melting either. 

**Add 5-20 drops of tea tree oil for more odor control. Tea tree is anti-bacterial and paired up with coconut oil makes a nice double kick against odor-causing bacteria. 

Extras:

-- Add 2-3 capsule of probiotics (pull the cap apart and add powder in with dry ingredients). probiotics are organisms such as bacteria or yeast that are believed to improve health.

-- Use cocoa butter or mango butter instead of Shea Butter.

--Use plain coconut oil first and then apply the powders on top with a blush brush

Deodorant detox:

Before I forget - there is one last thing I want you to be aware of.  It happened to me last week.  I was sweating up a storm and I hardly ever sweat! I learned that when you first start using natural deodorant you may sweat quite a lot.  The sweating is a good sign as the natural deodorant is helping the glands "unplug".  It should decrease over time as your body adjusts to being able to sweat naturally.

Now what will I do with all that extra space in my medicine cabinet?  :-)