You're in luck. It’s perfectly possible to whip up a homemade deodorant. Going down this route means that you: a) know exactly what’s in your deodorant and b) it’s not going to contain any synthetic chemicals.

What do we mean by ‘natural deodorant?’

It’s as the name suggests. Natural deodorants are an alternative to ‘normal’ deodorants AKA antiperspirants. Unlike antiperspirants, they don’t contain any synthetic ingredients. They work their magic by neutralising sweat rather than preventing our pits from perspiring in the first place.¹

How to make natural deodorant

So now that we’ve covered the basics, let’s crack on with what you’re really here for, some recipes to make your very own natural homemade deodorant:

Homemade deodorant recipe #1:

Ingredients:²

2.5 tbsp of unrefined coconut oil
2.5 tbsp of unrefined shea butter
Quarter of a cup of arrowroot starch/flour
1.5 tbsp of baking soda
6 drops of lavender essential oil
6 drops of grapefruit essential oil
1 drop of tea tree oil (if you like)

How to make it:

Put the coconut oil and shea butter in a glass bowl or jar and place the bowl/jar inside a saucepan.
Add water to the saucepan (enough to surround bowl/jar, but not overflow it) and bring to the boil.
Stir the coconut oil and shea butter until it melts.
Then add in the arrowroot starch, baking soda and essential oils.
Pour the mixture into a jar and allow to cool (you can put it in the fridge if you like).
Make sure your jar has a lid on it so that you can keep it covered.

How to use it: Slightly wet your underarms, which will make applying your deodorant a bit easier.

Homemade deodorant recipe #2 (powder for men):

Ingredients:³

1 cup of baking soda
Several drops of sandalwood, tea tree, peppermint or lemon essential oil
10 to 20 grains of rice

How to make it:

Push the baking soda through a strainer into a glass bowl, making sure it contains no lumps.
Add several drops of your choice of essential oils to the baking soda.
Stir the mixture. If it’s really lumpy, push it back through the strainer.
Add the rice – it’ll keep the mixture lump-free and dry.
Put the mixture into a container with a fine mesh lid.

How to use it: Shake some of the product out of the mesh lid into your hand and the rub it under your armpits.

Homemade deodorant recipe #3 (spray for women):

Ingredients:⁴

2 tbsp vodka (the higher the proof the better)
2 tbsp distilled water
2 drops rose absolute oil
2 drops jasmine essential oil
2 drops sweet orange essential oil
1 drop lavender essential oil

How to make it:

Combine all of the ingredients in a small, dark coloured bottle.
Then give it a good shake to mix them altogether.

How to use it: Shake well before each use. Give each underarm 2 to 3 spritzes and let them air dry. Reapply as little or as much as you like!

There you have it, three DIY deodorant recipes to get you started with making your own homemade deodorant. Don’t be afraid to experiment with the ingredients, especially by incorporating your favourite essential oils.

Always patch test when using new products/ingredients and especially when using essential oils.

Want to invest in a natural deodorant, but haven’t got the time to make it? We’ve listed 6 of the best in this article.

Last updated: 9 September 2020