Homemade Cucumber Mint Deodorant

I was addicted to antiperspirants. All I wanted was to make sure I didn't have pit stains and I didn't stink. As a dancer, sweating is a fact of life. If your gonna dance, your gonna sweat. But I wanted to do it in a "Lady-Like" fashion and not pit out all of my clothes. Although, there were rumors abound suggesting that store bought deodorants, and especially antiperspirants, caused breast cancer and Alzheimers,  I was not inclined to care. I knew that the research available did not confirm that antiperspirants were the cause of such deadly diseases(Klotz et.al.).  However,  there was enough research that said that over-exposure to heavy metals such as aluminum is toxic and potentially dangerous (ATSDR - Aluminum).

Aside from the heavy metals, there are other irritants such as propylene glycol. Propylene glycol, found in antifreeze, is a synthetic liquid that absorbs water. In most personal care products, it is used as humectant and emulsifier (McCay et.al.) Frequent exposure to this substance may cause skin irritation, especially in people with sensitive skin (ATSDR - Propylene Glycol). Other ingredients in store bought deodorants and antiperspirants include: parabens, fragrance, and emollient oil - sometimes derived from petroleum (Moniger), all which may be irritating to the skin and potentially toxic to the body.

As I moved along my journey to better health and wellbeing, I began to question my need to NOT SWEAT, since sweating is the  cooling mechanism our body does naturally and is a way to eliminate toxins (Mercola). I began to ditch the products that could potentially have a negative effect on my body.  I went on a quest for a natural -  toxin free deodorant. I probably tried 20 brands that left me feeling sweaty, stinky and gross. Each time I tried one and it didn't work, I went screaming back to my antiperspirant like a junkie.

Cruising the WEB, an advertisement popped up for Native Deodorant a cruelty free, toxin free deodorant that has fewer ingredients than most natural deodorants on the market. This was exactly what I was looking for! But... like everything good for you, it was quite pricey. The average price for a shipment of deodorant was $12.00 per two pack directly from Native. And to buy it from another retailer, it sells for $12.00 a piece.  I did buy a two pack of the Cucumber Mint and fell in love with it. It went on smooth and was non-irritating. It was light and had a lovely fresh spring cucumber aroma. It kept me smelling fresh all day. But, I vowed I would never pay that much for a stick of deodorant again. After studying the ingredients more closely, I realized I could definitely make this myself.

I've read and tried several recipes and have created my own that works better for me than any store bought deodorant and even better than the Native Deodorant that so impressed me. Though, the ingredients came to a whopping $35.00 - I will be able to make 15 tubes of deodorant which comes to $2.33 a tube. If I were to buy 15 tubes of Native Deodorant directly from the manufacturer, it would cost me $90.00 and that does NOT include the shipping. Even better, I can blend my own essential oils which will give every batch it's own unique scent.

Palmen's Homemade Deodorant

This recipe is basic. You need a few ingredients and your choice of essential oil and, I suggest the addition of Tea Tree oil for it's antibacterial properties.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup coconut oil
4 tablespoons beeswax pellets
3 tablespoons shea butter
2 tablespoons aluminum-free baking soda
1/2 cup arrowroot powder
15-20 drops of essential oil (I use a blend: cucumber mint)
10 drops of Tea Tree oil (optional)

Equipment:

A double boiler or a heavy bottomed sauce pan
3-4 deodorant tubes
A wooden spoon for stirring

Directions:

1. Melt first three ingredients in the double boiler stirring constantly.
2. When it is melted, take it off the heat and mix in the baking soda and arrowroot powder.
3. Add your essential and (optional) Tea Tree oil stirring vigorously and quickly. The mix will start to thicken rapidly.
4. Carefully pour the mixture into the deodorant tubes.
5. Let the deodorant set up for 2-4 hours (until hardened).
6. Put the caps on and use as you normally would any deodorant.

NOTE:" Rebound Body Odor"

I had been using antiperspirant for so long, I had completely forgotten what it felt like to sweat from my armpits. At first it felt like I was sweating more than I ever had in my life and it seemed difficult to control the odor. There is some anecdotal evidence that suggests that something called "rebound body odor" may happen when a person stops using antiperspirant. This occurs when the body is recovering from using the antiperspirants; the sweat glands are unclogging themselves and bacteria forms causing strong odors ("Will Stopping Antiperspirant..."). This happened to me as my body was readjusting and rebalancing the bacteria in my armpits. However, this "rebound" experience, for me, only lasted about two weeks. After that, I did sweat less and the bad odor from my armpits was virtually non existent. As a matter of fact, when I sweat, I smelled my essential oils, not odor producing bacteria. If this happens to you, I urge you to wait it out. The rebound period will end and you will notice little to no odor after a short while.

I hope you try this recipe. Thank you for stopping and reading this blog.

I'd like to grow my readership. If you enjoyed this blog post, add a comment and share it with a friend. 😀 Please visit, subscribe and like my YouTube channel "Beyond Sauerkraut: Let's Make Somethin' " to find more things I've made.

Sources:

Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR). 2008. Toxicological profile for Aluminum. Atlanta, GA: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Public Health Service.

Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR). 1997. Toxicological profile for Propylene Glycol. Atlanta, GA: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Public Health Service.

“Is Sweating Good or Bad for Your Health?” Mercola.com, Mercola.com,

fitness.mercola.com/sites/fitness/archive/2014/01/10/sweating-benefits.aspx.

Katrin Klotz*, Wobbeke Weistenhöfer*, Frauke Neff, Andrea Hartwig, Christoph van Thriel, Hans Drexler Dtsch Arztebl Int. "The Health Effects of Aluminum Exposure" 2017 Sep; 114(39): 653–659. Published online 2017 Sep 29. doi: 10.3238/arztebl.2017.0653

McKay, Tonya, and Tonya McKay Becker. “NaturallyCurly.” Where Curls Come to Life

NaturallyCurly.com, Essence Insider, 5 June 2018,

www.naturallycurly.com/curlreading/curl-products/curlchemist-the-truth-and-fiction-

about-propylene-glycol.

Moninger, Jeannette. “What's in Your Antiperspirant?” WebMD, WebMD, 5 July 2012,

www.webmd.com/skin-problems-and-treatments/features/antiperspirant-ingredients#1.

"Will Stopping an Antiperspirant Cause Bad Rebound Body Odor?". The People's Pharmacy, The Peoples Pharmacy, 5 Sept. 2016, www.peoplespharmacy.com/2016/08/29/will-stopping-an-antiperspirant-cause-bad-rebound-body-odor/.