It’s been over a year since I posted the baby steps I used to move from traditional antiperspirant to an actual homemade deodorant. Many of you have taken the plunge as well (if you haven’t, winter is a great time to start something like this!) and I wanted to update you on what I’ve learned since then. The recipe and instructions for making the deodorant are here. 
Yes, It Can Stain Clothing
Some readers asked in the comments at that original post about the possibility of the coconut oil staining clothing, and at the time I assured people that I hadn’t had that experience. Unfortunately, since then, I’ve discovered that on tighter fitting shirts, bold colors, and silky materials (like perhaps a red dress shirt you might wear at Christmastime), there’s a definite risk of an oil stain.
Oil stains on clothes are my absolute number one laundry nemesis. Somehow our family is constantly getting little (or large) grease spots on our shirts. It’s so bad that this week I put on a new, solid-colored shirt and at breakfast joked that we should lay odds on how long it would take me to get a grease spot on the shirt. I was as careful as could be, but by the end of the meal there were four little spots on my belly. Aughhhhhhhh!
So often I don’t catch them to pretreat at all until the shirt has already been through the wash, and then it’s nearly a hopeless cause. It doesn’t help that my favorite color scheme seems to be solid and bold. Please excuse my ranting – surely I am digressing from the point – but I want to make it clear that these oil stains on the armpits are no small matter to me.
It hasn’t been enough to get me to stop using the homemade deodorant, but sometimes I question it! I have two methods of attack, one preventive and one combative.
- It helps to try to let the deodorant sink into your skin. When I remember, I try to put it on right away after getting out of the shower, then put my shirt on last to give the oil as much time as I can. Of course, this doesn’t help on the “every other” shower days or when I forget to do it.
- I try to be on top of the stains. If I wear a shirt that is a likely culprit, I check the pits before tossing in the hamper. I find that a good dishwashing soap (also Shaklee H2) and hot water cut the grease, so I’ll scrub the problem area and hang to dry before laundering. It’s not perfect, but it works most of the time.
The reason I don’t give up on this deodorant is that I know commercial antiperspirants will stain my clothes, too. The homemade stuff attacks mostly darks, the commercial, aluminum-laden stuff gets the whites. Nobody wins!
Crystal Deodorants
A lot of people looking for a natural alternative to antiperspirants turn to a crystal deodorant, often sold at health food stores but becoming more mainstream. I never tried it, but it’s often recommended.
I’ve learned recently that you have to be careful even there: many crystals include aluminum as well. It doesn’t do much good to stop wearing antiperspirant so you’re not exposed to as much aluminum and then purchase a new product with a different kind of aluminum in it. Check the ingredients for anything with “alum” in it.
You Can Smell Good
A fun option that I didn’t try right at first is mixing a few drops of any essential oil into your deodorant mixture. I’ve used jasmine, and my husband likes that I smell more feminine (especially since my “shampoo” doesn’t smell so sweet anymore).
Other Options
Helpful folks have shared alternatives to this recipe, which is handy in a pinch or if you’re allergic to one of the ingredients:
- Dab rubbing alcohol on your ‘pits (warning: see comments for a note about alcohol!)
- Just coconut oil works for some
- Rub in a squirt of aloe vera gel and allow to dry
- Some omit the baking soda (it can cause a rash)
- Some find a “better” brand of baking soda
- Some omit the cornstarch
- Some use arrowroot starch instead of the cornstarch
- Many find it important to have a well-sourced coconut oil, like that sold at Provident Essentials and Green Pasture, two of KS’s sponsors this month.
- When I didn’t want my deodorant to melt all over my bag in the summer and didn’t have access to a fridge, I tried my MadeOn lotion bar – I figured with coconut oil in it, it had to be better than nothing. It was! In a pinch, the lotion bar did a decent job, and paired with a dabbing of baking soda it was just about right.
Other Natural Deodorants I’ve Tried: A Comparison
After I posted on the homemade deodorant recipe, I was contacted by Herbalix Restoratives about their line of deodorants that are all-natural and even include a detox deodorant, to be used at night for the first 30 days to cleanse your body of toxins and make it so that you don’t have as much body odor to combat after that.
I’ve been impressed with the company and their commitment to sourcing quality ingredients, avoiding chemicals, doing their research and talking to consumers. However, I’ve put off writing this update because I hate saying bad things.
The nighttime detox deodorant, as it promised it would, truly made my armpits stink. I can’t even tell you what a new magnitude of stench came from my body. It was hard to believe. 
Now this is exactly what the deodorant was supposed to do – get out the toxins, which will stink. I just couldn’t stick with it. I would forget, I would skip the part about rinsing my ‘pits before applying (or was it in the morning to get rid of the stink? I can’t even remember…), and I hated that the stench would carry with me throughout the day since I don’t typically shower daily.
Their daytime deodorant, geranium scented, made me smell like an old lady with BO. The tropical scented smelled better, in my opinion, but it still couldn’t cover the body odor, and I kept coming back to the fact that with my homemade deodorant, I had been getting much better results.
I’m sure I didn’t complete the full 30 days of detoxing, so this isn’t really a fair review. I’m just a wimp! It’s one of the reasons I don’t use supplements to detox and took so long to get around to trying Green Pasture’s fermented cod liver oil (and have since fallen off the boat, ahem).
I can’t say I enjoyed trying the Herbalix products. I hate to do it, but it’s the truth (and what my dear readers deserve and expect!).
However, here’s what the company claims the nighttime detox can do, that I have no way of commenting on one way or the other:
If that sounds like something you’re looking for, and you’re ready to be stinky or wash your ‘pits every morning, you might be interested in giving Herbalix a go. The ingredients are solidly in the “natural” category – I can pronounce everything and recognize all the parts as plant-based. It goes on fine and doesn’t melt in the summer (one reason I was so excited to try it out!).
I also got a Miessence gift certificate in a blog giveaway, and I decided to try their deodorant (again seeking a non-melting stick for summer travels). I was totally nonplussed and walked around many days thinking, “Mine is better.” To their credit, I did order a scent that ended up being sort of manly, which didn’t help! The ingredients are ultra-pure and very safe, but it just didn’t work and was very pricey.
Note: I initially found my homemade deodorant concoction at Passionate Homemaking, and Lindsay has also published a fabulous update with the most common FAQs (her post has hundreds of comments!).
So…What’s your stink fighter these days?
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Disclosure: Herbalix sent me samples for my review but in no way paid for my opinion or is affiliated with me in any way. Miessence now wishes I hadn’t won that giveaway, but I’m an honest cat. I am an affiliate of MadeOn, but only because they’re awesome. The coconut oil distributors were chosen because they are my site sponsors this month – see the sidebar. There are many high-quality options for coconut oil. See my full disclosure statement here.
I switched almost 4 months ago (http://goo.gl/GKIn2), and haven’t found a stain problem at all. I don’t tend to wear tight fitting clothes, so that might help, and perhaps the walk back from the kitchen helps to ‘dry me out’, too LOL. That’s the one thing I don’t like about it. I can’t store it in my room because the temps aren’t cool enough most of the year to store it elsewhere.
And watch out for the crystals….it can cause some nasty breakouts if you’re overly sensitive to them. I didn’t even bother researching the one I used, but it was the most painful couple of days while my pits recovered from the reaction
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I’m wearing Tom’s of Maine natural one day then the next I do the crystal thing. I had never heard that a crystal deodorant can contain aluminum. I’m going to have to do some research.
I will tell you this…that person that smells in the gym? That’s me! Neither deodorant works there!!! So, I just smell, and I’ve come to terms with it.
Thank you for being so honest in your review. That rocks!
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Ginevera Reply:
August 26th, 2011 at 1:19 pm
really? I use the updated homemade deodorant and I don’t stink while working out. you might use arrowroot instead of cornstarch for sensitive pits though. and you should re-apply after workouts.
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I thought alum itself is not aluminum and is OK. I have been using a crystal I like pretty well and my husbands has some alum in it, too I think. In fact, that’s what most “healthy” deodorants rely on is alum, from what I hear. Can you shed more light?
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Katie Reply:
January 6th, 2011 at 4:31 pm
Kristin,
I’m so sorry that I don’t have any sources on this. It was something I read somewhere in the last month or two as I was planning to write this update, so I just paraphrased it into my file. I do believe that the word “alum” was a part of a longer chemical, not just the “alum” like pickling salt. ???
I know Dr. Mercola wrote something on it in February of last year, actually, so you might check out his site. I hate reading stuff over there because he makes you sign up for his newsletter now just to see anything – phooey on that! Hope that helps – Katie
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I have not tried this myself, but wanted to give a suggestion to avoid staining by using fractionated coconut oil. It is a liquid though and therefore I believe you could use beeswax or candelilla wax to make it solid.
As far as using a natural deodorant I have tried Alvera(Almond) and it’s nice in the winter. In the summer, I continue to use an anti-perspirant after I did research on natural vs unnatural.
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A friend recommended this stain remover by Ecover. http://www.ecover.com/us/en/Products/Laundry/Stain+Remover.htm I haven’t personally tried it because — as sweaty as I am (and I’m Italian) — I haven’t had any oil stains. Yet.
3 months in using my homemade deod and very pleased. Even keeps up with my exercise, which anti-persp couldn’t do.
By the way, Ecover discloses all their ingredients and provides and MSDS sheet on their website (and it’s actually easy to find!).
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I think it was this past summer I tried Lindsay’s recipe. My husband uses it daily, and noted right away that he no longer had any stink! I put it in a baby food jar and we use our fingers to apply. I had tried refilling an old deoderant stick, but being summer time it melted too much and my husband did not like it in the refrigerator. I probably don’t put as much coconut oil in to keep it thicker.
I haven’t noticed any oil stains, but I don’t pay much attention to his clothes as they have grease and other stains anyways and I don’t use the deoderant regularly. I should watch for it on our good clothes though!
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I haven’t used traditional antiperspirant in… a little under a year? I used the regular recipe for months and it was great, until I started getting a horrible rash. It just appeared randomly. Luckly, it appeared when I wasn’t working as much, so I was free to let my pits air out and stink up my house. As it healed, I used rubbing alcohol to keep the germs at bay and then straight Coconut Oil. It worked wonderfully! Now, without the rash, I use straight up Coconut Oil. It usually works just fine, although sometimes, mixed with my BO it gives off a weird onioney smell. If anyone notices, I just blame cooking
Oh, and I never noticed oil stains from this, but to treat other oil stains I just dab straight dish soap (I still use traditional blue Dawn) on it and let it sit until I am doing that type of laundry. Works like a charm.
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I tried your recipe for a while. It was great for odor, but stung after I had shaved!! I had to stop using it! Any ideas on how to avoid this??
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Katie Reply:
January 6th, 2011 at 4:27 pm
Nicole,
Katie
Try different variations on the kinds and/or amounts of baking soda and starch often makes a difference for many people. Some other commenters talked of this too –
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Darcy@Somewhatmuddledmusings Reply:
January 6th, 2011 at 4:29 pm
Also try giving your underarms some time to recover from shaving. 10-15 min time to dry and recover might help with the sting.
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I do use the crystal roll-on. It has alum in it, but when I looked it up on Skin Deep it was listed as “0″ overall and with that ingredient as a “1.” That’s a level I’m willing to live with for ease!
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I thought, too, that the aluminum in crystal deodorants was often a non-issue because it’s a different form of aluminum and too “large” to be absorbed the way aluminum zirconium tetrachlorohydrex gly (the stuff in commercial deodorant) is. It’s been a pretty long time since I’ve looked into it, so don’t quote me on that, but it might be an additional factor to look into.
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Both cornstarch and baking soda give me a rash (darned red hair.) I’ve switched to coconut oil in the evening after my shower, followed by lavender essential oil mixed with water in the morning before getting dressed.
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I use geranium & lime “pit putty” from bubbleandbee.com.
http://www.bubbleandbee.com/servlet/the-Organic-Deodorants/Categories
I guess I should try making my own sometime though so that I can save money. It’s just that I like an excuse to order their yummy-smelling body butters
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Another option that I’ve heard of is to take the baking powder and cornstarch (or arrowroot), mix, put it in a sock, and use it as a puff/poof for application. This means no coconut oil at all! Haven’t tried it myself but it would also significantly cut the cost of the deodorant as well as make a temperature resistant type… maybe a good last resort?
Also, I had the burning issue and found that if I increased the coconut oil to baking soda/cornstarch ratio it helped immensely. Also waiting just a bit isn’t a bad idea (if I shower at night sometimes I wait until morning…).
Hope this helps some of you!
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Mary Reply:
January 9th, 2011 at 7:45 pm
Great idea to put it into a sock. I sprinkle some on a dry washcloth (dedicated for this job) and gently pat the pits. Compared to a “natural” deodorant I purchased at the store, the baking soda/cornstarch combo keeps the odor WAY down and much less objectionable after a long time. No worry about oil stains, just white dust that brushes off easily!
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I’m so glad you brought this up! I tried this a couple years ago and was totally dismayed by the staining, but it seemed like no one else had that problem. Now I use liquid roll-ons to eliminate that problem – Aubrey or Terressentials, or one I make myself. Alcohol is a good idea (often the basis of truly natural roll-ons) but PLEASE do not use rubbing alcohol! It has been denatured with a toxin (thus making you sick if you drink it, and therefor legal to sell without a liquor license) and that toxin is even more poisonous then it would be on it’s own because the alcohol allows it to penetrate through the skin. A cheap vodka would be much safer!
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Katie Reply:
January 6th, 2011 at 4:24 pm
Heather, Wow, so much I don’t know! I’ll mention that in the post! Thanks – Katie
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Cherish Reply:
January 13th, 2011 at 10:22 am
Oh my gosh I had no idea – I used rubbing alcohol as deodorant a couple of years ago, and it worked great. I didn’t know I was still putting harmful stuff in my body.
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I’ve had serious issues with deodorant. It doesn’t matter whether it’s natural or loaded with antiperspirants. I have a powerful stink. The longest lasting thing I’ve tried has been the crystal roll-ons. It goes on wet so I have to let it dry before getting dressed or my clothes will wipe it away. It doesn’t stain though and works most of the time. I keep a stick of Tom’s in my purse just in case though.
I’ve seriously considered doing away with deodorant and just freshening up with a washcloth though. One less thing to buy. I don’t think I could tolerate grease spots so making my own seems unlikely.
I thought Alum was a salt, as in the pickling kind full of medicinal uses I keep in my spice rack. ???
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I made this deodorant last week, and so far I love it! I was skeptical about it actually keeping odors at bay, but so far I haven’t had any trouble.
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I almost didn’t go through with using the homemade deodorants. I was using Tom’s of Maine, but it just didn’t last the day no matter the temperature which lead to me to try making my own. The first deodorant I made I used cornstarch and A&H baking soda. I broke out in the nastiest rash and burned my armpits. Once the burn and rash cleared up, I tried again using Arrowroot & (alum free) baking soda with coconut oil. I LOVE my homemade deodorant. I haven’t had any problems with staining to date.
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i like weleda’s spray deos. just got lavanila grapefruit for Christmas and am really liking it – stick, not an overpowering scent. bubble and bee makes some great products – prefer their stick deo. sent my sister their stick deo with baking soda, and it seems to be a hit. we both have a hard time finding natural deo that actually works well.
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oh! soapwalla (find her on etsy.com) makes a great deodorant cream. the down side for me is i really don’t want to touch the deo and rub it in. but it’s been one of the better ones for preventing stink. (and i’ve tried a lot from natural food stores, ordering online, etc.)
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I have used two batches of the homemade deodorant and think the same thing, Katie, when I try other brands. I love Miessence products, as a Rep, but also just couldn’t justify the price versus the effectiveness of the homemade. Right now, I am trying Tom’s, but will probably be switching back to the homemade once again. I like adding Lavender EO to mine, which also helps with bacteria.
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I love these kinds of posts, Katie. I’m with Jackie on using Dawn to pretreat oil stains (or any difficult stain) on clothing. Even if you’ve washed and dried something numerous times, Dawn will still remove the stain. You might have to let it pretreat longer, but it works.
Shirley
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I FINALLY just made this over the holidays. It actually works! I like it, but I’m not sure I’d use it in the summer because I’d forget about it (being in the fridge). I have a Toms of Maine deoderant that I have for times where this homemade one won’t work.
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I guess I am lucky, but I have never had to use deodorant regularly. I found this out after I had my first baby and I wasn’t getting much sleep and I kinda forgot. Well, one day I realized I hadn’t used deodorant in over a month. And I didn’t smell. And I wasn’t taking daily showers. And it was August. I even asked my husband and my best friend and neither one of them could smell anything either. So, maybe people don’t need as much deodorant as we think?
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Lisa Reply:
January 6th, 2011 at 4:28 pm
Becky…I don’t think we need to use as much as we do either. I haven’t gone as long as you, but I’ll put it on about twice a week. That’s usually when I think about it.
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Becky R Reply:
June 12th, 2011 at 8:48 pm
Funny, my name is Becky also and I don’t wear deodorant either. I don’t even shower daily. So far no one has complained (and it has been years.) I do sweat, but guessing my bo is not that bad?
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This works for me….I read this on someones blog sometime last year. You apply coconut oil to your pits, I just use my hands. You can wait a few minutes for it to absorb–or not. Next you apply a powderd mix to your pits. You mix 1/2 cup of arrowroot powder with 2 Tablespoons of baking soda (I use Bob’s Red Mill). This helps absorb the remaining coconut oil if needed. I have not had any staining on my shirts and have been using this for maybe 9 months or so. It works great. Even if your not showering every day….as long as you reapply both the coconut oil and the powder early the next day you will not have any odor. I have not used conventional deodorants since maybe 2002 or so. I never was allergic to conventional deodorants; however, I am allergic to so many natural deoderants. Even if they are ok for a while they will eventually start causing really bad rashes. I tried everything….vinegar, rubbing alcohol, essential oils, straight coconut oil only, baking soda, arrowroot, crystals, and a ton of the natural deoderants sold on the market. If your suffering with rashes this is worth a try!!!!!!!! I guess the arrowroot is enough of a buffer to prevent the baking soda from irritating you, yet you still have enough of the baking soda to totally control the odor
I agree with the use of Dawn for grease stains. It even works for the grease stains you miss and have been through the wash and dried. Sometimes it may take a second pretreat and wash with the dawn. It always get’s the job done. They use dawn to get the oil of of the animals in oil spills.
Does anyone know if there is anything really nasty to worry about in the regular dawn? I hope not, but there probably is.
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Joyce Reply:
January 6th, 2011 at 10:43 pm
Please click on this link and then click on the P&G “bottle” icon to read about their products, including Dawn; http://www.womensvoices.org/our-work/safe-cleaning-products/change-corporate-practices/companies/
I wonder what it is in Dawn that makes it work so well? I “save” it just my really greasy pans because for some reason in our Victorian house, the hot water just trickles out of the tap in our kitchen and it takes forever to wash greasy pans.
You all should check out the above organization–Women’s Voices for the Earth–they are doing an amazing jobs getting all the conventional cleaning product companies to fess up and remove toxins from their cleaning products.
Katie, I really got a good chuckle from this post! It’s weird, but my husband, who is Asian Indian has never worn deodorant and and his natural body odor is so pleasant and masculine–he never has BO–I have no idea why; it’s certainly not his diet, he’s a junk food junkie!
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Katie Reply:
January 7th, 2011 at 11:57 am
Joyce,
Sounds like P&G isn’t doing so hot – even Chlorox has removed more yucky ingredients than them.
I just used undiluted Shaklee Basic H2 on some grease stains that had already gone through the dryer, and it was a success! That’s got to be better than Dawn as Shaklee is a very responsible company.
Katie
Thanks!
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We’ve been making and using Lindsay’s homemade deoderant for about a year now, with a few of minor tweaks: http://livingsimply.weebly.com/1/post/2010/12/natural-homemade-deoderant.html
As for the grease spots, I haven’t noticed any different from regualr commercial deoderants — had the same troubles with them. I have discovered that treating grease spots (underarms or anywhere) with a bit of dish soap (Dawn works the best, I know it’s not natural, but it works better than anything else I’ve tried). Just rub a bit of dish soap into the oil spot and let sit until time to wash. The BEST part is it works on old stains too — the spot is lessened after the first wash but might take another treatment or two for the stain to be completely gone. The bit of “unnatural” and the bit of work is worth it to me to save some clothes!
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I’ve used Tom’s, Terra, and Burt’s Bee’s (for my husband) but wasn’t thrilled with any of them. Haven’t tried Lindsay’s yet, but vinegar seems be working fine for me. We’ll see when the weather is warmer.
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I’ve been using a homemade deodorant since November, and I’m loving it! The biggest thing I’ve had to get used to is the feeling of wetness under my arms (I was so used to antiperspirant, I forgot what that felt like!). Once you get used to it, though, it’s so much better — and I have to say, my pits are softer and prettier (guess this natural stuff takes better care of my skin)!
Here’s my thoughts & recipe (I used a little shea butter in mine for some extra softness!): http://www.theeducatedlife.com/2010/11/non-toxic-tuesday-homemade-deodorant.html
I started with just coconut oil (have had no staining problems) and then decided to add in the other ingredients to make my concoction. I live in hot, humid central Florida, so it is REALLY important that I find something that works. I usually don’t shower every day, and as I long as I reapply it every day, I don’t stink!
I would like to try Bubble & Bee and also Soapwalla’s versions, since I’ve heard a lot of good things about them, and on my vacation, I purchased one from Hickory Ridge Organics (http://hickoryridgeorganics.net/) that I may give to a friend as a gift…or I may try myself.
Either way, I’m super happy with my switch to a deodorant that I can make at home and one that has ingredients that I know and can pronounce!
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I was using Toms for awhile and my stink was quite awful. Then I was just using coconut oil and the stink was gone, but I was still pretty moist. With the baking soda, I am getting irritation marks, not a rash, so I think I am using too much baking soda. I just mix it in the morning in my palm, so I am going to try the arrowroot powder/baking soda mix, and hopefully I will be less irritated. Do different brands of baking soda make a difference in irritation?
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Katie Reply:
January 7th, 2011 at 11:54 am
Charity,
Katie
I use the cheap stuff personally, but some find that fancy brands (bob’s red mill is sometimes mentioned, I think) are gentler.
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I have a Nature’s Gate natural deodorant I use occasionally, but I have also found it to be effective to use the same white vinegar and peroxide routine that works on countertops. You already have the squirt bottles filled up for your countertops–you just squirt one, then the other, on your pits & let dry. It’s bacteria that causes BO, so I figured that if vinegar and peroxide kills countertop bacteria, it ought to kill stinky armpit bacteria–and it does. I was planning to make some coconut oil & baking soda deodorant, and I may still, but I thought of the vinegar and peroxide thing & haven’t gotten around to the other yet.
Grease spots on clothes, though, are one reason that Dawn is about the only mainstream cleaner I still use. Is there ANY natural hand dish soap out there that works as well as Dawn?! (So far, out of the ones I’ve tried BioKleen comes closest–no surprise there, as I love many of their other products, and their dishwasher soap outcleans every other one I’ve tried, natural and not)
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Katie,
I read your post to my husband and he’s taking on the challenge of working something with the lotion bar (just call him Lotion Guy – he’s lovin’ it). Maria’s suggestion with the fractionated co is a good one, with beeswax… hmm….
My father-in-law (lives in France) swears by the rock deodorant but we found it to be too time-consuming and didn’t appeal to us. He’s a hard-core bike rider so maybe it’s the lack of “ease of use” for me personally (and lack of confidence to get used to it – I only apply deodorant when I’m going out).
Love your posts!
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shalom Reply:
April 26th, 2011 at 10:26 am
I filled a small squirt bottle (like the ones some body sprays come in) with water & keep is with my crystal deo. I squirt my pit then apply the crystal – no need to have a faucet nearby & no more water running down the crystal leaving residue on my counter.
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When I made the switch to natural deodorants I had a really tough time finding something that worked. Some that were OK just couldn’t cut it at the gym. I’ve been using Pit Putty from Bubble and Bee for about 6 months now. I love it! I have tried two different scents. Sometimes I freshen up with the matching sprays. I will not be making my own any time soon!!
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I have ruined at least half of my shirts with grease stains. They are totally my nemesis as well! I am really REALLY trying to wear an apron while working in the kitchen, as I usually get them while cooking/cleaning (but sometimes while eating). And I also often don’t notice until they’ve been through the wash. I need to call my mom and ask her how to get them out — she’s a stain wizard. I actually came here for an oatmeal recipe. . .
P.S. I use Tom’s of Maine’s and like it. I’m trying to get my husband off of Speed Stick — he can use the rock crystals most of the time, but not when he substitute teaches. Rock crystal is better than regular deodorants, according to EWG’s Skin Deep Database anyway.
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I have been using Herbal Magic crystal deodorant in Jasmine, for a while now. No aluminum, or other nasty stuff. Smells great. Works well most of the time. Doesn’t always do the trick if I go put in a good workout, but otherwise I’m very happy with it.
http://www.amazon.com/Home-Health-Deodorant-Jasmine-3-Ounces/dp/B001E7249I
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I use my homemade beef tallow soap for the deodorant oil stains – it works beautifully! Just wet the bar and rub it into the stain before washing. I was even able to remove a grease stain (unrelated to deodorant) from my favorite dress that I had already laundered a few times.
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I may be crazy to some, and lucky to others. I don’t use deodorant except if I really need it. That is rarely too. It’s been that way for a number of years now for me. I decided to take a break from the stuff when I was pregnant and I noticed it just didn’t make a difference. No complaints from the hubs, co-workers or friends and family. Maybe like the no-shampoo thing, a no-deodorant thing should be researched.
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I don’t bother with deodorant, haha, so I can’t comment on that….
But since you mentioned the no ‘poo, I thought I’d tell you I added some grapefruit essential oil to my bottle and now it works great. LOVE my EOs. Grapefruit is good for oily hair.
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Joyce Reply:
January 7th, 2011 at 5:56 pm
Kate, how much Grapefruit EO are you adding?
thanks,
Joyce
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Kate @ Modern Alternative Mama Reply:
January 7th, 2011 at 6:29 pm
Hi Joyce,
I have a 16 oz. bottle that is about 1/4 full of baking soda, and I add 3 or 4 drops to that. Not much!
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Joyce Reply:
January 7th, 2011 at 7:03 pm
Thanks Kate! What do you think about rosemary for its clarifying properties? thanks, Joyce
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My dad is a farm equipment mechanic and has used the crystal deodorant almost my entire life (over 20 years) and he loves it. He doesn’t stink, but he gets to sweat. Sweating is so healthy for the body, and I learned this the hard way as a teen when I used chemical anti-persperant. I ended up with sweat bumps where my body was reacting to the inability to sweat. They’re painful and itchy.
One other thing you have to know with the crystal is that you MUST have clean underarms before you put it on for it to be effective at blocking bacteria. If bacteria is already present then it won’t really be effective.
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AmandaonMaui Reply:
January 10th, 2011 at 3:14 pm
Oh, and I don’t use deodorant most days, and I live in Hawai’i average temperatures between 75 and 90 degrees.
When I do think about it I use the crystal.
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Use dish soap to remove a greasy stain on clothing. Just rub a little onto the stain before tossing it in the laundry. It works every time, even on old stains.
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Crystal deodorants don’t have aluminum in them, they contain ammonium alum. Totally different.
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Hi Ladies,
I stopped using deodorant years ago. When I first started, I felt I really did stink. But my friend who encouraged me to stop using deodorant said that would happen. So I hung in there and body odor actually dissipated with time. Some days were worse than others, but I’d say it took a few months for my sweat glands to clear themselves out under there!
Now, after years of deodorant-free, I hardly ever smell. I won’t say I never smell, but generally it’s an earthy odor – something my husband, bizarre as it may sound, actually likes. Occasionally, yes, I stink – so…..time for a shower!
In the winter, I don’t shower everyday. But I will usu. take a washcloth to my underarms just to freshen them up. I do shower each day in the summer b/c I usu. run – and boy, do I sweat!
If I feel I do smell and don’t have time to freshen up, or if I anticipate getting sweaty in my clothes, I just put a pinkie dab of essential oil under there. Then if my body heats up, it smells like the oil.
Bottom line is our Creator made us perfectly – we were designed to sweat under our arms. The odor is dependent on what’s in our bodies and ultimately exiting our armpipts. So if you really really smell, consider not only what you are eating, but all other environmental factors that surround you and are being absorbed by your body. If you are just beginning with going deodorant-free, give it some time and don’t get discouraged.
Katie, I’ve been enjoying your blog! Through your encouragement, I’ve added more beans to our menu! Thanks!
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Katie Reply:
January 17th, 2011 at 2:31 am
Terri,
Hopefully the beans won’t make you stink in other ways! 
Katie
What great encouragement and a good reminder that we were created perfectly (don’t think BO is listed in the consequences of the Fall, is it?).
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I used a coconut soap bar in the shower this morning (Tropical Traditions) and BURN!! Burn like fire, and red. immediately. Shaving was painful. My armpits still burn at 3:30, but more comfortable. I’ve always used traditional anti-perspirant/deo, so I wonder if the coconut oil is reacting with the toxins that are built up in my armpits???
I tried your natural recipe once, but don’t like the wet feeling. I did just try Tom’s this week and hated the sticky feeling, plus began to stink in just an hour.
I stink, and I sweat (like a man), so going no-deo is just not an option. I would like to find a natural option, especially since my grandma has Alzheimers, so will give these suggestions a try again.
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Hi Katie I am a little late to the homemade deo game but I have a question:
Can I use the topical coconut oil I have? Its unrefined expeller pressed organic 100% coconut oil and I wasnt sure if there is a difference between this and cooking coconut oil. Thank you!!
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Katie Reply:
May 8th, 2011 at 3:58 pm
Candace,
Katie
All the descriptive words you used on that coconut oil sound exactly like what I use for cooking- and my source is actually a soapmaker, so maybe there’s zero difference whatsoever. Sounds like it should be great! Good luck!
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1 oz of hydrogen peroxide in the bleach dispenser container in my washing machine does the trick for oil stains and really every other stain. Use more or less at your discretion, but more causes cotton shirts to degrade faster; little holes after a few years, so no biggy. It cleans up tomato/ketchup stains like a dream.
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arrowroot instead of cornstarch may help.
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it’s a metal… like aluminum foil.
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This is funny – I’ve been waiting for my ingredients to come in the mail so that I could make this, and in the mean time my husband has told me my underarms have been smelling like a man at a construction site! Bad! I had tried to make a homemade conditioner but made a mistake, and the water separated from the rest of the ingredients. So I used what separated (a little wax, coconut oil, aloe, glycerin) which was a creamy lump and spread a little under each pit, then dusted it off with some arrowroot (I have it in the bathroom in a jar and use cotton balls). I haven’t used anything since yesterday, and I still don’t smell at all! Last week, by the end of one day I was very stinky. Today using what I used yesterday was enough to keep me smelling fresh! It was basically the same ingredients (I won’t be adding the glycerin, maybe keep the aloe) and worked so well! I have in the past had problems with baking soda and cornstarch on my skin, so I am using arrowroot with no problems, and today just bought a bag of I think it’ called Red Mill baking soda (will see how that goes). But so far, by far the most effective deodorant, and I think the healthiest! Love it!
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Hi Katie,
Wow, I was bummed to read abut the “natural” crystal deos not being the way to go! Here I am trying to get me and my family back to a more natural and healthy lifestyle, and I learn my crystal deo is probably worse than the stuff I was using b4! I couldn’t find more info on your site (it’s prob. there, I just couldn’t find it) so I did some research myself and found this… http://en.allexperts.com/q/Chemistry-including-Biochemistry-1355/Potassium-Alum.htm (hope this link works). So, if anyone has any doubt, DO NOT USE THE CRYSTAL DEODORANTS WITH POTASSIUM ALUM!!
Thanks for all you do, Katie! I have learned so much from you, your site and all the posts! Keep up the great work!
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Katie Reply:
October 26th, 2011 at 5:58 am
Terri, Thanks so much for that info link!
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I use a crystal deo, and was surprised about your post saying it contained aluminum because that was one of the things I was trying to avoid so I went back and looked at my crystal and it says prominently on it that it contains no aluminum chlorohydrate. But it does contain ammonium alum as the last ingredient. It is all natural protection Crystal body deodorant stick. I love it. It is the only one that has worked for me. I tried Tom’s. I tried a lot of the ones out there including that 7 day one and none of them worked. I guess I will have to look into it more and see what the difference is. I also occasionally take a vinegar bath when I feel extra stinky or ache, like when I have been working on cars. I am primal and gave up soap and shampoo a long time ago. I understand drinking bay leaf tea helps with stink too.
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Well, like the saying goes, “The more I learn, the more I have to learn!” It sure gets confusing out there……. My own naturopath said potassium alum is ok, so I hit the web again and came across this….. thttp://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-alum-deodorant.htm
It’s hard to know what to believe sometimes. It’s a bummer, b/c the crystal spray really works!
For now though, I’m just going to keep trying other things – maybe even make my own, thanks to Katie! : ) – and I’ll continue researching potassium alum…
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Here’s a question. I don’t shave my armpits. Anyone have any comments on how well this deo recipe works when you have underarm hair? Also, how well does it absorb? Does it get tangled in the hair or show up a lot? Right now I’m using a Tom’s of Maine stick and I’d like to move to something more effective.
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Katie Kimball @ Kitchen Stewardship Reply:
March 13th, 2012 at 1:11 am
Bridgette,
Katie
I don’t have personal experience, but I would guess that this deo would absorb and disappear at least as well, if not better, than conventional deo. Since it’s coconut oil, once it gets to 75 degrees, it’s melting and soaking into your skin. Def. worth a try!!
So sorry it took me so long to respond…I got absolutely behind on comments when I released the second edition of the snacks book and truly have never caught up.
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