Does homemade deodorant work?

Homemade deodorant? Sounded kind of radical to me. Does it really work? When I came across eco-friendly mama Jess and her homemade formulation, I decided to put it to the test. The result? I’m a convert! Homemade deodorant actually works.

First, a description of the product. I purchased two samples of Jess’ homemade deodorant: lavender and unscented. Since she is an experienced deodorant-maker, I opted to start with a product she made rather than trying my own for these tests. The samples arrived in plain glass jars that I can later reuse. The ingredients: coconut oil, arrowroot powder, cornstarch, baking soda, tea tree oil, essential oils. The unscented had a subtle coconut scent.

How it’s different from regular deodorant. (my usual = a popular mass-market brand deodorant)

Jess’ deodorant was solid (my house is around 68 degrees right now) — I used my finger to scoop a small amount from the jar and rubbed it in. I waited for about 5 minutes before putting a shirt on, just to make sure it was all absorbed.
It had a slightly different feel than my regular deodorant — a little wetter, but this could be the feeling of the oils on my skin. This feeling was most present for the first few hours after showering. The rest of the day and on days I didn’t shower I didn’t notice this. Maybe just the clean body adjusting?
What I did notice was the complete absence of armpit odor. I have not smelled at all since I started using the homemade deodorant! It has now been over a month. As a deodorant, it works far better than my old brand. Hands down.
As an anti-perspirant, maybe not quite as good, but close and certainly acceptable. A few times after stressful phone conversations (my most sweatful time!) I felt the need to check whether I had sweat marks on my clothing, but every time I checked, I did not. This seemed to fluctuate throughout my cycle — this week, for example, I have felt totally dry all the time.
No more white marks on my clothing. No oil marks, either, for the most part (occasionally I noticed a little, but a quick rub with Oxi-clean and it came out in the wash). And no potentially scary ingredients.

Now for the tests!

Challenge #1: Attending a party in a tight-fitting sweater. Result: Passed! No sweat marks, no odor.

Challenge #2: Shoveling snow for an hour in a heavy parka. Result: Passed! Excellent performance during this physical exertion.

Challenge #3: Going running. Result: Passed! No odor, and no sweat marks. Although this is Cleveland in March, and it was only 40 degrees out. However, when I run in the summer my whole torso sweats — something deodorant doesn’t really help with. I expect to have to shower after exercising on a hot day.

After I used up the samples, I ordered a full jar of the lavender (pictured at top), and have been using it ever since. I won’t go back! I’m surprised at the absence of odor. I still sweat a little, but no stink! I actually don’t mind occasional perspiration — it makes me think about how our bodies sweat for a reason  (and do I really want to be inhibiting this every day for years on end?), but it is relieving to have a chemical free alternative that works.

Why would anyone want to use homemade deodorant?

Some people have concerns about certain ingredients in mass-market deodorants.

I have no concerns about absorbing these natural ingredients into my body:

How does the homemade version work?

Body odor happens when bacteria on your skin break down sweat into acids. Coconut oil and tea tree oil are antibacterial. Arrowroot powder and cornstarch absorb moisture. Baking soda also helps keep the bacteria count down, and essential oils can be antimicrobial and add a pleasant scent. Jess offers hers in unscented, lavender, orange, rose geranium, peppermint, or a combination. I loved both the lavender and the unscented, but next time I’m going to try Jess’ new favorite combination: orange + lavender with 2 drops of peppermint.

Are you ready to try it?

If you’d like to make your own deodorant, you can find Jess’ homemade deodorant recipe here. If you’d prefer to buy some already made, you can order it from her here. If you’d like a chance at trying some for FREE, enter our giveaway!

Have you tried making your own deodorant? What was your experience? What have you found to be successful?

I was not compensated for this post in any way, and I have no affiliation with Jess or her products. I purchased products from her for my own personal use.