Homemade Solid Deodorant For

Sensitive Skin (Without Baking Soda)

Affiliate Disclosure | in DIY Beauty | by Heather | with 13 Comments
173

What do chickens that cross the road and stinky

armpits have in common?
Theyre both illegal, of course! Not, everywhere, but in Quitman and San Luis Obispo
Counties, respectively. (source) And its not just armpits offensive body odor of any
kind is outlawed in San Luis Obispo County libraries. Yes, libraries.

Some things though are perfectly legal, though, like putting questionable chemicals in
personal care products without always disclosing them. (source) In a previous post I
shared five ingredients to look out for in deodorant including one that has already
been banned in one state along with alternatives like this man-stink killer deodorant
recipe, sensitive skin recipe and my fave pre-made deodorant.
However, several of you have asked about how to make deodorant that doesnt need to
be applied with your fingertips, so I thought Id share one of my favorite recipes!
Instead of baking soda, this solid deodorant recipe relies on kaolin clay and magnesium
to keep you smelling fresh. If you have sensitive skin or even if you dont I hope
you love it as much as I do!

About The Ingredients

Shea Butter
Rich in skin soothing vitamin E, raw shea butter is a non-oily moisturizer that absorbs
quickly when applied super important if you are getting dressed in a hurry!

Cocoa Butter
Known formally as Theobroma cacao (Food of the Gods), cocoa butter is rich
in Vitamin E and minerals such as manganese, calcium, iron and zinc. It improves the
glide of your solid deodorant while nourishing skin.

Kaolin Clay, Bentonite Clay or Diatomaceous Earth

Each of these compounds help neutralize odor. Theyre much more gentle than baking
soda, which some people find irritating.

Magnesium
In addition to blocking odor, magnesium is an essential co-factor for over 300 enzyme
driven reactions in the human body. When applied alone it can sting a little, which is
why I prefer to incorporate it in this formula.

Beeswax
Provides a barrier of protection while still allowing skin to breathe. Also, its what keeps
the deodorant bar solid.

Essential Oils (Optional)

A couple of my favorite blends are:

20 drops tea tree essential oil and 16 drops orange essential oil

20 drops tea tree essential oil and 16 drops lavender essential oil

However if your skin is very sensitive, you might want to skip essential oils or stick to
ones that are considered very soothing, like lavender.

A Note On Transitioning To Natural Deodorant

If youre transitioning to natural deodorant for the first time, you may find that it
doesnt work for you right away. As I wrote in this article,
Though our primary detox pathways are through the liver, kidneys, colon and lymph
system, our skin and lungs also assist with detoxification. It makes sense that if weve
been applying a deodorant containing parabens, aluminum, propylene glycol, and/or
triclosan, our body may begin working to eliminate it once we switch. If you think this
might be your issue, my friend Katie of Wellness Mama has a great article on how to
detox your armpits.

Homemade Solid Deodorant For Sensitive Skin

(Without Baking Soda)
Ingredients

2 tablespoons grated, packed beeswax (.5 ounces by weight) where to buy

beeswax

2 level tablespoons shea butter (1 ounces by weight) where to buy shea butter

2 rounded tablespoons grated cocoa butter (.4 ounces by weight) where to buy
cocoa butter

1 teaspoon magnesium chloride powder (I ground magnesium flakes in my

coffee grinder)

1 tablespoon kaolin clay (food grade diatomaceous earth or bentonite clay will
also work) where to buy kaolin clay

24 36 drops essential oil (optional)

Equipment

Deodorant tube, either recycled or new where to find deodorant tubes online

Double boiler (or a stainless steel bowl set in side a pot of boiling water)

Coffee grinder (optional)

To Make
1. Melt all ingredients (except essential oils) in a double boiler over low heat.
2. Allow the mixture to cool for one to two minutes it will separate if it is added to the
deodorant tube while still very hot. While it is still liquid, add essential oils and pour
into deodorant tube. Store out of direct sunlight.

To Use
Apply a thin layer not much is needed!

Clean-Up Tip
After youve poured your deodorant in your container, place your pot back in the double
boiler so that the thin layer of remaining deodorant heats up. When its hot, wipe it out
with old newspaper or paper towels.

You might also like:

Homemade Deodorant Recipe For Sensitive Skin
5 Reasons To Ditch Your Deodorant
Easy Homemade Deodorant
Wild Vanilla No. 2 Solid Perfume Recipe
Homemade Tooth Powder Recipe

about the author: Heather

Hi, I'm Mommypotamus. My mission is to help you put delicious, healthy meals on the
table, find effective natural remedies for common complaints, make your own fuss-free
personal care and home products, and save time and money in the process.
DIY Beauty Homemade Solid Deodorant For Sensitive Skin...

13 Responses to Homemade Solid Deodorant For Sensitive Skin (Without

Baking Soda)

1.

Carolina
August 11, 2015 at 4:44 pm
Hello! Thanks for your recipe. Can I use magnesium sulphate (epsom salt)
instead of magnesium chloride? Can I skip the magnesium of the ingredients?
Thanks
Reply

Heather
August 14, 2015 at 3:58 pm
I havent tested it with sulphate so I cant say for sure. If you try it please
let us know how it works!

Reply

2.

Leslie
August 12, 2015 at 1:14 pm
Ive lived in San Luis Obispo, ca my whole life and never knew about this
ordinance! But it doesnt surprise me. There are very stuffy uptight people in
this co. . . Lol! This recipe looks awesome. These ingredients look like I could
reuse my bowls or double boiler for cooking after, right? I know with soap its
only for soap. . . .
Reply

Heather

August 14, 2015 at 1:16 pm

Yes, you can totally reuse your equipment. And actually, in many cases
you can with soap making tools, too. More info in my post on soap
making myths.
Reply

3.

Natalie
August 12, 2015 at 3:42 pm
That is crazy about San Luis Obispo! Love the random facts. It is so funny I
just thought of grinding the mag flakes up in my coffee grinder last night to add
to my deodorant! Glad to know it works!
Reply

Heather
August 14, 2015 at 1:14 pm
It totally does, and isnt that crazy?

Reply

4.

Cate
August 13, 2015 at 10:43 am
Yay! This looks great and easy! Thanks so much for sharing!
Reply

5.

maeghan
August 14, 2015 at 12:28 pm
Hey there! I love your blog and it has helped me through being a first time
mama(: I had a few questions for you!
My boy is 17 months and im worried about the fact that he still prefers to be
mostly breastfed. We are doing the babyled weaning process, I always offer him
foods but he mostly plays with it. Though he does eat any kind of meat, and he
will drink smoothies with greens, fruits, healthy fats, cod liver oil, probiotics..
Im just worried if its okay for him to be still breastfeeding at this age as his main
nutrition? Also I might add he is growing, healthy and happy (:
Another topic, ever since I got pregnant I have had swollen, red gumsI use
Redmond clay toothpaste and even use activated charcoaldo you think since
im still breastfeeding and maybe my hormones are out of whack thats causing it?
Thank you!!!!! I hope to hear from you!
Maeghan
Reply

Heather
August 14, 2015 at 3:51 pm
Hi Maeghan, when my first child was around 14-15 months old she was
still getting most of her nutrients from breast milk. She ate some, but
mostly played with her food. Anyway, I remember being a little
concerned about this and deciding to read up. After researching and
talking with other moms, I felt comfortable with letting her take the lead
and just continued to offer solids at meal time. I dont remember when it
was but she did continue to eat more over time and it all worked out fine.

She was definitely well-nourished and is a very adventurous eater now.

Though I cant say what you should do, I hope maybe sharing my
experience will help in some small way. If you suspect that there might
be an underlying issue I would definitely take her in to get checked out,
but I personally think that it can be perfectly normal.
Regarding the swollen gums, I would see a holistic dentist. Pregnancy
can cause changes in the immune system that can cause a (usually mild)
form of gum disease. If you havent researched the benefits of oil pulling
for plaque-induced gingivitis you might start here:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4382606/
Its thought to be very effective

Reply

Diana

August 16, 2015 at 2:14 pm

Hi Maeghan!
I totally relate! My son is 18mo and I felt the same! Some days he eats
very well but other days he resorts to the breast all day long! My
husband jokes that he is going to drain me! Thank you for bringing this
up, and thank you Heather for sharing your experience with all of us!
Reply

6.

Lisette
August 15, 2015 at 10:16 am
Hi H!
I write you so much I feel like we are pals! So is this recipe more effective than
your other sensitive skin deodorant that uses arrowroot powder, or are you just
offering another sensitive skin deo option? I have all the ingredients so I am
interested in making this asap! I made a homemade one with little baking soda
but after three weeks, my pits have once again reacted and I have a rash!
Bummer. I am interested in trying this!
Reply

Heather

August 15, 2015 at 11:27 am

Haha, me too! I think I will go back and test the other sensitive skin
recipes with the addition of magnesium when I run out of my current
stick, but for now Im loving this stick because of the additional
magnesium. The shea butter is also amazing for sensitive skin

Reply

7.

Aislinn
August 16, 2015 at 12:06 pm
I dont have magnesium flakes at this time. Can I make this recipe without it? I
really want to make deodorant today, and I want a solid version. Ill order
magnesium flakes going forward, but Im looking for a right now recipe
because I actually have time blocked out specifically for making deodorant
today and that wont happen again for me for several weeks. Thanks!
Reply