DIY Deodorant

We all have our dealbreakers when it comes to DIY. Kristin and I recently talked about how, try as we might, we will never love "natural" shampoos and conditioners (Hard-to-find L'Oreal Vive inspires me to seek out a Rite Aid in a city conspicuously devoid of them, but that's neither here nor there…). I will always use store-bought toothpaste and it won't be Tom's of Maine, y'all. Until recently, I assumed deodorant fell into that always-buy-never-DIY category. But the recipes I found online sounded easy enough, and I already had all of the ingredients. I figured it was worth a try.

And I'm telling you, I'm converted. This deodorant is so much cheaper than buying, contains no aluminum, and it works as well or better than store-bought antiperspirants I've tried.

So here's the recipe:

8 tbs coconut oil (hard to find at Giant/Publix. Easy to find at Whole Foods/Yes.)
1/4 cup cornstarch
1/4 cup baking soda
10-20 drops of essential oil (I used eucalyptus because it's what I had on hand)

The essential oil is optional, but I like a scent.

Mix together all the ingredients in a container that has a lid. Put the lid on it. You're done. To use, rub a pea-sized amount between your fingers and then rub on your armpit. The coconut oil is a solid that turns liquid at the slightest change from room temperature (like body temperature). I was initially worried that oil would stain my clothes, but this has not happened.

I've smelled good and stayed dry since I started using this about six weeks ago, and I don't always shower in between going for a run and going to work (don't judge me…). Also, I've used maybe 1/8 of the supply I made from that one recipe.