Homemade Deodorant Recipe - Dr. Axe
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Homemade Deodorant Recipe

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Homemade deodorant - Dr.Axe

This effective, healthy and cost-effective homemade deodorant is made from natural ingredients and will keep you smelling fresh throughout the day. It’s made with ingredients that you likely already have a home, but that don’t have dangerous side effects — unlike the ingredients often found in conventional, store-bought deodorants.

Problems with Conventional, Store-Bought Deodorants

We are so mindful of what we put on our plates and skin, but when it comes to deodorants for under our arms, many people seem to be less concerned. That’s exactly why conventional deodorants that can contain toxic ingredients are still sold and used today.

Some ingredients in conventional, store-bought deodorants can negatively impact hormone levels. Parabens are used as preservatives in deodorant products, but they have been shown to interfere with estrogen production. And phthalates have shown to disrupt testosterone production.

Another common ingredient, triclosan, is used to kill bacteria on the skin’s surface, but may impact thyroid function. Meanwhile, aluminum has been shown to interfere with estrogen action.

It’s clear that sticking to safe, natural ingredients in your homemade deodorant is important, especially because it’s being used daily on such a porous area of your body.

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Best Ingredients for DIY Deodorant

1. Baking Soda

Baking soda has antibacterial and anti-fungal effects, and it effectively absorbs moisture. It can be used in quite a few DIY recipes, including toothpaste, shampoo and home cleaners.

When mixed with a liquid or oil, it will create a paste that can be rubbed under your arms to fight odor. Some people experience dryness and irritation from using baking soda on the skin, but there are alternatives that will serve the same purpose.

2. Arrowroot Powder

If you are sensitive to baking soda or experience irritation after using it for a some time, arrowroot powder is a great alternative. Like baking soda, it works as an absorbent with antimicrobial properties. You can use it in place of baking soda or combine the two to make a solid homemade deodorant.

3. Coconut Oil

There are many benefits of coconut oil for skin, including its ability to soothe the skin, kill bacteria and reduce inflammation. When combined with a powder like baking soda or arrowroot, it will create a paste that solidifies at room temperature. Adding coconut oil to your homemade deodorant will reduce dryness and irritation under your arms, too.

4. Essential Oils

Using essential oils for your homemade deodorant stick will add a pleasing aroma and provide additional benefits, like providing antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties. You can personalize your recipe with gentle oils, like lavender, lemon, sage, rosemary, bergamot and cypress. You can choose the scents that appeal to you. If you’re looking for a simple, clean aroma, go for lemon or bergamot.

How to Make

It’s easy (and inexpensive) to make your own deodorant at home, and it doesn’t require many ingredients. Just follow these simple steps and keep your stick at room temperature to keep it solid. If it’s exposed to higher temperature and becomes oily, it’s okay to keep using it, just mix it up again.

  1. The first step is to add ½ cup of coconut oil to a bowl. This will be the glue that holds your homemade deodorant powder together.
  2. Next, mix in ½ cup of baking soda (or arrowroot powder) until it creates a paste-like consistency.
  3. The last step is to add in your essential oils. You can choose your favorite scents, but add in 40–60 drops altogether.
  4. Once all ingredients are combined, pour it into a deodorant container or glass jar and keep it in a cool place.

Related: Crystal Deodorant: A Natural Option for Reducing Body Odor

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Homemade Deodorant

  • Author: Dr. Josh Axe
  • Total Time: 5 minutes
  • Yield: 30–40 1x
Print Recipe

Description

This effective, healthy and cost-effective homemade deodorant is made from natural ingredients and will keep you smelling fresh throughout the day.

Ingredients

Scale
  • ½ cup coconut oil
  • ½ cup baking soda
  • 40–60 drops essential oils — female (lavender, lemon and sage) or male (cypress, rosemary and bergamot)
  • empty deodorant containers or glass jar

Instructions

  1. Put coconut oil in a bowl.
  2. Mix in the baking soda.
  3. Add in essential oils and mix.
  4. Store in a deodorant container or in a glass jar.

Notes

If you are sensitive to baking soda or experience irritation after using it for a some time, arrowroot powder is a great alternative.

  • Prep Time: 5 min

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52 Comments

  1. Stella on

    I’ve known some who say the baking soda makes them itch badly? Could this be left out? I use it alone nothing added, but then I rarely use deodorant don’t really need to. Never have really

  2. Mark Harris on

    I have been using various combinations of coconut oil, natural baking soda and organic arrowroot as well as a small amount of eucalyptus oil. Eucalyptus oil also has some bacteria fighting components. I also added on my last batch, a small amount of Shea butter which makes the final product little creamier. I have been using this for about five months and it works great. I have several female patients who have been using it and they say it works better than store-bought relative to odor control. As someone else has said. I put the coconut oil in the small container that I used to contain the end product so that I am not having to clean other things once I’m done. I just put the container in warm/hot tap water then add the other ingredients. I use about 50% coconut oil and the other 50% a combination of the dry products. After mixing it up I stick the container in the refrigerator to keep anything from separating out but after a couple of hours I just keep it in the bathroom where it typically stays solid. You can also get different kinds of coconut oil which have higher melting temperatures. I have never tried it but could be interesting.

  3. Cindy on

    I’m thinking I might try a mixture of coconut oil, Shea butter and beeswax. I used this combo to make my mascara. Thanks for the info!

  5. Teresa on

    I am new to using essence oils and finally feeling wonderful knowing the end results are much better then store bought. even the more pricy items doesn’t compare!! using the oils even in deodorant leaves me without using perfumes. Thank you so much for sharing your experience. I just bought many oils and would love to pick your brain over the benefits of each… I’m on such a high… finally.. some fragrances!!!! making my own supplies. ps I use to use magnesium oil for such, but much rather use this just for the wonderful sents of the oils. but take note.. the Magnesium oil dose take away any oder. maybe my next batch.. I’ll add both just to see. I don’t mind having to wait to dry knowing its good natural products that benefits. :} I can’t wait to try the Sunscreen.. my next focus!!! xxoo

  6. Leon on

    This recipe seems like it would be a bit soft for my liking. Could I add beeswax to make it more firm? If so, how much would I add?

  8. MAB on

    My experience: Yes, Baking Soda can create a rash over time. It is a form of salt after all, and salt can be drying. Either use less or try Arrowroot powder instead (Corn Starch is cheaper than Arrowroot powder but most Corn Starch is GMO). Also, don’t heat the Coconut Oil in a microwave. If you do, you are killing everything good about it and that in itself can cause a rash (my rashes stopped when I stopped heating it in the microwave). Instead, set the jar of Coconut Oil in a larger container of very warm tap water if you need to liquify it. Lastly, I had to keep my deodorant stick in the fridge (Coconut Oil liquifies around 76F/24C and higher). Transitioning away from manufactured antiperspirants/deodorants, I eventually quit using even the homemade kind after a couple of years. Gold Bond talc if I really need something, but otherwise a washcloth and some Dr Bronner’s Peppermint soap works fine for a quick cleanup. Inconvenient you say? Perhaps. Not nearly as inconvenient as disease associated with the use of antiperspirants/deodorants… like the breast cancers located in the area of the breast tissue closest to the armpits. Something to think about anyway.

  9. Rob8n on

    I haven’t tried making deoderant yet, but I’ve read that using arrowroot powder in place of the baking soda will help if you get rashes and with keeping the deoderant solid. Pinterest has quite a few recipes.

  10. Sylvia Shannon on

    My husband has been using milk of magnesia for several years and loves it. He dabs it on axilla once a day w/ a folded up paper towel. Can get it a the dollar store so is quite inexpensive. Swears by it!!

  11. Jeanie on

    Is the coconut oil from Amazon just a recommendation? Does it matter brand or type of coconut oil? I have from Costco Nutiva coconut oil. It is virgin, organic, non-gmo…… will this work fine?

  12. Mari on

    I made some and one day was fine but the next I got a nasty burn from using it…. Wish I could find a recipe without baking soda…

      • Susan on

        I have read that arrowroot is a good replacement for baking soda for those that are sensitive. Based on the feedback here and from Wellness Mama’s site (where I first learned about making your own deodorant), there must be a lot of individuals that are sensitive to B.Soda.

  13. Ilona on

    I am about try to make this for my sons (21_23).,because their skin look so raw because the deodorant bought from drogstores.But I wonder Dr. you are a guy too,is this effective enough for guys too?Usualy the natural products dint seem to work as strongly as these healthy products.I wish my boys would stick with this.
    Thank you!

  14. Cyd on

    Is it ok to reuse stick deodorant containers for the homemade? If so, what is the best way to clean them?
    Thanks!

  15. Nicole Wood on

    I live in Hawaii. My coconut oil is always going from liquid to solid based on the time of day! Does the baking soda help the coconut oil stay solid, or is there something else I should use instead of coconut oil for a humid climate? Thank you!

  16. Tim on

    I decided a couple of years ago to avoid the aluminum based anti-antiperspirants and tried to use something like Tom’s but then I broke out in a rash. I tried to go back to what I had previously used and again I broke out in a rash. I tried just deodorants and again a rash. I don’t remember how I discovered it but what I have been doing for the last couple of years is vinegar. I bought a gallon of white distilled vinegar and poured it in a small spray bottle and I spray several times under each arm every morning and it does work. Now it doesn’t last all day and when I get home I often times spray again. I always wear an undershirt and the more active you are the more often you may have to re-apply but one thing is for sure. It is cheap. I might try some of these other recipes for deodorants I have found here but this is working well for me.

  17. lori on

    Hi Dr. Axe….first of all, I’d like to thank you for sharing all these wonderful info to all of us. You are so generous with sharing your knowledge & God bless you more for it. Secondly, I’d like to say that I tried your diy natural deodorant & truly loved it. It works well for me. And last but not the least, I just want to ask you if I can use other scented essential oil like Ylang Ylang or etc to mix for the deodorant? I look forward to your reply. Thank you again & more power to you. God bless!!

  18. Luis on

    Would it be fine to melt the coconut oil and then add the other ingredients in order to pour it into an empty deodorant container to let it harden?

  23. Heather on

    I love this! I’ve also read beeswax is great too. I’m going to try and melt it down and mix in with the other ingredients. Have you tried this? I got some beeswax from my co-op. Also, it took a week or two to dispel the toxins from prolonged deoderant use so don’t give up on this if you stink at first!

  24. Heather on

    I love this! I’ve also read beeswax is great too. I’m going to try and melt it down and mix in with the other ingredients. Have you tried this? I got some beeswax from my co-op.

  25. Christine Hornback on

    Hello Dr. Axe…I’ve made this deodorant! It kept us dry and smelling fresh, however we developed rashes after a week or so, any suggestions as to why, or how we can possibly make it differently?

    • Dr. Josh Axe on

      The baking soda could be irritating your skin. Try using less deodorant each time you put it on or make the recipe with less baking soda and more coconut oil. Everyone’s skin sensitivity is different so freely adjust the recipe according to what works for your body!

    • Shelly on

      I had the same issue when I switched to homemade deodorant, my skin burned and it began to peel weekly (not this recipe but similar). But the recipe I used called for arrow root along with the baking soda (you can substitute the arrow root for cornstarch or baby powder since they’re easier to find….cornstarch is probably safer than baby powder). I noticed that my skin was sensitive to the baking soda so I increased the amount of starch and decreased the amount of baking soda and it still worked effectively. You can probably mix 1/4 cup of baking soda to 1/4 or 1/3 cup of starch. I also added pure vanilla extract to the recipe and it smelled delightful.

      **I think these recipes for homemade deodorant lasts/works better than regular store brought antiperspirant/deodorants

    • Dr. Josh Axe on

      It really does work! I’ve had great results with it and I know others have as well. It does not prevent perspiration. Perspiration is healthy and allows your body to detox.

  28. Shirley Y on

    Does the mixture harden, so it can be used as a stick, or does it stay in liquid form and thus need a roll-on container?

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