Deodorant 411

On a side note, I've personally made my own deodorant and have the recipe on this blog; however, it does take a lot of work and cleanup.

The other option is the new deodorant that just came out from Ava Anderson Non-Toxic that has the same ingredients as the one I've made and really works.

The ingredients are:
Organic coconut oil, organic beeswax, organic shea butter, organic cocoa butter, aluminum free baking soda, organic arrowroot powder, organic tea tree essential oil, organic peppermint essential oil

Parabens...steer clear!

Parabens are chemicals widely used as a preservative by cosmetic and pharmaceutical companies in everyday products used by most individuals in the United States. Mostly found in shampoos, conditioners, lotions, makeup and perfumes, their efficacy as preservatives, in combination with the low cost are two reasons they are so commonly found in these products. 

Some of the many common products containing parabens

However, this unfortunate chemical group is not banned from products. They are toxic and low concentrations have been found in breast cancer tumors. Another major concern is the fact that parabens mimic estrogen, which may be a factor in the increasing prevalence of early puberty in girls.

DIY Deodorant

Today I tried my hand at making my first all natural deodorant! I've been using natural deodorant's for over a year now and wanted to finally try my hand at it. I got a recipe from a friend who uses it so I tweaked it a little and tried it for myself.

Here's what you'll need:

Let me put a disclaimer saying I take great pride in a clear picture but somehow seemed to have missed this one and it came out terrible. Sorry.

• 2T - Baking Soda
• 2T - Arrowroot Powder
• 1T - Witchhazel 
• 1T - Coconut Oil
• 1T - Shea Butter (or Cocoa Butter)
• 2T - Beeswax (I used local beeswax which is best...good luck cutting it up)
• Essential Oil (I used several drops of Tea Tree Oil and a few of Eucalyptus - Tea Tree is great because it's antibacterial)
• Empty Deodorant container (save one from a previous use)

Use a double boiler to melt the oils (Coconut oil, Shea Butter, Beeswax, Essential Oils), then add Witchhazel, Arrowroot, and Baking Soda slowly to the oils off the heat. It's preferable to use a real silver spoon (I found a great one at an antique shop for under $10). The reason is it doesn't pick up any bacteria and is a clean metal perfect for mixing.

Once you've mixed everything, drop it into the deodorant mold (container). Then refrigerate for a bit and it's ready to use =)

Remember, it won't be as pretty as the one's you buy in the store, but you know and see all the ingredients that go in it and it's beneficial for your skin and body.

Enjoy! =) Feel free to share in comments other ingredients you've used or other recipes. I'd love to try it!