Yes everyone. I've officially given up wearing deodorant. Before you turn away from your computer with your fingers pinching your nose, I'm not going completely bare! I read a wonderful post from a fellow mommy blogger, mommyboots, who shared the benefits of making her own natural deodorant.
What ARE the benefits of making your own deo?
Well, for one thing you know exactly what the ingredients are. Regular deodorant has aluminum in it, and studies show that there is a link between excessive aluminum exposure and cancer. Interestingly enough, I read that cancer patients are instructed to avoid regular deodorant, and told to use more organic products AFTER they've been diagnosed.. What the, what?! That's like a doctor only telling you to watch your diet AFTER you have a massive heart attack. Um, no. I don't know about you, but I'd rather practice prevention. Not only that, but most deodorants have antiperspirant in them, which means they stop you from sweating. God created sweating for a purpose people - not only to cool us down, but to excrete toxins. Where do you think all those toxins go if they can't come out? .. ew...
So how do you make it?
That's the fun part! All you need is four basic ingredients, and most are found in your cupboard: Baking Soda, Cornstarch, Coconut Oil, and Beeswax. Some people make the homemade deodorant with just the first three ingredients listed, but I found that adding the fourth ingredient (beeswax) solidifies the product better, so it closer resembles the consistency of the deodorant that we're used to. Here is the complete recipe:
Homemade Natural Deodorant
1/2 cup Baking Soda
1/2 cup Cornstarch
1 TBS Cornstarch
4 TBS Beeswax pellets
1/2 cup Coconut Oil
Empty Deodorant Stick
4 drops Essential Oils (optional)
Melt the Coconut Oil and Beeswax together in the Microwave for about a minute. Then slowly mix in the powdered ingredients. (please note that the extra TBS of cornstarch is to provide additional thickening) If you want to add a fragrance, you can purchase essential oils from THIS online store. (I used a Mixed Berry Oil.) Add 4 drops, then continue mixing. (You can also purchase the beeswax from that store as well.)
Take the empty deodorant stick (make sure that all remnants of old deodorant are gone by wiping, scraping, and even boiling the stick if needed). Roll the deodorant stick to the lowest point, and slowly pour the mixture into the stick. Put on the cap, and place in the fridge for 15 minutes to set. You can also store it in a small glass jar, and apply it with your fingers. Be sure to keep the deodorant in a cool dry place, or in the fridge if you live in a hot environment.
To stink or not to stink?
Don't worry. Natural deo works just as well as the chemical brands. You may go through a 1-2 day detox period where you don't smell as fresh as you'd like, but don't give up. That's just your body getting rid of the crap that's been plugged up for so long. I had a 1 day detox, then the very next day, I smelled great. I even had my hubby do a sniff test. (Thank God for husbands!) Hey, I just wanted to make sure that I wasn't in some kind of funky denial. I am happy to report that he said he did not smell any funk at all! And that was after a 10 hour work day in humid NYC weather. Need I say more?
So what do you think? Is this something you'd try? With recent news of young women (i.e. Guiliana Rancic) now getting breast cancer, I just feel like if there is anything I can do to minimize my chances, I'm in. Let me know how it turns out!
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