Sticker shock is real these days and doesn't show any sign of letting up. This is one of the reasons why I often turn to DIYs for my family. Plus, I like to know that the ingredients I'm using are safe.
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Why Make Your Own Deodorant?
Most deodorants on the market contain ingredients that have no business being on our skin. Here are just a few to look out for but please know there are so many more.
1. Aluminum
This ingredient is found in antiperspirants. Aluminum is a neurotoxin and has been linked to Alzheimers disease. Its function is to prevent sweating by blocking your pores. This is not healthy for your body. We need to sweat. It's how we're made.
2. Parabens
This harmful chemical mimics estrogen in the body and disrupts the delicate balance of our hormones even being linked to both breast cancer and prostate cancer. It's function in deodorants is a preservative but should be avoided at ALL costs.
3. Fragrance
This is a tricky one because it sounds so harmless. However, this one ingredient could actually contain dozens, sometimes hundreds of harmful ingredients. The FDA does not require that a company list all of the ingredients used to make the fragrance. If you see this on an ingredient list just walk away.
One especially harmful ingredient that often hides in "fragrance" is...
4. Phthalates (the EVERYWHERE chemical)
Phthalates (THAL-ates) are added to fragrance to make the scent last longer. But remember, companies aren't required to disclose the ingredients in their fragrance, so you will never even know it's there. Phthalates have been linked to asthma, ADHD, breast cancer, obesity, type ll diabetes, autism, male fertility issues and early onset of puberty. And that just scratches the surface.
Ready To Try Something New?
I stopped using store bought deodorant about 9 years ago. During that time I've tried many different DIY recipes but was always left unimpressed. Either they were far too time consuming to make for a family of 5, or I just wasn't happy with the results. The recipe I'm going to share with you today is by far the easiest and most effective deodorant you will ever find. In fact, I'm not even sure I should be calling it a recipe. It's that ridiculously easy.
My "recipe" uses magnesium hydroxide. This is the form of magnesium that is commonly found in antacids such as Milk of Magnesia. When used as a deodorant, it serves as a natural way to counteract odor causing bacteria. Contrary to popular belief, it's not our sweat that causes the odor, it's the bacteria that lives on our skin.
I wanted to avoid using baking soda since many find it to be irritating to the skin. I also wanted to steer clear of coconut oil or shea butter. They seemed necessary when using baking soda because they help counteract the potential irritation the baking soda can cause. But more often than not, they leave a greasy residue on clothes that doesn't easily wash out. So my all natural deodorant only contains two main ingredients but you'll want to grab some essential oils too. They are optional but add a pleasant scent while also preventing the growth of bacteria.
Here is a shopping list of supplies and ingredients. (It's a short one!)
And with out further ado.....
TWO INGREDIENT ALL NATURAL DEODORANT
30 mL distilled water. (we actually just use our well water)
2.5 Tablespoons magnesium hydroxide
Mix until no longer lumpy and pour into a 30mL glass roller bottle.
Optional but highly recommended are essential oils.
My favorite additions are:
Petitgrain
Patchoulli
Black Spruce
All of my top choices for oils can be found here.
That's it! You can play around with the ratio of water to magnesium but I have found these amounts to work well with the roller bottles we use.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:
1. Will it stain my clothes?
No. However, if you brush up against it while wet, it will leave a chalky residue. If that happens, allow it to dry and then simply brush away.
2. Will my underarms appear white and chalky?
If you overdue it, yes. Keep in mine that you really don't need much. To prevent a chalky look, apply sparingly. Once it has dried, if you still notice a chalky appearance, gently brush away the residue.
3. Does it really work?
Most definitely! However, if you have used antiperspirants for many years you will likely need some time for your pores and glands under your arms to detox after being suppressed for so long. I had to go through this detox phase myself. It wasn't pretty or pleasant! I will soon write about all the tips and tricks I learned along the way so that you can make this adjustment as gracefully as possible.
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