Thursday, February 22, 2018

Making your own non-toxic deodorant

Looking to make your own non-toxic deodorant? Want a product that's safe on your skin, composed mostly of moisturizers, with no artificial or synthetic fragrances? Today I whipped up a batch of homemade deodorant; A recipe that I've been using now for years with great success. Of course, every body is different, but this formula is a great starting point for those with sensitive and/or dry skin.

First, let's briefly go over the differences between a deodorant and an antiperspirant:

Deodorants help to prevent or eliminate body odor. They often contain baking powder, or other substances that help to eliminate bacterial growth and/or eliminate odours from bacteria.

Antiperspirants prevent sweating. They contain aluminum complexes (the active ingredient) that induce blockages of sweat ducts. No sweat, no smell.

There are 2 main problems with antiperspirants:

1) Your body is supposed to sweat. This is one way we eliminate and get rid of detoxified metabolites such as phthalates. Sweating when the body is heated (when exposed to heat via weather sauna, or during exercise) is a part of a normal, healthy, functioning body.

2) The safety of aluminum-containing products is still a little uncertain. Several studies have suggested that aluminum exposure (the active ingredient in antiperspirants) may cause toxicity in humans. Patients with Alzheimer's disease have been found to have higher amounts of aluminum in the brain, but it's unknown whether the aluminum is a "cause" or factor in the progression of dementia, or, if aluminum build-up is a sequelae of having dementia. It is still to be determined how much of a risk comes from antiperspirant use, but the idea of using aluminum to block sweat ducts is still unnerving.

What's the solution? Making your own deodorant! It's simple to do, and can be very cost-effective (especially if buying ingredients in larger sizes/bulk.).

Here's what you'll need:

  • Baking soda
  • Arrowroot powder/starch
  • Coconut oil
  • Shea butter
  • Essential oil(s) of your choice
  • 2 non-plastic bowls: one that can fit inside the other 
  • A stirring spoon and/or tablespoons
  • 2oz or similar glass container/jar with lid. 

Directions:

1.   Measure about 2 tbsp of shea butter and 1.5 tbsp of coconut oil and add both to the small bowl. Pour about 1/2-1 cup of HOT water into the large bowl and set the smaller bowl inside. This is to melt the oil - but don't allow any water into your small bowl with the oils. Continue to stir the oils together until they are both melted.

2.    Remove the small bowl from the water bowl and add about 8-10 drops of your essential oils. In today's batch I mixed 6 drops of Jasmine with 4 drops of Lavender.

3.    Add in 2 tbsp of the Arrowroot starch and about 1-1.5 tbsp of baking soda. Mix well. 

4.   Pour mixture into your small glass jar and fasten the lid on. Place the jar in the fridge or freezer for a few hours or overnight to re-solidfy the oils. 

5. That's it! Use a skinny popsicle stick to obtain a dab of your new deodorant from its container and apply with clean fingers/hands to prevent contamination. Because we're not adding any preservatives, it's important not to "double-dip" into the jar. Always use a clean stick and clean fingers.