Coconut Oil DIY Deodorant

Recently, I have been thinking more & more about all the chemicals I put in & ON my body.

One of the biggest offenders that I used daily was deodorant. I'd slather it all over my pits with absolute obliviousness as to what it was, what it contained, or what kind of damage all the ingredients were doing to my system.  Oh, I heard all the talk over the years about how the ingredients were bad for you, and how using an "all natural" substitute was the way to go. I HAD, years & years ago, tried Tom's deodorant & remember that I was less than thrilled with it...and for how much it cost, that really made me angry & I gave up "going natural" (deodorant-wise) immediately. But even hearing about the possible cancer/Alzheimer's causing ingredients, I didn't stop using it. I don't really think it crossed my mind to stop! Seriously. I never thought twice.

BUT...Into my life came COCONUT OIL.

Coconut oil, oh coconut oil...how I love thee.

I have been on an all out BINGE with coconut oil lately. I have started CARING again. About my body, about what I put in it, on it, how I can make it better without it costing a fortune, how age old remedies and cures have been just sitting there WAITING for people to "discover" them again......

I HAVE SEEN THE LIGHT!!!

But seriously, I could go on & on about coconut oil & bore you to tears, but I won't. If you have an interest in making your body function better NATURALLY...Google coconut oil...you will thank me later.

Anyway...On to what I was posting.

LEMON~LAVENDER~TEA TREE COCONUT OIL DEODORANT

Here's the recipe~~~

Ingredients:
2/3 cup Coconut Oil
1/4 cup Baking Soda
1/4 cup Arrowroot Powder
4 Tbls Cornstarch
10 drops Lemon Essential Oil
10 drops Lavender Essential Oil
5 drops Tea Tree Essential Oil

Mix baking soda, cornstarch, and arrowroot powder in a bowl.
Add coconut oil and use a fork or pastry cutter to blend into the dry ingredients. (I started with a pastry cutter, but switched to a fork)
 Add  essential oil

It didn't seem like I was getting the desired consistency with a fork, so I switched to mixing it by hand. I think adding my body temperature was what it needed to finally start to all come together. I continued to knead until it was where I wanted & felt well blended. Be careful not too get it too warm, the coconut oil will start to get too runny.

Then, all I did was transfer my mixture to a re-purposed 3 wick candle jar, and smoothed out the top to make it look all pretty.

I like the idea of being able to scoop it out myself & not have to worry about trying to shove it all in a used deodorant container, but you can do what you like. It also gave me joy to reuse one of the bazillion empty glass containers I have! :)

The recipe in the above mixture is doubled. I figured as long as I was doing it, I would fill up the jar.

Be aware that this, being a coconut oil based product, will have a shelf life, but I don't think it should be too much of a concern if you limit it to a doubled or tripled recipe only.

To use, just scoop out a bit & rub it in. Word of warning though, this is most certainly NOT "invisible". Being a person who wears only black or dark colors, it can be an issue, but it rubs off quite a bit easier than commercial deodorants when you wet a wash cloth & rub it off your clothes. It comes right off in the wash too, and leaves no residue on any fabric I've worn, so far. But I suppose you'd want to be careful with silk, because of the oils. I also like to keep a small container with me just in case I feel like I am "gettin' stanky"...I am a hairdresser, so I have my pits near people's faces all day when I wash their hair & I would be MORTIFIED to think I was "givin' off the STANK"...:)

Also you can switch up the essential oils any way you like.
  

 ***Remember some essential oils can irritate your skin, so read up on the one you choose, don't just go by smell***

I used  Tea Tree for it's antimicrobial, antiseptic, antiviral properties...fun fact...Tea Tree oil, unlike the antibacterial commercial products available, will not cause bacteria to mutate and become a resistant strain of bacteria. I don't particularly LOVE the smell of Tea Tree though, and it has that cool/warm effect on the skin, so that's why I used it sparingly. You might want to do the same if you have overly sensitive skin.

I used Lavender mostly because of its calming/soothing aroma, but it also has antibacterial properties...fun fact...Lavender oil works to calm a variety of nervous disorders including excitability, nervous tension, panic, and hysteria. In Medieval and Renaissance Europe, people scattered lavender over the stone floors of castles for use as a disinfectant and deodorant. Use of lavender was highly revered during the Great Plague of London in the 17th century. Individuals wore bunches of lavender on each wrist to protect themselves from the Black Death. In addition, glove makers scented their leather with lavender oil to ward off the disease. Thieves who made a living stealing from the graves and the homes of Plague victims concocted a wash known as "Four Thieves Vinegar," which contained lavender, to cleanse and protect themselves after a night's work. Today, we know the disease was transmitted by fleas, so the use of lavender, which is known to repel these insects, could very well have saved lives and prevented further spread of the plague.

And I used Lemon for its antimicrobial & antibacterial properties & for its refreshing and invigorating smell...fun fact...Lemon oil is effective in killing bacteria known to cause stomach and duodenum (the beginning of the intestines) problems in humans. And like Tea Tree oil, Lemon oil does not create bacterial resistance over time. Also, I read...In a collaborative effort, researchers from various Universities and Research Centers showed that citrus essential oils, including lemon, had a positive effect on improving depression and the immune system. In their words, “The treatment with citrus fragrance normalized neuroendocrine hormone levels and immune function and was rather more effective than antidepressants."

I also realize I am still putting some chemicals in my system, since the products I used are not Organic...I will more than likely go all Organic in the near future, but for now, at least this is MUCH better than commercial deodorants.

So, I hope you give this deodorant a try. Let me know how you like it, if you do!

 **********UPDATE***********

Since making this, I have changed it up a bit. I felt it was not exactly how I wanted it, so I added more coconut oil, & heated it in the microwave right in this container, then after it had cooled down a bit I added a CONSIDERABLE amount more essential oils.
I would say about 40 more drops of Lavender
20 more Lemon
and a whopping 60 of grapefruit!!!
I know it sounds like a lot, but I added more coconut & it SERIOUSLY was not feeling strong enough for me.
Next time, I will omit the Tea Tree completely & only use citrus & lavender. I think it was just me, but the tea tree itself smelled like B.O.!!! :(
Play around with your own combinations, I guess.
I read an article about the amount of baking soda not being great either. I myself have felt only slightly irritated by it, but you may want to switch the amounts of baking soda & cornstarch or just add baking soda very sparingly at first. Only do a single batch at a time to see how it reacts with your skin so as to not waste product.
That's why I didn't scrap this completely & start over, I used quite a bit of ingredients. But definitely next time I will use more oils & less baking soda, cornstarch, & arrowroot.
I think I will prefer it to be more "lotion-y" instead of dry.

I think next time, I will make a completely new recipe, knowing what I know now....So, I guess watch for that :)

Coconut Oil Toothpaste

OK, OK, yes....I am, at present, OBSESSED with coconut oil!

I have been "Oil Pulling" for about a week now, and I feel like it is REALLY starting to make a difference in how my teeth, gums & whole mouth in general, feel. They are A LOT less sensitive and just feel CLEANER.

CLICK THIS LINK FOR MORE INFORMATION ON OIL PULLING


I have also been using this as a toothpaste after I "pull". I couldn't see the logic in putting the chemical/ sugar laden crap back in my mouth after I had just made it such a clean, germ free, environment.

So here's my recipe

3 Tbls Organic, Extra Virgin, Unrefined, Coconut Oil

3 Tbls Baking Soda

1 tsp Peppermint Essential Oil

Mix all 3 with a fork, in any container you like.

And that is it.

Brush like normal. Remembering to brush your tongue, especially.

If you really can't stand it not having a sugary taste, you could add a packet of Stevia powder, or a drop or two of Stevia  liquid. I just feel like I don't want anything like that on my nice, clean, teeth, but it is perfectly fine to add.

I also put a little into a smaller container to carry in my purse. It is an awesome way to freshen your mouth during the day. Just dip your CLEAN finger in & rub it around on your tongue & teeth, Then spit it out & rinse with water. Instant breath mint with no chemicals or added sugar :)


Trust me...MORE COCONUT OIL POSTS COMING SOON....:)