How to Make Your Own Natural Charcoal and Lavender Deodorant

So, you are interested in making your own deodorant at home. Maybe you cannot find a natural and organic deodorant in the store or online that works for you. Perhaps you have an allergy to an ingredient that is found in nearly every option, or maybe you cannot justify the price of natural deodorant. Some people are simply big fans of making their own personal care products at home because they know exactly what is going into them!

If this sounds like you, you have come to the right place. There are so many recipes online for DIY natural deodorants it can feel pretty overwhelming. Many of the recipes use a lot of ingredients that you probably don’t have in your home or might be hard to find in stores if you want to make it on a whim.

Luckily, this recipe uses simple ingredients that you can likely find in your local natural supermarket. If you do have a hard time finding these ingredients locally, there are lots of great options online and you can also shop around for the best price.

Ingredients:

• 5 tablespoons shea butter (in its solid form)
• 5 tablespoons organic corn starch
• 1 tablespoon aluminum-free baking soda
• ½ teaspoon activated charcoal (buy in a bulk bag or in capsule form)
• 30 drops organic lavender essential oil
• Deodorant tube

Although this is a lavender scented deodorant, you can switch up the fragrance any way you choose. Any of your favorite essential oils will work and you can even mix different ones together. Other great options are rose, lemongrass, orange, ylang-ylang, tea tree, peppermint, Roman chamomile, and vanilla.

Corn starch helps keep the deodorant together and it also helps absorb some sweat from your armpits to keep you dry. Baking soda does the same, but it is also a powerful ingredient that helps fight and neutralize odors from sweat and bacteria produced by your underarms.

Activated charcoal is a super special ingredient. Activated charcoal absorbs mass amounts of liquid. All that sweat from your underarms when it is hot when you’re nervous, or in the middle of an intense workout will be mostly absorbed by the charcoal.

You do have to keep in mind that natural deodorant is not an antiperspirant like conventional deodorant is. You will likely still have some sweating with even the best natural and organic deodorant. The good news is, over time, you will see a reduction in the overall amount of sweat your armpits produce because your pits are no longer relying on aluminum and other chemicals to keep you from sweating and smelling. Some people even find they do not have to use deodorant every day when they use a natural option for long enough!

Instructions:

1. Place the solid shea butter in a small pot over low heat. Melt into a liquid. You do not want the shea butter to get too hot and you never want it to simmer or boil. If it gets too hot, you are destroying all of the nutrients and beneficial ingredients in the shea butter.
2. Once the shea butter is just melted, remove from the heat and add in the corn starch, baking soda, and the activated charcoal. You can always add more charcoal if you think the mixture is too light in color. You do need to be careful how much you add because adding too much will stain your armpits and your clothing.
3. Stir the solids into the liquid until thoroughly mixed and it looks like the powders are dissolved. They will not dissolve fully, but they will appear more blended.
4. Drop in 30 drops of the lavender essential oil and stir well.
5. Let the mixture cool slightly and then pour the deodorant into your tubes. You can also pour the mixture into glass jars if you do not want to use plastic tubes.
6. Let the mixture firm up at room temperature overnight or you can place your tubes into the fridge, so they solidify quicker.

You DIY lavender and charcoal deodorant will last a few months if you keep it in a cool, dry place. Bathroom cabinets are a great place to store your deodorant. You can also keep it in the fridge to ensure it does not melt and it will last for longer as well.

This recipe is great because you can also increase the measurements to make more at a time. You can keep your extra tubes in the fridge, so when you run out there are plenty more and ready for use!

An there you have it – a natural and organic deodorant that you made all on your own for a minimal cost. If you feel like you aren’t quite ready to make your own deodorant at home, that’s ok. Check out our 10 best natural and organic deodorants article! And if you are really feeling in the DIY mode, make your own face scrub next.