2021 edit: i no longer subscribe to or support the “all-natural” label. more here.
i’ve noticed a few of you are having some reactions to the baking soda. this isn’t uncommon. i’ve since scoured the hills for some gentle homemade deodorant alternatives that are (of course) chemical-free and crunchy!
> EDIT: 3/20/2019 – This post is from 2013 but is getting a lot of traffic recently. Since publishing, there has been an explosion of “green” deodorants available for purchase. Schmidt’s is currently the brand I use (baking soda-free options). It’s sold at Sprouts, Whole Foods, etc.
this post is sort-of kicking off SKIN WEEK (which will be longer than a week, btw. i have so much to share with you guys!! so it might be “skin weekS”), so get excited about that!
is there anything wrong with my other homemade deo? absolutely not! i still use it! i have recently added arabian rose to mine and LOVE it! i just want to give readers with more sensitive skin some options 🙂 also, if you travel a lot or live in a warmer climate, these recipes won’t run all over your clothes like the coconut oil recipe will. yay!
witch hazel & aloe deodorant spray (from Tristin, an AE reader!)
- in a spray bottle, mix 2 parts witch hazel with 1 part aloe vera
- add a few drops of any essential oil of your choice (tristin used lavender! i think grapefruit or rose would be lovely, too! clary sage and tea tree oil are recommended as the EOs that would most work to cover BO. but if you’re busy creating a little human inside you, please do NOT use clary sage!!! aka, avoid clary sage if you’re pregnant.)
- shake to mix ingredients and spray on your ‘pits!
distilled water & witch hazel deodorant spray
- in a spray bottle, add 2 parts distilled water and 1 part witch hazel
- add any EOs of your choice
- shake to mix ingredients, and spray away!
apple cider vinegar and witch hazel deodorant spray
- in a spray bottle, add 1 part acv, 6 parts distilled water, and 1/3 part witch hazel
- add some EO drops of your choice
- shake to mix ingredients, and spray away!
and of course you can add up to 1/4 part baking soda to the first 2 recipes (just make sure it dissolves) if you’d like, and if you’re not sensitive to baking soda.
and you also can of course put this in a rolly-ball container instead of a spray bottle. much more travel-friendly, right?
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just wondering if the xantham gum in the green tea cleanser is necessary / what does it do?
hi love. this is a deodorant post so I’m I sure of what cleanser you’re referring to. lemme know and I’ll be happy to help more 🙂 but in general xanthan gum is used as a thickener and gelling agent
A friend of mine suggested adding a little Himalayan sea salt to the mixture (I use ACV, distilled water, and witch hazel). It was already working well, but the salt has kept me from getting smelly at all. And I mean after yard work all day, running, etc. Who knew something so simple could be so effective?!
Thank you Alex for provided so much great information! Your blog has become my “crunchy” bible!
Will the apple cider vinegar leave a strong scent after it’s on?
I don’t want to walk around all day smelling like vinegar.
If you mask the smell with essentials oils it will be fine. 🙂
I have really sensitive skin so these options are great for me. Thanks a lot!
I made the witch hazel and aloe vera deodorant, an orange and a peppermint, both without baking soda. My husband says it makes his armpits smell like skunk… Why would it do that? Would adding the baking soda help?
distilled water? where to get? not from tap water?
Are there any natural store-bought deodorants you recommend?
I don’t know if anybody already mentioned it here, but Lime juice is excellent for armpit’s odor. Because limes can get expensive, what I do is, after using limes in my foods or drinks, I refrigerate it and reuse what little juice is left in those slices after I take a shower, one little slice per armpit and then throw it away. Have been doing it for a long time (finally ditched the deodorant) and hasn’t had any smell so far!