As unpleasant at is can be, sweating is an important aspect of our bodies’ ability to regulate our temperature, and when sweat combines with the bacteria on our skin, it can cause body odor. But nobody wants to smell like body odor, which is why we use antiperspirants or deodorants (or both!)
But many store-bought antiperspirants contain parabens, aluminum, dyes and a bunch of other things people may not want to put on their skin. Deodorants, on the other hand, tend to have simpler ingredients, and while they don’t stop sweating, that’s not necessarily a bad thing — it helps cool us off, after all!
Luckily, you can whip up a simple, all-natural deodorant at home using just two ingredients. It controls odor without blocking sweat, and without any harsh or risky chemicals.
One thing I like about this formula is that you can use it as a roll-on or a spray. Since many people have strong preferences about how they apply deodorant, it’s nice to have options!
How To Make A Natural Deodorant Roll-On
You’ll need:
Directions:
Add 12 drops of Defend to a roller bottle, then fill the rest of the way with fractionated coconut oil. Replace the roller top and shake well to mix.
Bonus Tip: This tool makes it easy to pop the lids off essential oil bottles and roller bottles!
How To Make A Natural Deodorant Spray
You’ll need:
- 30 drops Defend Essential Oil Blend
- 1 Tbsp vegetable glycerin
- Witch hazel*
- 4 ounce spray bottle
*Note: Witch hazel his included here for its natural cleansing and toning properties, and because it’s pleasantly cool, evaporates quickly, and can help soothe irritated skin. Learn more about the benefits of witch hazel here.
Directions:
Add 30 drops of Defend and 1 tablespoon of glycerin to a small spray bottle, then fill the rest of the way with witch hazel. Replace the spray top and shake well to mix.
Tips For Using A Natural Deodorant
- Natural formulas don’t last quite as long as conventional deodorants, so you’ll benefit from applying them more frequently. Keep some in your purse so you can reapply it once or twice throughout the day.
- If you’ve been using an antiperspirant, your body may need time to adjust to your new routine. You might feel sweatier than usual for the first few weeks.
The million-dollar question about natural deodorant is always the same: does it work? I’ve been using it exclusively for some time now and have been completely satisfied with the results!
I don’t experience what I would call “excessive sweating,” though, so if you do, be aware that neither of these natural deodorants will do you any good in terms of preventing sweat. Only an antiperspirant will help in that regard — just something to keep in mind!
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Have you ever tried a natural deodorant?
Thanks Brittany and Jen for the light at the end of the tunnel! I am quite positive diet has a lot to do with it …its getting them to change (drop the sugar and wheat) that will be a huge undertaking. I will pass along your wisdom!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Lori
I have a 21 yr old daughter that has the same issues. This also started for her as a teenager, we tried the prescription deo for a few years but she didn’t care for the side-effects. She is a college soccer player, eats the right foods, etc. I don’t know that I can get her to stop using an anti-perspirant but I’m going to ask her to try and will make the spray deodorant using the witch hazel and eo’s. I can’t wait to see if this works for her. She hates that she “pits out” every white shirt she owns.
Keeping my fingers crossed!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I’ve never heard of using straight oils and witch hazel. I love witch hazel, and found it to be a huge relief for post partum healing. I’ve been making my own deodorant (baking soda+coconut oil) for a year or more now & love it, but would like to try your spray idea. Thanks for sharing!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Since there seem to be some very knowledgeable people posting here, I thought I’d pick your brains. I have an 18-year old daughter and 16-year old son who sweat ridiculous amounts. Not necessarily too smelly, just absolutely drenched in the armpit area. My daughter, being humiliated by awful pit stains and constant wet marks (even in cold weather when she wasn’t even hot she would literally be dripping down her arm) convinced me to get a prescription roll on that really does dry things out but has to be followed by a cortisone cream for itchiness. Now the son, with the same situation, is using the same drug.
Be gentle…please don’t go all crazy on me for allowing a prescription drug and a cortisone cream to be used on my children. I know…bad mom…poison…sweating is normal…and all that jazz. I’m ready for a change. The super drying brand name antiperspirants don’t work for them (I’m sure they are terribly dangerous too). But you do what you have to do to keep the kids happy. Does anyone else have this problem? Hubby and I do not have this affliction.
I will be trying a couple of these deo/antiperspirant recipes to see if they will help the kids. Can’t wait to see the “manly” version too.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Hey Lori,
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I know their suffering! I too am an excessive armpit sweater. It started in late junior high for me and was at its worst in high school. I could pit sweat through several layers of shirts back then. I used to never be able to raise my arms because I always had wet pit circles.In 8th grade I used a prescription sweat blocker called Drysol, which was a nightmare. I still to this day remember how bad it itched and burned. It had aluminum chloride in it in high concentrations, which I now know was very dangerous to use and it does scare me that I put that on my body as a youngster. I didn’t use it long though, maybe 6 months? 8? Anyways, to this day as nearly a 30 year old, I still battle it occasionally. I manage it, I guess you could say. I know from years of experience if certain colors of shirt will just get ruined with pit stain residue immediately, like white or light yellow. I don’t wear grey because it shows a wet armpit circle the very worst. I know that certain styles of shirt will trigger me to sweat more if the armpit part is tight. Some shirts don’t cause me to over sweat at all. I use Secret antiperspirant, but like I said, that doesn’t keep all the sweating away. What’s funny is I swear I sweat less if i don’t wear the antiperspirant. But then i worry that I smell. I feel that it’s tied to hormones, which makes sense that it was worst in the height of puberty. But coming from someone who’s been there, at least you can tell your kids that it will improve! Also, a trick I’ve learned for keeping the pit stains out of clothes is that I rinse the pit area of any of my high-risk shirts immediately in warm water when I take them off. Then, before I put the clothes in the washing machine, I first soak the pits of high-risk shirts in white vinegar. The PH of vinegar helps break up deodorant and sweat stains. I also don’t put those shirts in the dryer because that locks in the stains. That’s just how I live now, and believe me I wish I didn’t have to, but it’s not so bad really. I’d rather go through the extra work to save my shirts!
I sweat far more than the average person as well. I’m just sitting on the couch in my nice air-conditioned house and offending myself with my sweat. I honestly don’t know what the answer is. Part of the issue is, and I found this out the hard way, is probably what they’re eating. And antiperspirants, too. Get them to stop eating wheat and grains an no sugars, sodas, artificial sweeteners, or processed foods. Feed them beef, chicken, veggies, and fruits. And animal fat. REAL butter in stick form, heavy cream, etc. Very good for you. Also, buy some unflavored beef gelatin. If they have a daily tea or coffee mix some in there. Or make jello with it, or you can find other recipes for it. Also, have them stop using soaps. Soaps kill all the good bacteria on the skin and forces it to stop producing oil, so your body fights back and over produces. Just have them shower with a scrubber and water as hot as they can stand it. And no antiperspirants! Antiperspirants block the sweat glands and the body starts freaking out and pumping out sweat as fast as it can.
My diet change to what I mentioned, my switch from body washes and soaps to a scrubber and hot water, and leaving the antiperspirants behind has definitely helped. It’s not perfect, but I can wear a color other than black now. I even wear tank tops. I could not have done that six months ago. Do I still smell? Yes. do I still sweat? Yes. But it’s much, much better, and it doesn’t roll down my body (unless I’m outside because this is Florida and it’s super hot and humid here).
Good luck!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Also, the stuff you use to wash clothes with could have something to do with it. I use things with no smell. It’s a bit sad to do laundry and have my clothes smell like… nothing at all, but it’s better than the detergent and softener mixing with sweat. Ew.
I use Arm&Hammer free&clear unscented. I put a teensy bit of that in. You do not need nearly as much detergent as they say you do. It’s a gimmick to make you buy more, and it also clogs your washing machine. Put like an eighth to a tenth of what it says to use in. Then put a healthy dose of Borax powder in. I put far more borax than I do detergent. Then I wash. After they’re done washing, I do an extra rinse with white cleaning vinegar. You can use 1/2-1 cup, depending on how dirty the clothes are. And I don’t put everything in the dryer anymore, as that sets in smells and stains and such. I hang the clothes on hangers on the shower rod and turn a box fan on setting 2 and let that run for the afternoon.
Between the diet change, the shower change, the product change, and the laundry change, good things should happen. Just tell them to be patient, good things do take time and this is no different. They will sweat worse in the beginning, but it will lessen over time. In about five months their bodies should be normal bodies, not toxin filled bodies. Until then, I guess wear black?
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I know most of the people posting here are probably from America, and things are different in America. But, that being said, when I lived in South Africa, I had a friend (female) who had a problem of excessive sweating (arm pits). It’s actually a medical condition that is covered under their healthcare plans! Can you imagine? She is able to have laser treatments on her armpits that make her sweat glands less active (or something). Twice a year she gets the treatments and helps her tremendously. I’m not advocating that. But, I’m telling you some information that I’ve not seen listed here. For someone who drips sweat down their arms in even cool weather, laser treatments may be a huge relief.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Personally, I did sweat quite a bit. However, for the past 8 months I’ve been using coconut oil and sometimes a homemade deodorant that has beeswax and EOs and baking soda…sometimes that works, sometimes not. I’ll try this recipe with witch hazel. Thanks everyone!
I have a condition called hidradenitis suppurativa and can’t use store bought deodorants at all. Not even the mineral and other natural ones.
Does anyone know if the oils will affect my condition? I don’t really even need deodorant anymore since I’ve had so many surgeries under my arms and don’t sweat normally anymore. But I do still sweat and in the summer can end up a little fragrant at the end of the day sometimes.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I have a condition called hidradenitis suppurativa and can’t use store bought deodorants at all. Not even the mineral and other natural ones. (If you’re curious- http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/hidradenitis-suppurativa/DS00818)
Does anyone know if the oils will affect my condition? I don’t really even need deodorant anymore since I’ve had so many surgeries under my arms and don’t sweat normally anymore. But I do still sweat and in the summer can end up a little fragrant at the end of the day sometimes.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.so happy to know you could get alcohol free witch hazel. I’ve never seen before but always wondered if it was sold because the acohol one dries out my skin! So happy!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Commercial products have began to relly scare me as I get older and see what is happening to people around me. I am going to try your formula for natural deodorant. Will modify for manly manly scent.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I just bought
Please log in or create a free account to comment.original witch hazel as an astringent is that the right one it has alchol
Hi Jill
As usual your site is always full of enriching info. I have been using baking soda mixed with rice flour. Rice flour has a whitening effect. I put them separately in a pepper shaker. As regards to fractional coconut oil, here in Malaysia – hot tropical country we can only find the oil in liquid form (organic and cold pressed) and it costs USD 20 for a litre.
God bless and warmest wishes
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Patricia
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Please log in or create a free account to comment.Ok Ladies-
I am very intrigued! Now the question I have for you all is for my husband. He has the ever popular excessive underarm sweat. Yeah, I know, overshare! He’s tired of it. I tried making the baking soda, cornstarch and coconut oil mix, but it tore his underarm to shreds. Any suggestions??
Thanks!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I absolutely love all the posts on natural health and beauty! We have been avid essential oil users for several years now. I have to ask – why the switch from DoTerra to Spark?
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Spark has the same quality for less moulah
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Ditto on the manly scent. I need to make some for my sons. The Axe they are addicted to is choking us all….help!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Love all of the great ideas I find on this site! I’ve been using Thai crystal deodorant spray. I’m wondering if anyone has tried or knows about adding the essential oils directly to this spray, rather than creating a new spray with the witch hazel. Will the crystal spray mix well with the EOs?
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I made this and I am in love! All these years of never finding the right deoterant. Nothing ever worked for odor or sweating. I made the spray recipe and added lemongrass which I heard was good for sweating. I have to say 2 days and I have had ZERO odor and ZERO sweating! I am speachless…
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Awesome! Thanks for sharing Kim! :-)
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Kim… Did you add lemongrass with the oils or by itself?
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Am I crazy? I count *five* ingredients…. LOL
Please log in or create a free account to comment.1.) Essential oils
2.) coconut oil
OR
1.) Essential oils
2.) Witch Hazel
It’s kinda like going through the express line at the grocery store: are 5 apples one item or five?? He he he…..hmmmmm…
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Thank you Teri! LOL. I guess it’s all in how you look at it. :-)
Have any of ya’ll found that the oil or witch hazel leaves stains on your clothes?
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I made the roll-on deodorant with the fractionated coconut oil and it did stain my clothes. I didn’t see the stains until I had pulled my clothes out of the dryer. Maybe if I had noticed before washing and had used a pre-stain buster, then it may have prevented the stain. With that said, the roll-on was effective as a deodorant, and I didn’t notice sweat staining my clothes after working outside.
Today I made the spray deodorant with the Thayers Rose Petal Witch Hazel (which I love). I will try and remember to get back with an update on its effectiveness on odor.
I have been impressed with the suggestions on Jillee’s site. Thank you Jillee.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I made the spray on, and I also like it. I’m still partial to the roll-on, but only wear it when I’m in my work at home clothes.
I like this post (not that I don’t love them all). I have been looking for a good recipe for deodorant that I would make for myself. Thank you so much! You all remind me of me and my (2) sisters.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Love this!!! I can’t wait to see the manly version. I think my husband would love it. Will be waiting for your post!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I love the home-made bath/beauty/health products. One thing that does NOT work at my house is the deodorant. I’m assuming it is the coconut oil. I haven’t been brave enough to try it with any other oil, yet. The problem we have is that since we’ve changed to home-made products, our whites (undershirts, etc) have taken on a dingy tone that just wasn’t there with the store bought stuff.
My first attempt at home made deodorant consisted of coconut oil with arrowroot and baking soda. Simple — but something in this did not agree with our laundry. Maybe it is the funky water out here in the mid-west.
Any suggestions on a substitute carrier for the EOs or cornstarch/baking soda options?
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Jae,
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I only use the coconut oil because it absorbs into the skin so quickly, and is good for the body and skin too. It also helps the baking soda and cornstarch stay in place. I think if you just dust your underarms with the mix while they a damp the mix will work just as well.
Hopefully, although much time has passed, this will be of help:
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Use FRACTIONATED coconut oil instead of raw. It has no odor and washes out of materials easily. Becoming the most popular base oils by used by massage therapists/masseuses for exactly those reasons. You might want to Google ‘base oils’ used in aromatherapy and find one that absorbs easily.
I use straight coconut oil after washing with Dr. Bronner’s lavender soap. It took a couple of days for any odor to completely go away and for my body to adjust to not using deordorant. I think any odor I have now is actually better than what was mixed with the toxic deordorant I was using.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I’d like to see your flower beds!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.My problem is my underarms are extremely dark. Yet my skin is fair, so it is very embarrassing. I keep reading that I might have an allergy to deodorants/antiperspirants. Has anyone ever heard of this problem and know a fix? I’ve never tried natural deodorants so would this maybe help? Thank you!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Having a true allergic reaction to something you apply to your skin usually means you have a rash or hives, so I doubt your dark underarms are due to the use of deodorant. You might try looking up Acanthosis Nigricans. This medical condition can be caused by a variety of things.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I had my underarms turn dark-ish when I was using a natural deodorant made with Tea Tree oil. Apparently that can cause the darkening. After I stopped using it, it faded.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Nikki, my husband also gets very dark under his arms during summer, it seems the sweat irritates the skin. We have used zinc and caster oil cream, its used for baby’s rashes, and it works. Try using natural products once the darkness goes. good luck.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Its a bit late for a reply but I figure I will try anyway :)
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I also get the dark armpits, and tried making a ton of different deodorants. My doctor said it ends up being a type of fungus, I found wiping my underarms with witch hazel and then using an unti-fungal cream helped then I started using Milk of Magnesium which has been wonderful. I just apply it to a face pad and wipe in on my armpits.
I’ve been using this (sans frankincense, since I don’t have it yet) for 4 days. I’m really loving it, due to that it works! Entertaining perk: I’ve been asking my 3 sons to smell my armpits to help m check. I’ve been told I smell “good,” “like flowers,” and like a “nice man.” LOL! I love the ideas from you and your sisters, Jillee!!!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.This sounds great. I never wanted to be bothered with the long list of ingredients & melting for most of the DIY deodorants– but like the idea just adding EO’s for their scent and anti bacterial properties (& such). For quite a while now I have been using organic coconut oil (non fractionated) as a underarm deodorant and it works wonderfully. I apply it with my finger tips–any extra I massage into my cuticles and finger nails. It is very good for the nails.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Questions:
Do the EOs separate after a while? It seems like the coconut oil would stay mixed; but what of the Witch Hazel?
How critical is it that glass bottles are used?
I always give my blends a little shake before I use them to make sure everything is mixed evenly. Some oils are heavier than others and I feel the heavier oils separate, so I just give a shake to make sure it’s evenly distributed.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.You can put oils in plastic bottles that are made specifically for oils. If you use plastic that’s not made for oils, you can feel inside the bottle that there are scratchy lines where the oils separate the plastic over even a short period of time.