Homemade Deodorant [Easy and Effective]

Making our own homemade products is a blast! Today I will share yet another way we are cutting the Walmart cord and choosing a different, better, more prudent way of life.

diyNatural reader Samantha said, “I was extremely, extremely skeptical. I think even a little part of me wanted to be able to come back and say – no it doesn’t work. But, it really did! Like others here, I already feel that I’m sweating less, but as much as I’m excited about not smelling anymore (who wouldn’t be), I’m more excited that I won’t be throwing away shirts that are ruined by deodorant stains. Forget what I save on the deodorant, I will save hundreds of dollars not replacing my clothing!”

Why Homemade?

I like to address this up front to displace the common assumption that homemade products are made simply for the savings… savings is just one handsome fruitage.

In reality, the homemade modus operandi goes far beyond saving a few bucks. More accurately, it seeks to tap into the oft ignored foundations of family togetherness, self reliance, creative exploration, and exercised independence.

It Has To Be Sustainable

If you are a frequent follower of our homemade endeavors you should know that I require homemade products to be easy to make.

For us, difficult recipes requiring a lot of uncommon ingredients is simply not sustainable! So we seek to always adopt solutions that are easy to make and contain common ingredients (whenever possible), yet work extremely well. Today’s recipe will embody that product philosophy more so than any other!

Natural Homemade Deodorant Recipe

To make your own natural homemade deodorant, follow these simple steps:

1. Purchase a bottle of 99% Isopropyl rubbing alcohol (approximately $1.00/pint) or a bottle of 95% grain ethyl alcohol
2. Purchase a small refillable spray bottle (we use the 3oz variety commonly found in the personal product travel section) – approximately $1.00/bottle
3. Pour the alcohol into the spray bottle
4.Spray under your arms for protection against body odor caused by bacteria

Before you ask…

Does it work? Yes – it works. Yes – it’s that simple. Yes – it’s that inexpensive. Believe it… I have been doing exactly this for about 3 months now and will never go back to expensive, chemical laden, store bought deodorants.

Does it sting/hurt? It depends. It never stings for me because I do not shave my pits. My wife said that using the spray immediately after shaving does sting, but will only last for a second or two and is definitely doable.

Does it smell? It smells like alcohol, but can be supplemented with a few drops of your favorite essential oil. In our experience the scent of the oil will not last and is primarily beneficial to mask the alcohol smell during application.

Will I stink? No… remember question number 1 – it works. The alcohol kills the bacteria that cause the odor.

Will I still sweat? Yes, and you should. Sweating is good for you; it is your body’s way of releasing toxins. If you blocking your sweat pores by using antiperspirant you impede your body’s ability to naturally release those toxins.

Impeding this process can also effect the pH balance in your body leaving your body more prone to infection by harmful viruses and bacteria. Using the alcohol allows your body to release the toxins unimpeded, yet still eliminates odors by killing the bacteria outside the body.

How long does it last? Depending on how much you exert yourself, it may last all day, or you may need to reapply. In my experience I have NEVER had to apply it more than twice in one day – once in the morning… and once in the evening.

Will it stain or bleach my clothes? No, not in our experience. I would say as long as you are not dumping copious amounts of alcohol all over your clothing you should be fine.

Is it safe? Using alcohol as deodorant is just as safe as use as an antiseptic on cuts and scrapes. Unless someone has an allergy to alcohol, using it as a deodorant is safe for adults and young adults alike. Some research has shown continued use of isopropyl alcohol on the skin can have adverse effects, as an alternative use a high proof ethyl alcohol instead.

Why haven’t I heard of this before? Because companies cannot make money by marketing it.

 
Are there other uses for alcohol? Sure… be creative. I always encourage people to decrease their dependence on consumer products, and increase their own ability to “think and live outside the box!”
http://www.diynatural.com/natural-homemade-deodorant/