Alright readers, this is it! If anyone follows my facebook or twitter, you know that last weekend I made some homemade deodorant to try out. My grandma, two of her sisters (my great-aunts) and her daughter (my aunt) are all breast cancer survivors. There has been some speculation about a link between deodorant and breast cancer (read more here), and I’d rather play is safe, considering my genes. Now, if anyone out there has used all natural “deodorant” you know it DOESN’T WORK. I have a HUGE fear of smelling … so this has been a big area of stress in my life. Then, I found it. I came across a “homemade deodorant” recipe on a few blogs I read. And I was hearing nothing but good things about it! How About Orange’s grandma went three days without reapplying and loved it. Four ingredients and a chance at (odorless) happiness? Why not try it?!
[Note: if I was still living in Illinois, some of these ingredients may have been difficult to find. But, considering I am now in California, everything was easily found.]
Now, before I get to the recipe, let’s chat about this week’s odor inducing activities that put this stuff to the test.
Monday and Tuesday: I went back to work this week, so that held sweat potential. Sadly, our boiler broke and the A/C was stuck on high. No sweat there, we FROZE!
Wednesday: Physical Therapy day — woo hoo? My therapist put me through the moves and I definitely broke a sweat. No time to shower between therapy and work. Quick smell check = still fresh and clean! A/C still on high at work… so no sweat there.
Thursday: The A/C shut off (read: office jumped to 80 degrees), just in time for our stressful open house. We were running around like chickens (ha!) and working up a sweat. A quick check while changing into my dress clothes after lunch? Smelling good! That night I talked to a LOT of parents in a very warm conference room — let me tell you, I was sweating. Checked before bed… smelling good!
Friday: Normal work day, nothing significant. Sorry 
Saturday: Here was a GREAT test — 95-100 degree heat and outside at the Scottish Highland Games in Pleasanton, CA all day. It was sooooo hot! We sweat like crazy walking around outside all day. And hung out with a lot of sweaty men in wool kilts. Quick check before bed? You aren’t going to believe this … smelling good! AHHH!
Sunday: A long morning at church working in the Special Needs Ministry — always a good workout! Then I came home to power wash and bleach scrub the lawn furniture on the front driveway. The rest of the evening was spent rearranging and cleaning the kitchen in a house without A/C. We were all sweating. Just checked … smelling good!
Are you sold yet? Well, here is your recipe — courtesy of How About Orange.
Ingredients:
- 1/4 cup baking soda ($1.19 for a box)
- 1/4 cup arrowroot powder ($5.99 for 20 oz.)
- 4 tablespoons coconut oil ($6.00 for 15 oz.)
- 10 drops/shakes grapefruit essential oil ($9.99 for 0.5 oz.)
- A tin or jar with lid
Directions:
- Mix it all together until you reach a desired consistency
- Put it in a tin and enjoy!
To apply it, just put some on your fingers, rub them together to soften it up and then rub it under those arms! I used tea tree oil instead of grapefruit, since it has anti-bacterial properties and smells ahhhh-mazing. Also, my house is warm, so it almost completely melted in my bathroom. I don’t mind, makes the application quicker! But if you’d prefer it to be more solid, I read putting it in the fridge can help! Let me know what you think!
<”3 )~
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