Coconut Oil Deodorant | Zero Waste Swaps
September 23, 2020
If there's one thing I've always struggled with it's deodorant. About 5 years ago I invested in a crystal deodorant in the hopes I could step away from all the toxic ones I'd been using before but I had no luck, it just didn't work for me, I feel as though I never got over the "purging" stage, so I had to go back to chemical deodorants.
Once I started to get more into the sustainability topic within my own life, I knew this was one of the changes I had to make, but I was terrified of spending money on a sustainable deodorant for it not to work for me, which would be a waste on so many levels. I tried one with very few ingredients and made in my hometown, but it irritated my skin beyond belief, I tried a crystal one again during quarantine thinking maybe this time it would work, seeing as I wasn't going outside I didn't need to feel self-conscious about my smell while purging the nasties out, but still no luck. I eventually tried a bio option, made in Europe and in a recycled plastic container, not zero waste but maybe a step in the right direction. Unfortunately, this was the worst one, within an hour of putting it on I felt as though I smelled awful, and the deodorant itself had a bitter scent (from the aloe vera) that just made it worse.
Missing all matters of luck, I decided to try to make my own, so I headed to my local LIDL, bought their bio coconut oil, made in Europe and sold in a glass jar, at a super great price, bought some bulk bicarbonate of soda at my local drugstore and went home to try my hand at making my own deodorant.
Now, I believe I've seen this recipe somewhere before, but I can't seem to find it anywhere, so apologies if it's yours.
DIY
All I did was melt 5 tablespoons of coconut oil and then mix in 4 to 5 level tablespoons of bicarb, making sure to mix it well so it doesn't get too grainy - I've since shared this recipe with my brother and his girlfriend and they've tried it with a few drops of essential oils, so if that's something you'd be interested in, you can totally do it.
Once everything is well mixed, I poured into an old glass jar, and let it set.
Tips
- Depending on where you live, this could get really liquid-y or really hard, I find that keeping it in my bathroom drawer keeps it nice and soft but not completely runny, which is great.
- Using only about a pea-sized amount, rub the mix in your armpit and massage it in, letting it dry a bit before getting dressed.
- Because bicarbonate of soda has a different pH level to our bodies, if you have sensitive skin it can cause dryness and itchiness, I've seen no sign of any of those so far, but you can test your skin's sensitivity before applying it as a deodorant.
- Once or twice a week exfoliate your skin to make sure you're not clogging our pores with the coconut oil, I usually do it with used coffee grounds which really help keeping my skin looking brighter and feeling cleaner.
Review
Where has this deodorant been all my life? I find it incredibly easy to apply, and it actually feels nice to massage it into your skin, there is some graininess but nothing that bothers me or that I feel throughout the day.
Just like I should, I still sweat, this is not an antiperspirant, nor do I want it to be, and even though my sweat still smells a bit unpleasant - which is normal while I'm purging years of chemicals - I find that the odour really disappears after a few minutes, I'm guessing this is mostly due to the bicarb which is known for its ability to absorb odours.
I've had no problems with dry or itchy skin, and I find that this is where the coconut oil really helps, keeping my skin moisturized while the baking soda works its magic.
By then end of the day, I still smell somewhat fresh, or better yet, smell of nothing, I don't feel as though my deodorant has dried up on my skin, or transferred into my clothes, nor that it completely disappeared, especially because once I shower I can definitely feel the scent of coconut washing away. I only apply it once, at night after I shower, and the next day I never feel the need to reapply, but you definitely could if you needed to.
All in all, this is a LIFE SAVER!!! Let me know if you try this deodorant recipe and how it works out for you.
0 comments