Homemade {Baking Soda Free} Deodorant
I loved, loved, loved my old homemade deodorant with baking soda and had used it for over two years. One day, I noticed my underarms getting super irritated. Of course, I thought nothing of it and continued on my merry way using it. That was until I started getting a bad and painful rash. Literally, my armpits started peeling… gross! Was that TMI? Sorry.
So, I tried a million things, like: taking a break from the homemade stuff for months, then going back to it, making other recipes with shea butter, and I even tried rubbing apple cider vinegar in my pits (to balance out the alkaline of the baking soda). Nothing worked, and I was super bummed. Then, I saw somewhere about just using essential oils! Perfect! Or so I thought. It helped against smell until I did some serious stress-sweating at work, and I think I could’ve made people faint from my stank. Was that too much TMI again? Luckily, this happened, because it gave me another idea! Why not make a recipe similar to the original, without the baking soda, and with a higher concentration of essential oils?
Homemade {Baking Soda Free} Deodorant
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup arrowroot powder (like this one)
or cornstarch (like this one)(antiperspirant properties) - 1/2 cup coconut oil (I use this one)
- 10-20 drops of tea tree (like this one) and/or lavender essential oil (like this one) (antibacterial, anti fungal)
- 10 drops of one, or a combination of lemon, orange, peppermint, and/or frankincense
(antiperspirant properties)
)
, 
, 
, and/or 
Side note: You could probably use another kind of oil or butter in place of coconut. I have not personally tried it, though.
Also, you can totally half this recipe!
If you need stronger protection, you can use 1/4 cup arrowroot powder and 1/4 cup bentonite clay (like this one)
or diatomaceous earth (like this one)
Directions:
Mix all the ingredients together and place in a jar (these are my favorite)
. It is easier to mix when the coconut oil is slightly melted.
To Use: Apply a small amount with hands. If you use peppermint, wash your hands after you apply, because if you touch your face, it will have a cool, tingling feeling for awhile. Not that I learned this from experience or anything… Ha.
I have been using this for about two weeks now and love it! No burning or rashes! Yay! Plus, it handles my stink way better than just the essential oils! Just so you know, there are a ton of people who can use the original recipe without any issues. Some of us, on the other hand, cannot – probably due to the alkaline property in the deodorant.
Have you had issues with homemade deodorant with baking soda in the past? What have you found that has helped?
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Hello! I’m just in the terrible rash after using for 2 months my beloved baking soda- coconut oil deodorant. What did you do to heal your skin?? I feel irritation, itch and they they are turning brown. I hope it heals and get back to normal. HELP!!
O no I’m sorry! That is not a fun stage to be in. When I broke out I started using this for a few months and it got much better. I have gone back to the original recipe. I started showering/shaving in the evening so my pits could rest during the night before putting on the deodorant in the morning and that has seemed to do the trick! If I have to shower in the morning and shave I will use this recipe. So basically I have both recipes on hand all the time! Hope you get to healing Karen
I had the same problem with the baking soda in my very favorite home made deodorant after breaking out horribly with a rash and dark brown, leathery skin. It was mostly my fault, as I ran out of Arrow Root Powder and decided to “compensate” with extra baking soda, not knowing the effect it would have. Then I shaved. Wowza Ouch!I was horrified. I Googled and found that the baking soda was indeed the culprit and as I continued my search I found a very soothing, healing recipe to apply and within a day or two, my underarms were feeling MUCH better and the rash went away within a week. I just combined 2 teaspoons coconut oil and 4 teaspoons Tea Tree Essential Oil. Hope it helps!
4 ‘teaspoons’ of tea-tree oil? Surely you meant 4 “drops”? 🙂
I developed a bad rash within a week of starting the baking soda deodorant. Hydracortisone cream cleared it up in less than a day, but I’ve been afraid to try the homemade deodorant again. I think I’ll try this and just omit the baking soda. Hope it works!
can you add aloe vera gel to this recipe?
Hi Amy,
Thanks for the tips! Coconut oil doesn’t bode well for me, not sure why. I experimented with some homemade coconut oil-based deodorants and none of them have done the trick. I like Lavilin (buy it on Amazon). It’s really great, but we’re trying to cut back on expenses, so will try this out!
Hi Amy!
I started using the deodorant with baking soda and for the first three weeks it was totally awesome, literally a miracle in a jar. But then my armpits started to rash, making my skin very irritated and darker than my natural skin tone.
So I’ll try this recipe of yours, but only with lavender essential oil, since EOs are really expensive here where I live (I’m from Brazil). Do you think it is going to be good as well? And was this baking soda free recipe as effective as the original one with it?
Thank you!!
I use straight milk of magnesia in a spray bottle. It’s wet, but has been a miracle for me! Works better than any natural or chemical type I’ve ever tried. This sounds good, though, and I will try it as an alternate. Probably a good idea to switch off once in a while.
I too have had the same issues with baking soda. Thanks for this recipe! I was wondering if there is a benefit to using arrowroot powder rather than corn starch? Thanks!
Hi all,
Just wanted to share my experience. I used the amazing baking soda deodorant for a few weeks before I noticed a darkening under my arms followed by a horrible red raw rash. I used coconut oil to help clear it up and then a magic balm called “the green balm” if you haven’t used it I strongly suggest you do as it’s amazing (not endorsing just telling you my experience) the balm took away all the dark skin by making it peel away and then left baby soft skin. Then I went back to the oil baking soda after, 2 applications the rash and dark skin was back. So now I am using the balm and coconut oil to clear it and have just made a batch of baking soda free deodorant. Fingers crossed it works! Xx
Hi Carla. Did it work as well without baking soda? 🙂 x
I too was enjoying my homemade deodorant that works incredibly well and I never got a rash but the skin under my arms started to get dark almost grey in some areas and it was very bothersome. I made a lightening serum that worked like magic but started to become less effective the longer I used the baking soda deo. =( I dont want to go back to regular store bought deodorants so I will give this recipe a try. I have tried so many different kinds of DIY Deo Recipes that were BS free but they dont work at all for me. I really hope to find a solution to my funk! Help!
Hi, i made this today but i did not have some of the ingredients mentioned above
instead, i used the coconut oil, cornstarch and sweet almond oil
do you think its okay?
Thank you so much for posting this! I just made my second batch of homemade deodorant w/BS and after one use have a rash again. When I made it before I thought the rash was due to using a lower quality essential oil for scent. However, I didn’t use any EO’s this time and the same thing happened. So, I started searching and found this recipe. I have already made it up and am going to use it tomorrow! 🙂
Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!
Thank you so much for this! i’m going to try it. I had the same exact problem as you. i used the deodorant for months with no problem, but now currently still have said rash ;/ i even tried decreasing the baking soda & it didn’t help. it is really upsetting because store bought deodorant just plain doesn’t work, i think it even makes you smell worse! again thank you for this!
also, for those of you looking to heal your armpits, i just read on a different site to use a tbsp of apple cider vinegar mixed with a cup of distilled water, apply that twice a day, no deodorant, until you heal up. then before putting on your deodorant apply the vinegar mixture , let it dry & apply deodorant as normal. it’s supposed to balance your pH. i’m going to try this for myself as well!
where do you buy your jars like this?
They’re called – Ball Quilted Crystal Jelly Jars 🙂
I am so glad I found this! I have been using a homemade deodorant that a friend gave me for a while now. I don’t know everything that’s in it, but I know there is a lot of baking soda. Lately my pits have been peeling, red, and sore. Ew! I figured it must be the BS so I started a hunt for something new. So many online have either baking soda, beeswax (i’m vegan), or both. Your recipe looks great and I can’t wait to try it!
I have used the mineral “Alum’ very successfully. It has no scent and is effective defence against odours and sweat. It works for 12 hours. Just keep the rock mineral in the bathroom and moisten it and rub it on your underarms. Leaves no residue and is natural.. Also treats dark underarms! 🙂
I had that exact thing happen with the baking soda version I had used for a year. Thought that was kind of strange. Going to try plain coconut oil and if that doesn’t work, this recipe is next up! Thanks!
I use something similar to your original recipe (that includes the baking soda), but I added beeswax pellets to help solidify it. Initially, I did have some rash and irritation at my underarms, but that has since subsided. The one thing I do have is permanent brown spots at both armpits. I have read that it does happen sometimes with natural deodorant, but it is a little unsightly. But, if that’s the only reaction I have to deal with, I’m OK with it.
Just tried the baking soda deodorant and I did get a rash after day 3. I used Thayers rose petal witch hazel w aloe and cleared up rash in one night. Yay! Will definitely try this recipe. Thanks.
Great deodorant! Made it and have been using it daily. Love that it really works. Better than expensive natural whole foods deodorants. Even hubby was impressed.
Hi!
Just love this recipe, but after a while, I got a horrible rash. So, I want to try the arrowroot powder, but can’t find it on IHerb, is arrowroot powder the same as arrowroot starch?
Hoping for an answer!
Yes, arrowroot powder is the same as arrowroot starch and arrowroot flour. You can usually find it in the baking aisle with the spices or near the flours and cornstarch.
I pinned your recipe for deodorant to share with customers who come into our health food store looking for the healthiest alternatives. Thanks for the recipe!
For the truly adventurous – Just wanted to let you know that neither my hubby nor I have needed to use deodorant of any kind for quite a few years now. We began our journey into veganism about 13 years ago and have been growing in knowledge and health ever since. Believe me, eating plant strong takes away the stink from your underarms, for the most part.