No one wants to discuss the topic of body odor, but it is a necessary one. When puberty starts and your smell changes, we are programmed to run to the drug store and buy deodorant. Yes, it solves the problem. But will it cause other issues in the future?
Deodorants work primarily by killing the odor-causing bacterial in your armpits, but by doing so they often kill good bacterial also. In addition to killing off the good bacteria, they leach chemicals into the body through the skin and lymphatic system.
Just on one bottle of name-brand deodorant the ingredients read: aluminum zirconium tetracholorhydrex Gly 19.2% (anhydrus), cyclopentasiloxane, stearyl alcohol, C12-15 alkyl benzoate, PPG-14 butyl ether, cyclodextrin, petrolatum, phenyl trimethicone, hydrogenated caster oil, talc, fragrance, ozokerite, behenyl alcohol, panthenyl, triacetate, tocopheryl, acetate, acetyl glucosamine. Wow and that does not include the chemicals used to create the fragrance.
A question one may ask is why is there Aluminum in my deodorant? Aluminum is placed in deodorant to provide the antiperspirant side of many name brand deodorants. Yes, excess perspiration can be annoying but perspiring is very important for the body. Here is what sweating does: it boosts endorphins, detoxifies the body, and prevents colds and illnesses. (MedicalDaily)
A study by Dr. Kris McGrath of Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine suggests that the aluminum in deodorants could be a cause for breast cancer. (CBSNews) Others also suggest it may be a cause for several other illnesses like Alzheimer’s, birth defects, allergies, and hormonal imbalances.
So, why would we introduce so many chemicals into our body to decrease body odor and prevent the body from naturally detoxing itself? Try some natural deodorant recipes instead.
Many natural deodorant recipes harness the natural anti-bacterial properties of essential oils, healing powers of coconut oil, and odor eliminating properties of baking soda. Many great essential oils to use in deodorants include: lavender, rosemary, peppermint, lemongrass, and sandalwood. Natural deodorants provide the same odor protection while protecting your body from chemical overexposure.
Quick and Easy Natural Deodorant Recipe
- 6 T Coconut Oil
- 1/4 cup (4 T) baking soda
- 1/4 cup (4 T) Arrowroot or Cornstarch
- Essential Oils (optional)
INSTRUCTIONS
- Mix baking soda and arrowroot or cornstarch together in a medium sized bowl.
- Mash in coconut oil with a fork until well mixed.
- Add essential oils if desired.
- Store in small glass jar or old deodorant container for easy use.
Probiotic Deodorant Bar Recipe
- ½ cup Coconut Oil
- 1/2 cup Shea Butter, Cacao Butter or Mango Butter (or a mix of all three equal to 1 part)
- ½ cup + 1 tsp Beeswax
- Teaspoon Vitamin E Oil – Optional
- 3 Tablespoons Baking Soda (Omit this if you have sensitive skin and just use extra arrowroot.)
- 1/2 cup Organic Arrowroot Powder
- 2-3 Capsules of High-Quality Probiotics that Don’t Need to be Refrigerated (Optional)
- Optional: Essential Oils of Choice – I use about 20 drops of lavender essential oil and also like citrus and frankincense.
DEODORANT BAR INSTRUCTIONS
- Combine coconut oil, shea (or other) butter, and beeswax in a double boiler, or a glass bowl over a smaller saucepan with 1 inch of water in it. Combine in a quart-size glass mason jar with a lid instead and place this in a small saucepan of water until melted. This will save your bowl, and you can just designate this jar for these type of projects and do not need to wash it out.
- Turn the burner on and bring water to a boil. Stir ingredients constantly until they are melted and smooth.
- Remove from heat and add the vitamin E oil, baking soda, arrowroot powder, probiotics, and essential oils. Make sure the mixture is not hot to the touch (warm is ok) so that the heat doesn’t kill the probiotics.
- Gently stir by hand until all ingredients are incorporated.
- If you will be making these into bars, pour into muffin tins or other molds while still liquid. If you will be putting into an old deodorant container to use like stick deodorant, let the mixture harden for about 15-20 minutes at room temperature and when it is about the consistency of peanut butter, use a spoon to scoop into the deodorant tube and pack down to fill. Then, leave the cap off overnight to completely harden before using.
Here is a video to help you out with all your deodorant making needs!
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