8 Natural DIY Deodorant Alternatives and How to Make Them

Using baking soda as a deodorant is a simple way to combat body odor without harsh chemicals. Baking soda is a common kitchen ingredient that helps absorb moisture, but be careful because too much of it can irritate skin.3

Follow this recipe to make a gentle baking soda deodorant at home:

• Mix 1/8 of a teaspoon of baking soda with a little water (without dissolving the baking soda in the water)

That's it! Then, rub the mixture onto your armpits.

Cornstarch is another natural sweat-absorbing ingredient.4 Use baking soda and cornstarch for double the absorption power: mix one part baking soda with six parts cornstarch—no water—and dust a little on your underarms.

Lemon juice is rich in citric acid, which kills bacteria. So, this ingredient is great for killing odor under your arms. But, lemon juice won't necessarily soak up your sweat. The bacterial processes in sweat cause body odor in the first place, so applying lemon juice to your armpits will at least banish the smell.

Some swear by swiping a sliced lemon under their arms every morning. And if you grab the lemon from the refrigerator, it's refreshing and odor-eating.

Two caveats, though: Don't apply lemon juice to just-shaven skin or before exposing underarms to the sun. Lemons are phototoxic, making skin more susceptible to burning when exposed to UV light.5

Rubbing alcohol is another inexpensive and easy deodorant that kills bacteria causing an unfavorable fragrance.

Simply fill a spray bottle with alcohol and spritz your underarms to get rid of odor.

Add a few drops of your favorite essential oil to give the deodorant a nice scent. Lavender and eucalyptus are popular skincare fragrances. If you add tea tree, you could give your spray even more fighting power against odor-causing bacteria.6

If you're attached to the creaminess of traditional deodorants, you can replicate that feeling with coconut oil, a mild antibacterial.7 The only problem is that coconut oil melts into a liquid when heated above 80 degrees (cooler than skin). The solution: Mix it with cornstarch and baking soda.

Instructions

1. Combine 1/4 cup baking soda with 1/4 cup arrowroot powder or cornstarch in a bowl and mix with a fork.
2. Add in coconut oil gradually, starting with a few tablespoons, until it becomes a thick paste.
3. Store the mixture in an airtight container or put it into an empty deodorant dispenser.

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons shea butter
• 3 tablespoons baking soda
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 2 tablespoons cocoa butter
• Oil from 2 vitamin E gel caps
• Essential oil (optional)

Another way to replicate the creaminess of conventional deodorants is with shea and cocoa butter. They smoothen skin with high concentrations of vitamins and fatty acids, especially when mixed with the powerhouse nutrient vitamin E.8

First, melt all the ingredients except the vitamin E oil and stir. Once melted, add in the oil and essential oils of your choice to improve the smell. Pour the mixture into a container and place in the fridge to set. This recipe yields a 1/4 pint.

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup candelilla wax
• 1/2 cup jojoba oil
• 1/3 cup arrowroot powder
• 1/8 cup baking soda
• 1/2 cup shea butter
• Essential oils (optional)

For those who don't like the slimy feeling of a cream deodorant, candelilla wax is the solution. Its consistency is similar to beeswax, which helps to hold all the active ingredients together. Candelilla wax also helps dilute some of the stronger ingredients so as not to overwhelm your skin.

Mix jojoba oil, arrowroot powder, and baking soda. Using a double boiler or similar setup, melt the candelilla wax. Pour in the jojoba oil, arrowroot powder, and baking soda mixture. Once everything is liquified, stir in the shea butter. Allow the mixture to cool, pouring it into deodorant tubes before it's fully set.

Apple cider vinegar is a multitasking ingredient commonly used in natural skincare. It's anti-inflammatory, rich in exfoliating acids, pH-restoring, antibacterial, and antifungal.10 Its antibacterial properties are especially helpful in staving off body odor.

Simply soak a cloth in apple cider vinegar and swipe it on your armpits for a natural deodorant. It will have a strong vinegar smell at first, but it's virtually odorless once it's dry.

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 tablespoon bentonite clay
• 1 tablespoon arrowroot powder
• 1 teaspoon kaolin clay
• 1 1/5 tablespoon coconut oil
• 1 teaspoon candelilla wax
• Essential oils (optional)

Bentonite clay is formed by aged volcanic ash. An ancient home remedy, it's most commonly used today as a face mask. Bentonite clay is rich in detoxifying iron, calcium, copper, and zinc.11 It also has strong moisture-absorbing properties and is thought to be gentler on the skin than baking soda.12

To make bentonite clay deodorant, first combine both clays with arrowroot powder. Using a double boiler, heat the candelilla wax, stirring in the coconut oil when it's almost melted. Gradually add in the clay and arrowroot powder mixture, constantly stirring to get rid of clumps, and continue to stir while removing from heat and allowing to cool. Add in your essential oils before it's set, then transfer to an airtight container and wait an hour before using.