This super simple recipe is an adapted version of a very popular Natural Harry recipe: Deodorant Bars. They are one of over seventy simple and sustainable recipes for natural and low-tox DIY home and body products in my 3rd book HOME by Natural Harry. There are great natural deodorants on the market these days, but it’s satisfying to avoid wastage and make your own from scratch, especially when it’s this easy and economical! I love adding tea tree essential oil for its antibacterial, anti-fungal and deodorising properties plus lavender for its calming scent. You can play around to create a scent of your own liking, making sure to chose oils that are ok for topical use. Other favourites of mine are grapefruit and vanilla. It's nice knowing you are not adding unnecessary chemicals to your skin, especially directly to your underarm area, while still helping to naturally deodorise. The base of this recipe is shea butter. Shea butter is the fat extracted from the nut of the African shea tree. It melts at body temperature, making it an ideal base for body butters, moisturisers and hair products. It's thick and rich but also readily absorbed by the skin. It has a soft feel and a little goes a very long way with this rich ingredient. Properly processed, shea butter has a shelf life of 24 months. Unrefined shea butter does have a slight odour so I suggest buying refined shea butter especially for products such as deodorant. The main active ingredient in this recipe is baking soda (or bicarbonate of soda) for its deodorising qualities. If you shave your underarms you may find that this ingredient might irritate your skin. In that case, you can omit it altogether and increase the amount of arrowroot powder. Enjoy! x Harry
Makes: 100ml. approx. (3 1/2 fl oz) Prep time: 5 minutes + cooling time Equipment: Double boiler, small jar(s)
60 grams shea butter 1 1/2 tablespoons bicarb soda 1 tablespoon arrowroot powder 20 drops essential oils of choice (see notes above)
In a double boiler, gently melt the shea butter over a low heat.
Add in all other ingredients and whisk or stir them well.
Pour the mixture into small jars. Transfer to the refrigerator for a minimum of 1 hour to set.
To use: Using either a clean finger or a small clean applicator, spread a small amount under your arm. No more than you would with a deodorant stick or roller. Patch test first.
If you live in a cool climate, you can also make this mixture into bars. You can find the recipe in your copy of HOME by Natural Harry or a handy recipe and video here.