This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure.
Another great use for coconut oil! Coconut oil deodorant!
All you need for this, do it yourself coconut oil deodorant, is a few ingredients from your kitchen.
Just the other day my brother asked me which natural deodorant he should buy. After he read off the ingredients of a “natural” one, it was clear the deodorants labeled “all natural” are not so natural after all. I told him it would be best to make coconut oil deodorant at home! He was hesitant as he thought this would be a crazy concoction of many ingredients. But actually, you can make coconut oil deodorant using only one or two ingredients! Yes, after mentioning that, I had him convinced to try my coconut oil deodorant. Today, he let me know that the coconut oil deodorant works just as good as a store bought one.
Nearly all skincare products or beauty products that are typically made with toxic and harmful ingredients can be made using coconut oil. Coconut oil deodorant is just another one to add to the list.
Commercial Deodorants Harmful to Health
Store bought deodorants contain many harmful ingredients which can be absorbed through your skin. These include parabens, triclosan, TEA & DEA, aluminum, etc. These chemicals are particularly harmful in the case of deodorant as many shave right before applying deodorant. Shaving causes imperceptible nicks in the skin, through which the chemicals can enter your body.
But maybe you already knew there are toxic chemicals in deodorant but did you know they’re also in deodorants labeled “all natural”?……
Store Bought “All Natural” Deodorants are NOT So Natural After All
Even all natural deodorants contain ingredients such as talc, fluoride, titanium dioxide, DEA, poloxamer 335, and aluminum chlorohydrate. (I found these ingredients on a very popular “all natural” deodorant).
How is poloxamer 335 a natural substance? Well, it’s not. It is a manufactured chemical.
What about the aluminum chlorohydrate and DEA? Not natural either, they are easily absorbed through the skin and have been associated with high risks of Alzheimer’s. DEA is a known carcinogen and has been restricted in Europe.
Talc particles have been found to cause tumors in the lungs and ovaries.Talc is dangerously similar to asbestos.
What To Use Instead? Homemade Coconut Oil Deodorant!
How to Make Coconut Oil Deodorant
Here are two ways to make coconut oil deodorant. They are both equally effective! The second option, more closely resembles the consistency of a stick deodorant.
Coconut Oil Deodorant #1
- 1/4 cup coconut oil
- 5 drops of essential oil, such as tea tree oil, lavender, or lemon grass *optional
Wait, if the essential oils are optional, it’s just coconut oil? True, you can just use plain coconut oil and it works great! However, many prefer the added essential oils. Also, the baking soda in the next coconut oil deodorant aids in the antiperspirant effect.
Coconut Oil Deodorant # 2
3 tablespoons coconut oil- 6 tablespoons baking soda
- 6 tablespoons cornstarch
- 5 drops of essential oil, such as tea tree oil, lavender, or lemon grass *optional
3 tablespoons coconut oil
Linked on: Frugal Tuesday Tip, Titus 2sdays
Do you just mix it up in a bowl then put in an air tight container? Or do you heat it up and freeze in a deodorant tube?
I just mix it up and keep it in a container.
Looks like I’m late to this conversation. Story of my life..haha I hope you still reply. I’ve been looking for a natural deodorant for awhile now. But all the ones on the market are too chalky for me. As a guy I have a really hard time applying with hairy armpits. haha. I liked the idea of your recipe as it sounded more smooth like a lotion. I tried the #2 version. I used fractionated coconut oil to try to keep it more liquid. Again, I found the mix to be clumpy and when I applied it it seemed to disintegrate into dust. I think more went into the air than was applied. Is that similar to how it applies for you?
Coconut oil can be clumpy or even solid when it is stored in cooler temperatures. In the winter, mine is usually solid on the kitchen counter and in the summer it is liquid.
A newbie here – can’t wait to get started when my coconut oil arrives!! ??
Option 2, do you just mix it all together as I can’t see any method?
Looking forward to trying the toothpaste too as all toothpaste is too minty for my 11 year old!!
Hi Lori,
I was just wondering…if applying this to usual trouble areas (pits) — is it greasy/oily, and will it stain my clothes????? I use coconut + baking soda toothpaste, and it’s not that pleasant to have that greasyness on my hands (from washing off the toothbrush), or around my face (if I happen to dribble….hey, it happens!)
Thanks in advance!
It’s a little greasy if you don’t use much baking soda. I usually apply it and then pat it with a hand towel after to get rid of any extra grease. I’ve been using it for probably over 2 years now and it’s never stained any of my clothes. I haven’t heard of it staining clothes before.
There are so many coconut oil…would you share the picture of the coconut oil you use and where I can buy one. Thank you.
I just added a link to it above. I use unrefined, the spectrum brand.
I have very sensitive skin, would it be better to leave out baking soda n use corn starch instead? Which would work best?
I would just leave it out. The plain coconut oil works great itself, that’s all I’ve been using recently.
I ale easy did the deodorant and it works incredible!!! I love you for sharing this!
Just wondering how time does it last?? Do I have to re do it on a lap of time? 0:
I usually make enough to last for about a month or so. I think the coconut oil provides enough antibacterial, antimicrobial and antiviral properties to keep it good pretty long. You could keep it in the fridge to last much longer.
I just so happened to stumble across this website when I was searching for how to make a homemade deoderant. I’ve always suffered from chronic sweating and the odor that comes along with it, and the deoderant I have now is…well, complete crap. I’ve always been such a huge fan of all things natural especially coconut oil so I’m really, really, really excited to try this. In fact, I actually use coconut oil to lotion my body but have never thought to put it under my pits. Would you believe that? I put coconut oil everywhere else on my body but my pits. Man, I wish I had read this sooner. It would’ve kept me from a lot of suffering. Again, I’m really excited to try this and thanks! 🙂
Coconut oil is amazing! I use it for nearly everything now lol. Let us know how you like it as a deodorant.
Hello Lori!!
Thank you so much for replying!! I made the batch when it was room temperature but not completely melted.
I also made the mistake of adding twice the recommended 5 drops of essential oils & extra coconut oil
to make the batch less powdery.
It does work well though!!
Does the kind of coconut oil matter?? I am almost out of the jug of organic virgin coconut oil I brought from the US & although they sell Coconut oil all over Abu Dhabi, I haven’t found Organic oil.
I also use my oil for cooking & oil pulling, body lotion & care & am worried regular oil will not work.
THANK YOU AGAIN all the way from the UAE, your website is a true blessing here without access to anything!!
Hi Diana, glad the recipe worked out well! Any type of coconut oil should work just fine. I use organic unrefined coconut oil. Hope this helps.
Thank you again for the reply!!!
For oil pulling & diy deodorant purposes will non raw,organic processed virgin coconut oil have the same results as the organic kind?
I can’t thank you enough for your help from Abu Dhabi 🙂
It will likely have similar affects, but organic and unprocessed is preferable because it will have more nutrients in tact.
Hello Lori,
I tried making your recipe for the first time but just had a question about the application process & storage.
My batch came out very powdery & gets all over my clothes. I let the mixture sit in a bowl for a whole day than poured it into an empty deodorant stick but all the oil settled on the top & was left with all the powder mixture on the bottom.
Do you know if there is another alternative to this to prevent this??
Thank you so much, I just moved to the UAE with no access to Amazon or Whole Foods to buy natural organic products like I did in LA so finding your site is a LIFE SAVER!!
Hi Diana, did you make the mixture while the coconut oil was hardened (at room temp) or liquid (when heated or in warm environment)? I usually have the coconut oil melted first that way it is easy to mix with baking soda and isn’t so powdery. You can also just use coconut oil plain or decrease the amount of baking soda.
I’ve had trouble with even the toughest drugstore deodorants failing me, but I’ve had excellent results with coconut oil mixed with a few drops of palmarosa essential oil. I make it all day with this stuff. I run the jar of coconut oil under hot water to liquify it a bit, pour a little puddle into my hand, then add several drops of palmarosa oil and apply it to my underarms. I don’t know why it works so well, but it does. I still have some oil on my hands after a generous underarm application, so I mix it with some moisturizer and run it over my arms and legs to combat dry skin. It doesn’t stain my clothing. The palmarosa oil has a very pleasant but subtle scent to it, and the scent fades quickly so it isn’t like wearing perfume. I highly recommend it. I get the palmarosa oil from New Directions Aromatics. A 3.3 ounce bottle is $10, which is so much cheaper than those tiny bottles you get in health food stores that it’s crazy and 3.3 ounces will last a very long time. No more commercial deodorants for me!
That’s great that it works better than the store bought deodorants.
I just made my second batch with a couple of tweaks this time around. I added an extra tablespoon of coconut oil and then melted a small amount (~1/8 oz) of beeswax and mixed it in. I’m hoping this will give it a better consistency for using with the deodorant sticks. I actually made it to test out with my hubby who is allergic to alcohol and breaks out with most personal hygiene items, but after a few uses, his skepticism was turned to belief that this really worked better than the other baking soda deodorant he can use!
Glad to hear it has worked for him. Everyone in my family took some convincing too!
So I have been looking at various recipes and there was one post that said coconut oil recipes will stain your clothes – has anyone found this to be true?
I’ve been using it for years, not only as deodorant, but also as an all over body moisturizer and it has never stained my clothes. Hopefully a few others will be able to comment with their experience.
It depends on how much you use. I do construction work and dont like to stink so I may be a bit excessive on how much I use. It does stain a little but no worse than when I used store bought toxic deoderant.
Thanks for sharing your experience Cameron 🙂
Was I supposed to melt the coconut oil first? I do that when I make my lotions but I didn’t see it in the directions. Did I miss that step? Lol
It may be easier to mix when melted, especially if it is stored at a cold temp. the coconut oil will be solid.
THANK YOU, thank you!! I tried the #2 recipe, and it truly works wonders! Can you tell that I am excited :)? I kid you not, I have probably tried at least 10 different store-bought “natural” deodorants and NONE of them worked for me. I have quite an investment in them, and they just sit in my bathroom drawer because I don’t want to stink!
I do have a question…my consistency does not look like your photo. My is very powdery, clumpy, and crumbly (but as I said it works great!). Do you have any tips for me? I double-checked all the ingredients and stirred it a lot.
Was I supposed to melt the coconut oil first? That is what I do to make my lotions…did I miss that in the directions? Lol!
Hi Christine, so glad to hear it worked for you. The consistency may be different because my coconut oil was melted when I mixed them, so it was much more liquidy. You can lightly heat the mixture, this will melt the coconut oil, when it is at room temp. it is usually solid.
I’ve just made an amazing batch of deoderant with essential oils (you choose what you like), coconut oil, and arrowroot flour. simply amazing. I didn’t use a recipe, just added the arrowroot flour until it was a crubly mixture that feels exactly like store bought deoderant!
Sounds great, thanks for sharing!
OMG! Lori, thank heavens i found out about this recipe. I have been using it now for about a week and it is wonderful. No odor and most importantly toxic free. I love it so much 🙂
Hi Johanna, I’m so glad this recipe was helpful! I love how easy it is!
Ada – I just started using Lavilin a couple months ago – fantastic brand!
I’ve tried a lot of all-natural brands out there but Lavilin is my new favorite!