Commercial deodorants contain many irritating chemicals and substances, so learning how to make your own natural deodorant is a simple solution to avoiding these harsh chemicals.  You can make a simple aromatherapy deodorant in a number of ways; here are two ways that I have experimented with making a natural deodorant.

Natural Deodorant With Witch Hazel

Witch hazel is an astringent that is produced from Hamamelis virginiana, a shrub that has been used for various medicinal purposes over the years.  It is commonly used for swellings, sores and bruises as a distillate or hydrosol.  It is ideal as a base for a natural deodorant.  I obtained the following aromatherapy recipe from the book Aromatherapy: A Complete Guide to the Healing Art by Kathi Keville and Mindy Green:

• 2 oz witch hazel
• 1 tablespoon alcohol
• 15 drops sandalwood essential oil
• 5 drops cypress essential oil
• 5 drops lavender essential oil

Mix all of the ingredients in a spritzer bottle.

Aromatherapy Deodorant With Hydrosols

Another simple way to make a natural deodorant is to use an aromatherapy hydrosol as your base; chose your hydrosol base the same way that you would choose your essential oils, i.e. choose hydrosols/oils that have anti-bacterial properties.  Examples include:

• lavender (Lavandula angustifolia)
• coriander (Coriandrum sativum)
• tea tree (Melaleuca alternifolia)
• lemon (Citrus limon).

You can either use the hydrosol on its own, combine with other hydrosols or/and add appropriate essential oils.

Solid Natural Deodorant With Essential Oils

If you prefer a deodorant in solid form, rather than liquid form, you might want to consider making a solid natural deodorant with beeswax and/or butters such as cocoa butter and shea butter.  You can also add in cornstarch/arrowstarch, baking soda and/or coconut oil to natural solid deodorant recipes.

I have not personally made a solid deodorant, as I prefer the spritzer format, but the whole process of making solid deodorants is a similar format to that of making body butters and lip balms.  It will take a bit of practice to perfect the right deodorant recipe for you; search the internet for some different recipes for solid deodorants.  Just remember that these recipes are usually an individual’s personal experience, so make sure that you understand the basics of aromatherapy product making before getting started.  These are some of the ingredients you might find in a solid natural deodorant recipe:

• essential oils
• beeswax
• vegetable oil
• shea butter or/and cocoa butter
• baking soda
• coconut oil
• arrowstarch
• cornstarch.

To learn more about how to make aromatherapy body butters, take a look at the Sedona Aromatherapie Aromatherapy Body Butter Making Kit priced at $24.95 (please note that this Make-Your-Own Products Kit does not include a recipe specifically for natural deodorants).  Or, if you are new to aromatherapy and want to study aromatherapy and aromatherapy product making at a higher level, watch out for the new Sedona Aromatherapie Foundation Course in Aromatherapy scheduled for a late Spring 2012 release date!

Happy blending!

References:

• Keville, Kathi, Mindy Green, 2009, 2nd Edition, Aromatherapy: A Complete Guide to the Healing Art US: Crossing Press
• Author’s own experience, training and experimentation