When I recently dissected my beauty routine in a post called Natural Makeup, many of you asked about the body care products that I use every day. I’m thrilled to start out by sharing my Homemade Deodorant recipe with you.
Why make Homemade Deodorant? Store bought deodorant can be incredibly toxic, containing endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDC’s) such as parabens and phthalates and even metals like aluminum. While I’m not a total stickler about banishing these types of items in entirety from my household, they’re not products I’m willing to apply to my body on a daily basis.
Our skin is our largest organ of absorption, so I am very careful about what I allow on mine. On top of that, deodorant is used on the arm pits which contain lymph nodes, making this an extra sensitive area for us when it comes to absorbing toxic materials.
I prefer making my own beauty and body care products when possible and this homemade deodorant is one of those items that’s easy to throw together in a few minutes. Like all of my recipes, this contains very few ingredients!
Homemade Deodorant
Ingredients
Deodorant
- 3 ounces rose water
- 1 ounce magnesium oil
- 5 drops essential oil of spruce
Special Equipment
Instructions
- Use funnel to pour rose water and magnesium oil into spray bottle
- Drop spruce oil into mixture
- Shake well
- Use daily as needed
I love this Homemade Magnesium Deodorant for three reasons. First, it’s non-toxic, which is very important when applying items so close to the breast area, given the epidemic of breast cancer in our country. Second, “mineral salts have been used for many years as a natural odor blocker,” according to my colleague Dr. Josh Axe. Finally, I think this Homemade Deodorant made from magnesium oil is a great way to sneak more magnesium into our bodies since the arm pits are an area that has many pores that are often very open and absorbent.
You can make your own magnesium oil by combining 1 cup magnesium flakes with 1 cup filtered water. Place the magnesium flakes in a stainless steel bowl, heat the water and pour it over the magnesium flakes so that they dissolve. I store my homemade magnesium oil in an 8 ounce glass spray bottle. Sometimes I make my own magnesium oil and sometimes I purchase it. Either way will work very well.
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I use rosewater in this recipe because it’s slightly drying and astringent which is a good thing when it comes to deodorant. I have added spruce in the form of its essential oil because I like combining slightly masculine, woody scents with sweet flowery, feminine scents. I also chose these amazing ingredients because I have spruce trees and roses all over our yard and I think they are gorgeous together on both a visual and olfactory level. Feel free to experiment and combine other bases and essential oils with the magnesium oil in this Homemade Deodorant recipe.
If you don’t want to make your own deodorant, you can buy magnesium based deodorant here. I love that there is a product on the market that is non-toxic and contains magnesium. Make sure not to apply this Homemade Magnesium Deodorant, or any magnesium oil for that matter, to any part of your skin right after you shave because it will sting and create a bit of a burning sensation.
Here are some of my other homemade body care recipes and beauty tips!
Sandra Rutkowski says
I’ve had to start making just about everything. I’m 63 years old and all of sudden, shampoo makes spots on my face, deodorant leaves lesions under my arm pits. I can longer use fabric softener and regular detergent. I make my own laundry detergent, my own deodorant, lotion bars, lip balm and am just using castile soap to wash my hair and use it for body wash a well. I also use to make my own liquid foam soap in all my bathrooms and kitchen. Fortunately I am recently retired and have time to do all this. It has helped my skin problems and is much easier on the budget.
Elana says
Sandra, I’m so sorry to hear about your health issues, but very glad we are on this healing path together :-)
Katherine says
Thank you for this post Elana! I always love your recipes and am excited to try my first body recipe by you! Any suggestions for a more feminine essential oil that works against odors? I am thinking lavender, ylang-ylang or may chang. Those are my favorites! I love natural deodorant, but often find it doesn’t work at all. Let me know, thanks!
Elana says
Katherine, so great to get your comment and hear that you always love my recipes! I haven’t tried any of those oils, if you do please let us know how it goes :-)
Andrea says
Elana, I’m SO thankful you posted this! I have tried many different homemade deodorants and kept having horrible reactions or they didn’t work. I’ve been self-conscious for a year at least. This works!! I love the smell of it. I made some for a friend who was also struggling to find something and she said it’s been working for her as well. We thank you!
Do you have an idea what I could use in place of rose water for the guys in my home?
Elana says
Andrea, I’m so glad you like this! You could try using cucumber water, tulsi water, or witch hazel in place of the rose water. If you do please let us know how it goes :-)
Melanie says
I have made this and it works very well but when I first apply it (for about half an hour) it does irritate (not used after shaving). Anybody else experienced this? Which ingredient do you think is causing it and what alternative could I use?
Elana says
Melanie, make sure to use the brand of magnesium oil that is linked in the ingredients portion of the recipe in green text to avoid irritation :-)
Melanie says
Doh! That’ll be it then. Thank you!
PS, I have loads of essential oils at home as I make my own face oil. Which is the important ingredient for effectiveness in this recipe? Is it the spruce oil or can I use any of my essential oils (e.g. lavender). Thanking you for your kind assistance.
Elana says
You’re welcome Melanie! The synergy of all of these ingredients make it effective, but I think any strong woody scent will work in this, and alternatively lavender could work really well if you like something floral. If you do try that I hope you let us know how it goes :-)
Francis says
Wow! It really is working. I never thought of this. Thanks. You made me smell fine.
Elana says
So glad you like my homemade deodorant Francis!
MamaCassi says
I currently use lavilin, which is an amazing once a week biofilm, but I want to try this sometime! I like cedar wood and vetiver as my woody scents but spruce sounds so nice for fall! Tried magnesium oil a while back and never got into it, but need to add more magnesium in so this is unique and definitely brilliantly simple. Thanks for sharing!
Elana says
Thanks MamaCassi!
Judene says
I have made many deodorants over the years and have not quite been happy with them. They were too complicated, ineffective, smelled weird, had an annoying method of applying, etc. My search for the perfect deodarant stops here! This deodarant is exactly like Elana’s food recipes. Simple to make with amazing results. She is truly brilliant!
Elana says
Judene, that’s exactly what I was aiming for –simple to make with amazing results :-)
Sandy says
Are epsom salts and magnesium flakes the same?
Thank you!
Elana says
Epsom salt is magnesium sulfate. Magnesium flakes are magnesium chloride :-)
adisoy says
Very nice method of preparing magnesium based deodorant.
Elana says
Thanks!
Sue Thomas says
Hi Elana
So is this what you would use instead of antiperspirant? Is it effective in reducing sweating?
Elana says
Sue, since our skin is our largest organ of elimination I try to sweat more, not less :-)