Deodorant Bar Recipe

homemade deodorant bar recipe Deodorant Bar Recipe

Since we’ve been on the topic of homemade lotion bars the past couple of weeks, I figured I’d share the recipe for homemade deodorant bars (or homemade deodorant sticks!)

This is similar to homemade sunscreen bars but without the zinc oxide for sun protection and with baking soda and arrowroot added in. These are slightly thicker than my original homemade deodorant recipe, which allows them to be used as a bar, or put into an old deodorant container.

Since the homemade lotion bars, sunscreen bars and deodorant bars all use many of the same ingredients, you can order these in bulk from Mountain Rose Herbs or find them locally and save a lot of money on your family’s personal care products.

I also love Frugally Sustainable’s idea of adding probiotics to the recipe to help balance good bacteria and prevent odor, and I tried it with this recipe. If you have very sensitive skin or really struggle with odor, this might be a great option for you also!

Try making your own deodorant if you haven’t already… you’ll not only save money and avoid chemicals, but I’ve found the homemade versions work better too!

The Ingredients:

1/2 cup coconut oil
1/2 cup shea butter, cocoa butter or mango butter (or a mix of all three equal to 1 part)
1/2 cup + 1 tsp beeswax
optional: Vitamin E oil to preserve. I added 1 tsp vitamin E oil for this recipe)
3 tablespoons baking soda (Omit this if you have sensitive skin and just use extra arrowroot)
1/2 cup organic arrowroot powder
2-3 capsules of high quality probiotics that don’t need to be refrigerated (I love Bio Kult brand)
optional: Essential oils of choice – I used about 20 drops of lavender essential oil

This recipe can be adjusted to make any quantity that you’d like by increasing the amount of ingredients used. This batch made enough deodorant for my husband and I for about 2-3 months. You could also cut the recipe in half if you want to make a smaller amount.

How to Make:

Combine coconut oil, shea (or other) butter, and beeswax in a double boiler, or a glass bowl over a smaller saucepan with 1 inch of water in it. UPDATE: Combine in a quart size glass mason jar with a lid instead and place this in a small saucepan of water until melted. This will save your bowl and you can just designate this jar for these type of projects and not even need to wash it out…

Turn the burner on and bring water to a boil. Stir ingredients constantly until they are melted and smooth:

Remove from heat and add the vitamin E oil, baking soda, arrowroot powder, probiotics, and essential oils. Make sure the mixture is not hot to the touch (warm is ok) so that the heat doesn’t kill the probiotics.

Gently stir by hand until all ingredients are incorporated.

If you will be making these into bars, pour into muffin tins or other molds while still liquid. If you will be putting into an old deodorant container to use like stick deodorant, let the mixture harden for about 15-20 minutes at room temperature to harden and when it is about the consistency of peanut butter, use a spoon to scoop into the deodorant tube and pack down to fill. Then, leave the cap off overnight to completely harden before using.

Enjoy!

Next week, we’ll move on to natural make-up and hair product recipes! Any specific requests?

Have you ever made your own personal care products? How did it go? Let me know below!

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Filed Under: Natural Living Tagged With: deodorant, homemade, natural living, natural remedies

About Wellness Mama

Wellness Mama is a full-time housewife with a background in nutrition, journalism and communications. Her passion is helping others achieve optimal health through a “Wellness Lifestyle.” She has helped hundreds of clients lose weight, increase athletic performance, improve fertility, and overcome numerous health problems and diseases. Connect with her on Twitter, Facebook, Google+, & Pinterest.

Disclaimer: Many of the links on my site, especially those from Amazon, Mountain Rose Herbs, Tropical Traditions and OraWellness are affiliate links. Should you click on these links and decide to purchase anything, I will receive a small commission and you will have my sincere thanks for supporting Wellness Mama!

DISCLAIMER: The statements made here have not been approved by the Food and Drug Administration. These statements are not intended to diagnose, treat or cure or prevent any disease. This notice is required by the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act.

http://www.facebook.com/amy.stadler.7 Amy Stadler

I have extremely fair/sensitive skin and every time I try to wear makeup I breakout like CRAZY for the next week. I don’t have the best complexion :/ so I can’t wait to see what tips and tricks you have for natural makeup!! I am definitely going to be trying this deodorant too!! nothing i buy ever works for me!
Ecmorgan

I made your previous deodorant. But i feel like it burns off all of my skin. its incredibly painful. do you think its the baking soda as i see noted in here? i really dont want to go back to traditional deodorant.
Denise

How do you store the bars?
Ecmorgan

I keep it in the refridgerator i have it in a old deodorant bottle. it literally takes all my skin off then scabs over and starts over again.
Stephanie

Ecmorgan, you might try some different combinations if you haven’t already. I tried arrowroot powder and beeswax in my recipe and it broke me out like crazy–I think I’m allergic to beeswax, as weird as that sounds. I do better with just coconut oil, baking soda and cornstarch with some tea tree EO, even though it melts easily. But that’s just me. (And it works way better than traditional deodorant). But that’s for my skin. There may be another recipe that works better for your skin.
Ecmorgan

The ingredients are spendy so thats why im keeping using my one. i hate to keep trying things and waste the money I might try the arrowroot next time although im allergic to corn on the inside so im not really sure if i should put it on the outside either. ive tried natural ones at the store but i felt i really sweated throught them. I dont have a sense of smell so i worry if i sweat that i smell bad.
Tdtarkenton

is the probiotic necessary? The stuff that you recommend is awfully expensive for a college student =(
Crt

I want to know about making lip tint and mascara! Can’t wait!
Stephanie

Arrowroot might work better for you if you’re allergic to corn. If you have a grocery store that sells items in bulk you can buy smaller quantities. I do that when I want to try things and not buy a big bag or box.
http://wellnessmama.com Wellness Mama

Try omitting the baking soda and see if that helps. From what I can tell, the pH of a person’s body/sweat also makes a big difference, and if you are more on the acidic side, it will literally create a minor chemical reaction, which could be why it feels like its burning. with just the arrowroot, it shouldn’t be a problem, and the probiotics can help replace the baking soda. Good luck!
http://wellnessmama.com Wellness Mama

They are shelf stable for up to 4 months and freezer stable indefinitely.
http://wellnessmama.com Wellness Mama

Have you tried without the baking soda?
http://wellnessmama.com Wellness Mama

Arrowroot isn’t corn based, so you should be ok there. If you sweat a lot and don’t have a sense of smell, have you taken magnesium and zinc? Those are both signs of magnesium and zinc deficiency. Here’s more info on the magnesium: http://wellnessmama.com/3610/are-you-low-on-magnesium/
http://wellnessmama.com Wellness Mama

Not necessary, and any other would work as long as it doesn’t have to be refrigerated…
SuthernKiwie

I’m looking for a good makeup remover!
Stephanie Isbill

Coconut oil is the best eye makeup remover I have found. Everything else I have used irritates my very sensitive eyes. LOVE it.
Lisa Limbaugh

What would one use in place of coconut oil in these natural recipes? I’m allergic to it.
http://wellnessmama.com Wellness Mama

You could sub almond oil, but just cut the amount in half and add an extra half of shea butter instead.
http://profile.yahoo.com/MFTTZYEUSS4XJ6NYAGBJCJHZHI Brenda

Is it just a deodorant bar or an anti perspirant as well?
http://wellnessmama.com Wellness Mama

It will lessen perspiration, but commercial antiperspirants have aluminum, which is effective but very harmful. If you sweat a lot, make sure you are taking enough magnesium and that you don’t have leptin issues…
Sarahcadle

How about a laundry soap, and liquid hand soap?
Rainbow

Hello! thanks so much for posting this. I was wondering whether corn starch could replace the arrowroot? I guess it could if the arrowroot just plays an ‘absorbent’ role, but not if it has some other role too. Thanks so much!
http://wellnessmama.com Wellness Mama

It could. I try to avoid corn as much as possible, but you could use it.. just look for organic corn starch…
http://thenaturalfighter.com/ The Natural Fighter ?

Looking forward to making it, deodorant is the last product I have to make before each toiletry is handmade I will try the probiotics, however I get one from my own town. It’s important to make sure the probiotics are shelf stable.
Thank you Wellness Mama!
http://thenaturalfighter.com/ The Natural Fighter

Forgot to ask, why do you need to wait for it to harden before you put it in a deo tube? Wouldn’t you want to put it in as a liquid so it fills well?
http://wellnessmama.com Wellness Mama

The problem is that most don’t have a solid stop where you twist to move it up, so if you pour, it hardens in the bottom too and makes it nearly impossible to turn the wheel and get it to move up. If yours has a solid stop, it may work though…
TL

Ditto on the mascara.
Hooleys526

I saw that you have a natural shampoo recipe and i’d love to see a recipe for hair gel….i have wavy hair that gets frizzy in humidity if not tamed and i’m tired of using all the junk that is in most gels and mousse!
Natalie Kimble

Cool recipe! Do you think french or bentonite clay might work in place of the arrowroot?

@Hooleys526 – this is a great hair gel! http://www.fromnaturewithlove.com/recipe/recipe.asp?recipe_id=214
Anastasia

Instead of mixing up a big batch, what I usually do is make what I’m going to use and see how it works for me.

For example, I’ll take a dab of coconut oil, a sprinkle of baking soda and a drop of EO, rub my hands together and apply. That way, I get to see how effective it is and whether I have any adverse reaction before mixing an entire batch of something that I won’t be able to use.

If I do have an adverse reaction, I’ll omit something and / or replace it with something else. It took some trial and error, but I’ve found what works well for me!
Nicole

I would love to have a recipe for a bronzer — just something to add a little sheen and sparkle and a good natural foundation too. I don’t wear too much makeup and not even every day. The mascara has others have mentioned too would be awesome. Thanks so much for everything. It is great! I am hooked.
Copyright_c_1980

I am extremely alergic to coconut. What oil could I use to replace to coconut oil?
http://wellnessmama.com Wellness Mama

You can use olive, almond or even jajoba oil, just use 1/3 less.
Monica

I’d be interested in learning about DIY eye make up (shadows, liners, etc.) Thank you!
http://twitter.com/AlliesTea Allie

I was gathering ingredients to make this and need a little help with the beeswax, as I have never used beeswax. When purchasing beeswax, I noticed it’s sold by weight. Could you give us a guess how much we will need by weight?
http://wellnessmama.com Wellness Mama

No more than a few ounces (4 should be plenty).
Lisa

I had the same problem so I reduced the baking soda to teaspoons instead of Tablespoons
and I increased the arrowroot powder to make up for the baking soda reduction. I’ve been using it since.
Cari Osborne

I had tried the crystal, which did nothing for me. I didn’t have all the ingredients, but I mixed up the coconut oil and baking soda and it really worked! Amazing, thanks for sharing!
Jackie

Hello,

I made the bar deodorant yesterday and it really didn’t firm up as thick as peanut butter. I put it in the frig for a little while then put it in an old deodorant case/tube. I fear that this will get melty in the summer months. Is it okay to keep it refrigerated?? Do you know what of the ingredients makes it stay solid and won’t melt?? I will be trying out for the first time today. Hope that it works well for me, I am one who really has a smell and feel that regular stuff wears off rather quickly on me especially in hot weather or if I get nervous.

Jackie
http://wellnessmama.com Wellness Mama

You can absolutely store in the fridge… the beeswax helps it firm up, so you could add more of that in future batches if you want a firmer one. It does take a good 24 hours to fully firm outside of the fridge though…
Dolphinzlove

I made this recipe not too long ago and love it, but the only problem I have is that it seems to stain my clothing (under arms of my shirts). My guess would be the beeswax. I do, however use a natural detergent to wash my clothes that I made myself. Maybe that has something to do with this? Any suggestions?
http://www.facebook.com/catburgler88 Sarah Balowski

I made the deodorant recipe last night and I tried it out this evening after I got out of the shower and it was really sticky feeling. I only made one stick and used corn starch because I didn’t have any arrow root powder. What are your thoughts on improving it?
http://thenaturalfighter.com/ cAYCI

Mine does the same thing, I think it’s actually the cocoa butter (if you used that). Also, I smell like peanut butter and it’s kindof overwhelming. I assume using a different butter would do the trick, but I may try and omit it.
http://wellnessmama.com Wellness Mama

A lot can vary based on brands of coconut oil, cornstarch/arrowroot, etc. I definitely like the arrowroot more, so you could try that and also try adding more of the powder and less oil for a thicker deodorant.
Erin B.

Same issues for me. My homemade laundry detergent does not get the staining off my clothes. Any solutions? Is white beeswax available anywhere?
http://wellnessmama.com Wellness Mama

There isn’t but the beeswax can be completely left out. Just coconut oil, shea butter and baking soda will work, the beeswax just makes it firmer…
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Jiyoungee

Also, you could try another wax like an emulsifying wax (which is white and also sold by Mountain Rose Herbs). This is also good for vegans as well.
Kara

I made these for the first time last night and I have a few questions… First: does beeswax always smell this awful?? It is SO overpowering (can’t even tell I put essential oil in there) and it smells so gross. I ordered it from Amazon rather than Mtn Rose Herbs – could that be the problem? Second – how the heck do you clean up after this stuff?? With the shea and the beeswax, it did NOT want to come off my hands or out of the spongue I used to try to clean up the bowl, or off the bowl, etc. It took a LOT of washing, with a LOT of dishsoap to clean up after this little project… what am I doing wrong?!
http://wellnessmama.com Wellness Mama

I don’t really notice a smell at all in the beeswax I have… it might be a difference in the types. A trick I discovered recently is to melt the ingredients in a quart size jar sitting in a pan of boiling water instead of a bowl. Then, you can pour directly into molds and just save the jar to use for the next batch… saves a lot of cleanup. If not, you have to rinse with almost boiling water then wipe with paper towels and then wash normally…
Laelle Martin

I only had an issue with the previous recipe on the days I applied after shaving. I would get all rashy and painful. I thought it might be the baking soda. But then I remembered it hadn’t happened with the first batch I made. For some reason, I react when it’s made with arrowroot, but not with cornstarch! Funny since when talking about eating them, it’s the exact opposite .

I definitely want to give this one a try once I get around to ordering from Mountain Rose!

I am curious about home made make up for sure. I’d also really like to know what you use for make up remover and/or daily face wash and what you apply after to tone and/or moisturize? Making my own deodorant and shampoo, only use a bit of Dr. Bronners in my armpits when I shower, but haven’t quite figured out a DIY face care routine yet. Thanks!
Laelle Martin

Coconut oil in its solid state? Or do you get it to liquify first? How do you apply?
Laelle Martin

I have a friend who makes a similar recipe with bentonite clay which works great!
http://wellnessmama.com Wellness Mama

You actually melt it with the shea butter in the jar until they both melt and then add the other ingredients. Once it hardens, it is hard like a bar of soap and you can just use on your armpits, or you can mold into an old deodorant container…
Kat

I would love to know how to dye my hair naturally…I have dark brown with gray popping in now! And I don’t have much depth or shine. I use to use temp hair dye from the store but it tore up my hair….any ideas?.
Thanks!
http://wellnessmama.com Wellness Mama

Here are the ones I’ve tried… http://wellnessmama.com/5112/herbal-hair-color-recipes/
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1085116587 Sarah Williams

Hey Katie! I’m wondering… Living in TX, my house is kept at a relatively high temperature of about 77-80 degrees on a regular basis (this will change as the weather does, but my question remains…); would this high temperature make these deodorant bars and the lotion bars hard to keep solid? Should I perhaps use more beeswax?
http://wellnessmama.com Wellness Mama

They’d still be solid, but not as hard. You could add a couple extra tablespoons of beeswax, or keep in the fridge
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1085116587 Sarah Williams

Awesome, thanks!
Catherine

Do you have any problems with the beeswax getting into the clothes? We have been making our own deodorant for awhile and my husband just showed me that the underarms of one of his dress shirts is dark…like the oil is soaking into the material.
http://wellnessmama.com Wellness Mama

I haven’t had any trouble with it, but another reader mentioned the same thing. One thing that seems to help is dusting the area with arrowroot after applying to absorb the excess. You can also omit the beeswax and just use coconut oil as the base…
Kara

Could I skip the probiotics in this recipe and it still turn out well?
http://wellnessmama.com Wellness Mama

Yep… still works great!
Jordan

I just use pure white vinegar with a few drops of tea tree oil in a little spritz bottle for Deodorant and it works great if I put it on after every shower and every morning.
sarah

Just noticed in some of the comments that many people are having a similar problem as me… After using this for several days, my underarms are bright red, sore and itchy. I didn’t think I had sensitive skin, but who knows, maybe I do. I guess I will try making it again without baking soda. I hope I figure it out soon!
PegOBrien61

From the above article:
For those sensitive to coconut, grassfed organic beef tallow can also be
used and it is great for the skin, though you will need to add
essential oils to cover the mild scent.
Erin

Don’t know if anyone else has mentioned this yet, but it might help with the rashes if you use a natural, aluminum-free baking soda, rather than traditionally-derived versions like Arm & Hammer. Bob’s Red Mill brand is what I use and I don’t get that chemical burn-like rash when I apply it to my skin.
Maria

I am a huge fan of your blog!! Looking forward to make this recipe and throw out the deodorant full of chemicals I have in my bathroom… however I don’t have arrowroot and it is quite impossible to find it here (Norway). How about amaranth instead of arrowroot? Could it work as well?
http://wellnessmama.com Wellness Mama

I haven’t tried it but it probably would…
Nikki

About how many deodorant containers would this fill?
http://wellnessmama.com Wellness Mama

2-3 I think
mobius

white beeswax pastilles are available on Amazon
mobius

grapeseed oil is fabulous, use it for eyemakeup everyday. Cheap in grocery store!!!
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Christi

I made this deodorant last night and the only problem I am having is when I try to apply it. It is really hard and does not apply well. Any suggestions?
http://wellnessmama.com Wellness Mama

Is it in a jar or deodorant container. I keep mine in a jar and just scrape a little out with a popsicle stick and spread on my skin. It definitely will be harder during the cooler weather…
Christi

I actually poured it into a mold. Could I have used too much beeswax?
http://wellnessmama.com Wellness Mama

Possibly, did you add by volume or weight? and what brand… there does seem to be a discrepancy with some brands of beeswax…
Christi

I melted it and added by volume. I’m not sure of the brand, I bought it from our local good foods co-op.
melissa rogers

how long does it take to “work”- I still stink and I tried it for a week. I’ve tried both “recipes” Does it take time to adjust? I smell horrible! I went back to using my clinical strength secret.
http://wellnessmama.com Wellness Mama

Did you put baking soda in both recipes? It can take a while for your body to adjust, but most people do start to notice improvement in the first week or so.
melissa rogers

yes I used it in both. But I forgot to try probiotics. Maybe that’ll help. thank you!
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http://www.brambleberry.com/ Anne-Marie

What a great idea! Thank you so much for sharing this recipe.
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http://www.facebook.com/prathiba.rangavajulla Prathiba Rangavajulla

Hi,

I made my own body butter. I used cocoa butter, apricot kernel oil, almond oil, beeswax and Vitamin E (squeezed from Vitamin E capsules). I made 100 ml of it and it got over in 3 weeks – I applied it on my entire body. Please tell me a way wherein I can make the body butter last longer. Have I missed out on some ingredient? I melted the cocoa butter, almond and apricot oils and beeswax. After it cooled down I added Vitamin E and kept it in the freezer. After 20 minutes, I took it out (it had hardened by then) and whipped it well. Please do let me know how to make it last longer. Kindly e mail it to prathiba.rangavajulla@gmail.com – it would be very helpful. Thank you very much.
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Mariruth

This could be a detox from the baking soda. I had big red but not itchy patches. Also, it turned the underarms of my clothing a muted brown color, and it does not come out. But after several months the red patches completely disappeared and I no longer get the brown staining on my clothes. I really believe it was a detox. I think if it had been itchy, I wouldn’t have been so willing to go through the other.
Yolanda

I only have refrigerated probiotics. Will it still work?
http://wellnessmama.com Wellness Mama

It should but I’d try it with a small batch to test….
Marcelo

Hi I am new to the cite, but have been using most of your DIY toiletries, I am however having a problem with the consistency of the deodorant. The first batch came came a little gooey, but I have left it out to dry, do you think that will work ( I’m thinking of leaving them for a month)
http://twitter.com/evolet0680 Erin

Hi– What are the pro-biotics for? Are they anti-stinky (I know, so scientific) or more for over all health? I’ve tried a number of DIY deodorant recipes that have not worked, so I’m hoping this one does. =)
http://wellnessmama.com Wellness Mama

Helps balance bad bacteria…
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Mandy

Which brand of vitamin E oil do you recommend? I am looking to avoid the synthetic kind.
Dena Barnes

If we omit the beeswax, will we need to add something else in (or more of something else), instead? Thanks
Dena Barnes

what non-refrig. probiotic would you rec. for dairy freezers?
http://wellnessmama.com Wellness Mama

I use Bio Kult…
Julia Jaquery

Hey, I was wondering what brand of E oil you buy, I saw on another post that you said you get it on Amazon and I was wondering what kind of quality I should be looking for.
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Robb Clifford

In your edit at the top you mentioned using a quart jar with a lid… Do you place the lid on during the heating process?
http://wellnessmama.com Wellness Mama

nope
Dena Barnes

oh, i meant dairy -FREE-ers. ha. bio kult contains dairy. sorry
Dena Barnes

just cking bk. in.
tintin

i just wash my armpits in the morning and at night, and in between i am fine. If i happen to be going out all day or out in the sun, i just use a cotton ball and powder on some baby powder. have never smelled and never have a problem with breaking out. not to mention you save tons of money not having to buy all these ingredients. probiotics for 30$ cmon.
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rina

Hello there – I just made a batch of the deodorant and the mixture looks very yellow in color where yours looks beige in the picture – I followed the recipe and used pure cocoa butter, coconut oil, beeswax, and arrowroot…… Not sure what I did wrong but also seems kinda greasy…… I used sticks of cocoa butter – maybe it was too much?
http://wellnessmama.com Wellness Mama

I”ve never seen sticks of cocoa butter, so not sure on that, but it could be that it hasn’t fully hardened yet, and it is more yellow before it hardens, which takes about two days…
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=510443084 Heather Sundeen Johannessen

I love everything about this deodorant except it isn’t firm enough. I’m going to try to add more bees wax next time. Does anyone else have ideas?
http://www.facebook.com/evolet0680 Erin McArdle

How much vinegar do you use? I have been using a home made thieves oil for fragrance/antibacterial, etc., but wanted a “spray” deodorant. I had never thought about using vinegar. do you find that you smell like vinegar when you sweat? or just the tea tree oil?
http://www.facebook.com/tracibowman Traci Bowman

magnesium helps with leptin issues? Ive just started reading your leptin article….it might say in there, i just haven’t gotten that far yet! lol I stink alot and i sweat alot too…it’s terrible so i hope all of this helps. i’m tired of taking several showers in the summer and changing my shirt just as many times
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