My homemade natural deodorant recipe is several years old and is one of the most popular on my site with almost 800 comments. I still use it and it is really effective, but some people don’t react well to the baking soda and are looking for another option.
It seems that baking soda gives some people an itchy, red rash when used on the underarms. It works incredibly well in deodorant recipes, but some people just can’t tolerate it and I definitely don’t recommend continuing to try a recipe that is causing a rash or pain.
One solution here is to just remove the baking soda from the original recipe, and use equal parts of shea butter, coconut oil and arrowroot powder with essential oils for scent, though some people find this isn’t as effective as the recipe with baking soda.
I found out recently when I packed the wrong glass jar for a trip that my magnesium body butter works really well as a deodorant. In fact, if you react to baking soda, I’d recommend trying the magnesium body butter as an alternative.
My accidental mix up made me wonder if there was another good natural deodorant solution besides the recipes with baking soda, and maybe one that was more convenient as well. One complaint with oil based recipes is that they can stain clothing if you don’t wait for it to dry before getting dressed.
I wanted a quick dry option that wasn’t oil based, didn’t have baking soda and that actually worked.
I also loved the idea of using something with magnesium like the magnesium body butter but didn’t want something that thick. Then, I found a perfect solution that I’ve sweat tested in a hot southern summer while running outside and it works.
I still love the original recipes, but I’ve been using this one too and even tested them both side by side and this recipe seems to be equally effective.
So what’s in it? Great question. The secret ingredient is….
Magnesium Oil!
It’s actually a misnomer, since magnesium oil just feels oily but doesn’t contain any actual oil, but it is incredibly effective at preventing underarm odor, plus you get a boost of magnesium. Add some essential oils and it is a great smell- good deodorant.
You can make magnesium oil yourself (this is the recipe I use) or buy the pre-made version here.
NOTE: Some people experience a tingling sensation when they first start using magnesium oil. This is considered a normal reaction, especially for those who are low on magnesium and it should fade in a couple of days.
TIP: To make this even more effective, mix 3/4 cup water with 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar and apply to underarms after showering and let dry before applying this. This helps remove any natural bacteria in the underarm and makes this spray deodorant last even longer.
Spray Deodorant Ingredients
- 4 ounces magnesium oil
- 10-15 drops of your favorite essential oils or a mixture
- A 4 ounce or larger glass spray bottle (I use this one but replaced the top because my kids dropped the bottle and the original top broke)
Spray Deodorant Instructions
- Make the magnesium oil if using homemade magnesium oil.
- Pour in to glass spray bottle and add any essential oils if using.
- To use: spray a small amount on underarms and rub in gently. Let dry for about 5 seconds.
Note: Stinging can sometimes occur if used right after shaving or if you are low on magnesium. This should subside after a few days.
Ever made deodorant? How did it go? Share your experience below!
What’s on My Nightstand
I am pregnant, and I’m wondering if hormonal changes are keeping my body from “getting used to” the magnesium oil? It still tingles and is very irritating, despite the fact that I’ve used it very regularly for several months. Do you have any thoughts on this?
Possibly… I have not experienced it, but that could be a cause.
Can children / pregnant women use this deodorant or does it depend on which essential oil you use in it?
I don’t see why not…
Magnesium
Magnesium is a mineral that your body needs to form bone, protein and fatty acids. It relaxes your muscles and helps your blood to clot appropriately. This is a useful mineral if you suffer from leg cramps. Studies show that magnesium levels are lower in women who have had a premature labour.
Furthermore, because it has a good effect on muscles, it can help to prevent premature contractions by relaxing the muscles of the womb. Scientists have investigated the effect of giving magnesium during pregnancy and found that women taking magnesium supplements had less chance of having low birthweight and premature babies, and their babies had better Apgar score.Magnesium is known as ‘nature’s tranquilliser’, so it can be invaluable if you are suffering from tension and/or stress. It’s also a good basic treatment for insomnia. Take it as a separate supplement (apart from what is contained in your multivitamin and mineral tablet) for best effect. A total of 200mg per day is the optimum dosage. If you need help with sleeping, take it about an hour before going to bed.
The optimal dosage varies with the the person and their magnesium and vitamin D status. I’ve taken 600 mg a day for many years. Do not rely on the standard magnesium blood test. Your body keeps mineral levels in a very tight range in the blood, so that test does not usually reveal a problem unless severe. Check the red blood cell magnesium, aka RBC magnesium level. This tells you what your cellular level is, which should be about 6.0 according to what I’ve read. Google Dr. Carolyn Dean MD ND for one informative source. She has several free ebooks.
If you take it orally, separate it from iron supps and thyroid medication.
Is this safe to use when pregnant? I would love to try it. Also I saw someone said it is good for sleeplessness if you apply it to your feet. Do you know if I can use it on my 10 year old? She has such a hard time falling asleep and I am willing to try anything!
Thank you
I use magnesium when pregnant…
I had severe pre-eclampsia when I was 33 wks pregnant. They wanted to hold off delivering as long as possible so they could give me steroid shots to help my son’s lungs develope as much as possible. They gave me magnesium through an iv to keep me from having a stroke. The magnesium was so strong it made me really sick & I don’t remember much of the week I was on it. With that being said, my son & I are doing just fine & there’s no lasting effects. If I was fine on that, I can’t imagine that the much much smaller amounts of magnesium would harm you or your baby. It never hurts to consult your doctor, but they were putting magnesium straight into my bloodstream! I should have enough magnesium stored up to last several lifetimes! Hope this helps. I just wish I had known the tip that magnesium could help morning sickness!
My husband and I have been spraying magnesium oil on our feet just recently. I’v been sleeping better and he is feeling more energetic but neither one of us can stand the feeling of it. It’s very sticky feeling. Is that normal? I’m not sure that I would like this feeling in my armpits 🙁
I made this and have been using it for the past week and it is sticky. It seems to be working better than my other homemade deodorant though. I’ve been spraying it on, letting it dry while I brush my teeth and then putting a dusting of powder over it. (I have cornstarch and arrowroot powder) That seems to help stop the stickiness, but I’ve noticed that the couple of times that I’ve sweat a good amount it gets really sticky again. I wore a tank top one day and my hair kept getting stuck in my armpit. My other deodorant has been staining my shirts, so I’m thinking this will be good when I have sleeves and on days when I’m wearing a tank top then I can use my other deodorant which isn’t as sticky and it won’t have shirt armpits to stain!
How long will this spray deodorant last? Does it need to be kept in the refrigerator?
It should last a good long time… 6 months or so. I imagine you will go through it faster than that, though.
I am one of those people who’s skin gets red and irritated when using baking soda. Also for me it always burns when I apply magnesium oil. I’ve been using it on my abdomen for 6 months and it still burns, not tingles, but burns. But that doesn’t stop me from using mag oil daily. Since using it my eye twitch has stopped. Interesting idea to try it out for deodorant.
If Magnesium oil is burning you simply dillute it with water. All it is is a strong dillution of the Mag salt and water. It is very easy to make. I use it full stregnth on ,my torso and dillute it to about 1/4 stregnth for my face and armpits. I simply put a small amount into another container and dillute that to a stregnth that doesn’t hurt my skin. Also I find that when it is mixed with a lotion or coconut oil it doesn’t burn or look powdery or flakey when it dries.
I squirt a bit of mag oil and then a squirt of lotion in my hand , mix the two and apply. You get moisturized and get mag oil without any stinging.
I have found that mixing a little coconut oil in the magnesium oil keeps it from burning other areas of my body. I am not sure about putting on your underarms though. Might feel kind of slimy.
Since essential oils are not recommended for children, what should you put in the mixture for tweens and teens as a scent? Or is the amount recommended negligible? Also, any recommendations for a scent – antibacterial and antifungal?
THANK YOU!!
Most essential oils are safe with children! Just make sure they’re 100% pure and the magnesium oil should dilute it too!
I would check out learningabouteos.com for help with knowing what essential oils to stay away from for kids, and proper dilution ratios for particular age groups. There is a wonderful dilution chart that tells you how many drops of EO’s to add for different amounts of carrier. Scroll down the home page and look at the right side bar under “Safety and Education Articles.”
Though I have not tried magnesium oil, or milk of magnesia yet, I have been using a fragrance-free deodorant for years, and giving it a little boost with my favorite fragrance applied to the armpit. That way your deodorant never clashes with your perfume! This leaves you and your kids free to find a fragrance whose composition suit everyone.
How do you get the essential oils dispersed throughout the magnesium “oil,” since oil and water don’t mix? Do you emulsify the essential oil in Everclear first? I’ve used plain old milk of magnesia as a deodorant and was somewhat pleased. This might be even better. Baking soda caused a horrible rash for me.
You can shake it…
I’ve been using magnesium oil as a deodorant for about a month and it definitely works. I bought the oil for sleeplessness and was applying it to my feet as recommended on the bottle. Then I thought I might as well use it during the day to help with my stressful job. The easiest place to apply it was under my arms so now I have a deodorant that helps keep me relaxed and dry. Love it.
Win win! I’m excited to try it!
Excited to try this. Just placed my order for magnesium oil, clay to detox first and some roll on applicators. Hoping this works! Used a coconut oil based diy deodorant with baking soda and it caused so much irritation that my armpits ended up peeling! :/ Never read/or thought about detoxing first but makes so much sense. Hoping this is it for me, I hate to smell bad after a few hours and I hate using chemicals on my body!
I know this comment is late but for those who are sensitive to baking soda or still have odor problems after washing under there arms etc….your not alone. I have searched everywhere using everything and I mean everything to get rid of my strong smelling pits. One day I came across a chemist who explained that the problem was I was using soap under my arm which in return causes the smell….even though washing under your arms cleans them, your left with soap residue that the bacteria eats on causing the smell. His suggestion was to NOT use any soap under your arms when washing (I know! I thought that’s crazy) only use hot water to clean them and after letting them dry use Lime. I have tried it and can say it WORKS 100%. Just cut a slice of lime and rub the juice under your arms, let it dry and your done. It feels slightly sticky at first but it goes away shortly. The best thing I have tried, next would be the magnesium oil which works great too but for some people it may burn too much. This is also great for kids and very cheap, I would recommend putting the juice in a roller to make it easier to apply for kids but keep it refrigerated to prolong use and freshness.
Have you tried pasteurized organic lime juice you can buy online?
I’m wondering if it works the same.
Caution however, as lime juice makes your skin extremely photosensitive.
I was wondering if you think it would work to add magnesium oil to the original deodorant recipes that you posted…not the solid one, but the one that’s more like a paste. We love that one and it took me a long time to get my husband to convert. He is happy with it and doesn’t really care to switch again. He has troubles with sleep, so I would love to get him more magnesium. Thanks for this post, though! I plan on using it!
I would think it should be fine but I’ll experiment. You might need to whip it.
Great! Thanks! I will experiment too. Whipping it seems like that would be a great way to incorporate it. Thanks again!
A friend recently told me about using Mike of Magnesium as a deodorant.
So I purchased a bottle, shake well apply to a Kleenex, dab both underarms wait a few minutes. It does not stain clothing and absolutely works. I have been using for about 1month now. By the end of the day, there is absolutely no odour at all.
Let me know what other people think.
Thanks & have a great day.
Mary
I use Milk of Magnesia when I run out of deodorant and in a hurry. It works VERY well for me. I also use it as a primer before I use foundation (which is rare,I hate make-up) so that my face doesn’t get shiny. And I never use powder.
I have been scanning the comments hoping to see someone else bring that up. It really does work 🙂
Ms. Angela, you are absolutely right, milk of magnesia is great as a primer for makeup. The makeup artist that my sister used for her wedding applied milk of magnesia to her bridesmaids faces. The makeup lasted all day and with no shine. It was absolutely amazing!
I never knew it could be used to help with body odor. I am definitely going to give it a try. I have potent underarms!?
I too use milk of magnesia as my deodorant. I’ve been doing it for 3 years now when my cousin told me that’s what she uses. We live in South Texas, so it’s passed the test with our super hot summers. No singing, no smell and easy to buy from any grocery or drugstore. I put it on after my shower in the evening and it lasts through the next day. Great stuff!
I always replace one tablespoon of coconut oil with 1 tablespoon of magnesium oil in your paste recipe and it has been great. Thank you so much I love your recipes!