Natural Deodorant for Men: Best Kinds and How to Make Your Own

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DIY Deodorant for Men
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Finding the best deodorant for men that’s natural and actually works can be the pits! I’ve been making natural homemade deodorant for several years now and I love how easy and effective it is. This men’s deodorant recipe is just as good, but has a manly scent to it (along with a few other updates!).

Best Men’s Deodorant (That Really Works)

Confession time… I used to be super sweaty! Natural deodorant (and clean eating) have made a world of difference. Men’s sweat though… that’s a whole other level!

This men’s deodorant can stop man-stink in its tracks with essential oils and other natural ingredients. For those just switching to a natural deodorant, an armpit detox will speed up the detox process for fresh pits.

If you’re not a DIYer, I’ve included a few store-bought natural deodorants for men that really work at the bottom of this post.

Sweat-Absorbing Ingredients

Baking soda has a very high pH at around 9, while our skin’s protective acid mantle is around 4.5 pH. This is one reason some people find it causes skin irritation and redness in a deodorant.

My men’s deodorant recipe uses some baking soda (but not too much!) for its odor-preventing properties, but I’ve added other ingredients that serve the same purpose but are gentle on the skin.

Arrowroot powder or cornstarch helps to gently absorb underarm moisture and thicken the product. Diatomaceous earth does the same, with added antimicrobial properties. When sweat hits bacteria on the skin it causes odor. Adding antimicrobial ingredients helps solve that problem.

No Aluminum!

The science behind aluminum toxicity isn’t clear, but there’s enough evidence of harm that I avoid it. Antiperspirant deodorants with aluminum block pores to reduce sweat. Natural deodorants allow the body’s natural detoxification processes to work, which is good for the body.

Naturally Scented With Essential Oils

I’m not a fan of fake fragrances. There are over 3,100 chemicals used in fragrances and NONE of them are required to be listed on a product label.

So, for those who want to smell good (safely!) what’s the best option? Essential oils smell great and offer important health and mood benefits. For men’s skincare, I like to use musky or woodsy scents. (Most men don’t want to smell like lavender.)

Some essential oils can be safely used in larger amounts than others, and some cause photosensitivity when used above a certain percentage. Read more about the exact safe percentage for each oil here, but .5-2% is a good rule of thumb.

Here are some of the hubby-approved essential oils I’ve used in his DIY products over the years:

  • Cypress
  • Cedarwood
  • Balsam fir
  • Fir needle
  • Frankincense
  • Myrrh
  • Tea tree (also known as melaleuca)
  • Sandalwood
  • Patchouli
  • Vetiver
  • Sweet Orange
  • Bergamot (phototoxic)
  • Lemon (phototoxic)
  • Mandarin
  • Juniper berry
  • Cinnamon
  • Clove

I’ve narrowed down to my favorite combination in the recipe below, but feel free to switch up the essential oils to your preference. Anything from the list above will work. (Or come up with your own unique combo!)

My Favorite Men’s Deodorant Scent

Here’s a breakdown of the essential oils I used in my men’s deodorant recipe and why they work so well:

  • Cypress –  An astringent to tighten pores and minimize but not prevent sweating (because it’s healthy!). It also helps relieve stress (think stress sweat) and acts as an antiseptic.
  • Sweet orange – Anti-fungal, antibacterial, and doesn’t cause photosensitivity.
  • Frankincense – Fights stress and anxiety which can help with stress sweat and overall mood.

And they also smell great together!

DIY Recipe: Natural Deodorant for Men

This recipe yields 5 ounces, or enough to fill two deodorant tubes. If your tubes are more than 2.5 ounces each, cut back on the coconut oil.

Ingredients

Supplies

  • Hot pad or towel
  • Small pot
  • Deodorant tubes – re-purposed clean ones, or new like these

Instructions

  1. In a heat-safe glass jar, like a mason jar, add the beeswax and coconut oil.
  2. Place the jar in a pot with several inches of water in it, and heat over medium high heat until melted.
  3. Remove the jar from the heat with a hot pad or towel and allow it to cool for a minute. Whisk in the essential oils, arrowroot, baking soda, and diatomaceous earth.
  4. This will solidify rather quickly, so immediately pour the natural deodorant into your containers. If you prefer to have the deodorant in a jar, adjust the beeswax and keep the deodorant in the jar you made it in!

Tip: Use an extra deodorant tubes to make lotion bars!

Variations

Once you try this recipe, mix it up with other scent combinations. Here are some ideas of essential oils that pair well:

  • Clove, cinnamon, orange
  • Cypress, juniper berry
  • Bergamot, cedarwood
  • Sandalwood, patchouli
  • Sweet orange, patchouli
  • Lemon, fir needle

How to Apply Natural Men’s Deodorant

  • Apply to clean armpits
  • Less is more! Apply a thin layer and rub it in if necessary. Too much leaves a tacky/gummy feeling.
  • Wait a few minutes before putting a shirt on, or the deodorant may leave stains.

Here’s another mens DIY deodorant variation you might want to try.

Other DIY Skincare Recipes for Men

Not a DIYer?

My husband actually uses the same pre-made deodorant I do since it has a clean, fresh scent that works well for both men and women. Give it a try!

Has the man in your life switched to natural deodorant? What has and hasn’t worked? I’d love to hear!

Katie Wells Avatar

About Katie Wells

Katie Wells, CTNC, MCHC, Founder of Wellness Mama and Co-founder of Wellnesse, has a background in research, journalism, and nutrition. As a mom of six, she turned to research and took health into her own hands to find answers to her health problems. WellnessMama.com is the culmination of her thousands of hours of research and all posts are medically reviewed and verified by the Wellness Mama research team. Katie is also the author of the bestselling books The Wellness Mama Cookbook and The Wellness Mama 5-Step Lifestyle Detox.

Comments

36 responses to “Natural Deodorant for Men: Best Kinds and How to Make Your Own”

  1. Kaleb Avatar

    I’ve been using native which has baking soda and coconut oil. Unfortunately it has caused me to break out. After some quick reading, I’ve discovered it is likely due to baking soda and coconut oil. Is there an alternative to the coconut oil and baking soda? Have you used charcoal?

    1. Jamie Larrison Avatar

      Baking Soda has a high pH of around 9 while our skin is naturally acidic at around 4.5 pH. It could very well just be the overuse of baking soda you’re reacting to. This recipe is formulated so that the baking soda isn’t irritating for most people because there’s not a high percentage of it. You can always replace it with more arrowroot powder if desired though. The coconut oil is one of the main active ingredients so there’s not really a good sub for it in this recipe.

    2. arelliss Avatar
      arelliss

      I just buy Lavilin. Kinda spendy at $20 but you only need to use it every 7-10 days. Just don’t wash it off with soap when you bathe.

  2. Craig Avatar

    I like unscented, am I losing anything by not using the essential oils? Are they mainly for scent?

      1. Mike Colombo Avatar
        Mike Colombo

        How much essential oil works best? For example if I wanted to use bergamot and cedar wood? Or both with white musk? How do you figure a proper amount?

        1. Jamie Larrison Avatar

          The recipe uses 34 drops essential oil total so you could use any combination of essential oils you prefer that total 34 drops. Bergamot is phototoxic above .4% which is about 2 drops per 2 TBSP of other ingredients. Cedarwood doesn’t have any specific dilution requirements. In general if you’re going for a good scent you’d want 30% of the oils used to be a top note (one that evaporates more quickly like citrus oils), 50% to be a middle note oil, and 20% base note essential oil (like cedarwood or vetiver.)

  3. M Nicolaes Avatar
    M Nicolaes

    Hi there, should I put it in the fridge if it isn’t hardening? I don’t know if I can scoop it all out of the deodorant tube to add more arrowroot powder…. hoping it will harden soon!

  4. John Avatar

    For the essential oils in the recipe, are you to add all 3 of those or do you choose one? Seems like 32 drops of oils is a lot, so I just wanted to clarify this. Also, if I wanted to try another on the list, is there a recommended amount for those?Thank you.

  5. Ruth Avatar

    I made this but instead of essential oils I heated the coconut oil with orange zest, cypress needles, and for needles. I strained them out before adding the beeswax. It smells amazing! Much cheaper than getting the oils for my single income household.

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