We can do without aluminium, which is used as an active compound of commonly available antiperspirants, without parabens, alcohol, or salt. In short, a purely natural product that reduces unpleasant sweat production and smells nice. Without chemistry.

First, we should mention that sweating is completely natural. It ensures the thermoregulation of our body and yes, unfortunately, it can stink. It’s not the sweat alone that smells unpleasant. That is a fault of bacteria, which decompose the sweat on the skin.

Sweat is composed of 98 % water and the rest is what scares every clean person: sodium chloride, urea, creatine, lactic acid, ammonia, fatty acids, uric acid and toxins. The smell of sweat is affected by many things, from general physical condition and health to the used chemical substances and the composition of the diet [1], [2].

GS tip: if you want to eliminate the unpleasant sweat smell, reduce garlic, onions, curries, red meat, and alcohol, as well as brusque vegetables, asparagus or tomatoes.

What helps against sweating? Deodorant or antiperspirant?

That’s the right question because there’s a difference between them. Deodorants reduce the odour produced by a build-up of microorganisms in sweat on the skin but generally do not prevent sweating while an antiperspirant reduces sweating but may not always act as a deodorant.

A combination of both appears to be ideal – a combination of deodorant and antiperspirant.

The good news is that you can find most ingredients for our deodorant/antiperspirant at home in the kitchen, or you can easily get them. If they are organic quality, even better.

What ingredients in what amount will we need?

• Coconut oil -3 tbsp
• Corn starch – 4 tbsp
• Baking soda – 2 tbsp
• Essential oils of your own choice – 15 drops
• Tea Tree oil -10 drops

Plus: a clean 200 ml glass jar with a lid

What are the properties and benefits of the following ingredients?

Coconut oil has an antimicrobial effect thanks to a high amount of laurate acid.

Corn starch has absorbing properties.

Baking soda is literally a natural deodorant on its own since it works as alkaline on acid-loving bacteria.

Essential oils of organic quality add a healthy and clean smell to the product.

Tea Tree oil has an antibacterial effect and neutralises the unpleasant smell.

Which essential oil is the best to choose?

High-quality one, which will smell nice to you and you won’t be allergic to (test a drop of your chosen essential oil on your skin before using it). The most commonly used essential oils in homemade antiperspirants/deodorants are, outside tea tree oil, grapefruit, lavender or lemongrass. However, even less common marjoram, mint, rosemary, sage or geranium (fragrance nutmeg) are great.

GS tip: Geranium also works as an insecticide, which can come in handy in the summer months.

Step-by-step guide for making the natural deodorant/antiperspirant

1. Mix 2 tbsp of baking soda with 4 tbsp of cornstarch in a bowl.
2. Add 15 drops of your favourite essential oil and 10 drops of tea tree oil to the dry mixture and mix thoroughly again. The mixture still stays loose, just a little moister.
3. Add 3 tbsp of coconut oil and add it to the bowl, and properly mix the mixture from the bottom. Don’t be discouraged if things don’t work out right away. It takes a while for the ingredients to connect well.
4. Push the mixture into a clean glass jar (be thorough, so that no air bubbles stay in the glass), wipe the edges of the jar, and close the lid. Put your handmade product into a fridge for at least 15 minutes until it solidifies. Store the deodorant in the fridge. 

How to apply the deodorant/antiperspirant correctly, so that its effect is the best?

No product should be used to disrupted skin, which is why you shouldn’t use it immediately after shaving. Wet your armpit slightly first, the skin will be hydrated and therefore ready for even application. Use your (clean!) fingers or wooden cosmetic spatula to scoop the product from the jar (roughly pea-sized amount for one armpit), then rub the product between your fingers and apply it to the skin. You can repeat this procedure throughout the day.

GS tip: Take a small amount of the product with you for example in your handbag (a small metal box or a glass container from an eye cream is enough). This way, you will always have it by hand whenever you need it. Put it back in the fridge every evening.

Recommendation: Find out if the product suits you well or if you are allergic to any of the ingredients of the product. Do this by first applying a small amount of product on a small area of the skin where you want to use the product.