I vividly remember begging my mom to let me wear deodorant. Specifically Teen Spirit. She was supervising our lunch hour at school. I was probably 9 or 10 at the time. And all the cool kids were doing it.
When she eventually caved, I was hooked — and I’ve worn deodorant every single day since.
(Somewhat related: I’ve washed my face twice a day since I was 11. Every. Single. Day. This habit does not break for camping, mono or childbirth. Clearly I don’t have commitment issues.)
Anywho.
When Matthew and I were beginning to talk more seriously about starting our family — a weird phrase considering getting married is a pretty great “start” if you ask me — I did some quick research regarding the foods and products I should and shouldn’t be consuming/using when pregnant.
And while I was pretty laid-back when it came to adopting any real pregnancy rules — other than a few obvious ones: no whisky, no cocaine, no cat litter — I did return an unopened bottle of moisturizer that contained retinoids.
And I started thinking about my armpits. And parabens. And synthetic fragrances.
So when I was assigned a “DIY deodorant” article last spring, the timing couldn’t have been better. Most surprising was that I actually used the homemade variety. All of it.
I’m now on my third batch.
Sure, it takes a little getting used to smearing cream under your arms, but change is good, right?
(And, yes, dear skeptics, it works.)
I use ThankYourBody.com’s recipe for Homemade Deodorant for Sensitive Skin. (I add lavender and tea tree oils.)
You'll need:
- 1/3 cup coconut oil
- 2 Tbsp baking soda
- 1/3 cup arrowroot powder — or arrowroot flour, it’s the same thing
- 5 drops lavender oil
- 5 drops tea tree oil
Find the super-simple directions here. (Seriously. It’s S.I.M.P.L.E. I made this while a baby rolled around on the floor — yep, she’s rolling! — for about five minutes.)
Do you make your own deodorant? How does your recipe differ from mine?