I have been meaning to post about my two favorite homemade deodorants for awhile now, but for some reason it always gets put on the back burner. Do you do that with some posts?
I met up with Shelly in the Balboa last week so that she could give me a warhol magnet that's just like the warhol I posted on my Steal Like and Artist post. How cool is that? We hung out and walked around the park with her adorable boys. I stopped by her blog when I got home and saw that she had just posted about making her own deodorant and told her I make a similar one. So here it goes.
The first type I make is a spray version. I loved the BBC series Grow Your Own Drugs with Ethnobotanist James Wong. In the first season he had an episode about trees where he goes out and scrapes pine trees for sap and makes a pine deodorant. I don't have many pines around, nor did I have the patience for his recipe, but I do have a boat load of essential oils around so I adapted.
DIY SPRAY DEODORANT
(1) 2oz. glass spray bottle (you can purchase at whole foods or recycle something you already have)
3 T of liquid base (purified water, floral water or green tea)
½ t of alcohol (everclear, vodka or witch hazel)
30 drops of a single scent or combination of tea tree, cypress, clary sage, pine, sage, lemongrass, juniper
20 drops of a single scent or combination of lavender, lemon, rosemary, grapefruit, lime, orange, geranium
Directions: Measure and pour ingredients into measuring cup. Pour into bottle and screw on spray top. Activate sprayer. Gently shake the bottle before each use. Do a 24-hour test on a small patch of skin before using. Shake well and spritz 2-3 times every morning to underarms, feet, etc.
Storage: Keeps for up to 1 year in a cool, dry place.
This is my sister's favorite. She comes over and has me fill up her bottle. I never make it the same way twice. Although I do like some Pine with Juniper and Lime. It's like a Gin and Tonic under your arms. It think hydrosols, floral water and green tea work best because of their antibacterial properties, but water can be just fine too.
DIY MOSTLY SOLID DEODORANT
1/4 cup arrowroot powder
4 tablespoons unrefined coconut oil
30 drops of lemongrass, lime, lemon or grapefruit essential oil
a jar with a tight seal. I like the jar I used above.
Directions: Combine dry ingredients in a bowl. Add coconut oil in gradually intill you like the consistency. Then stir in essential oils of your choice. To apply, grab a bit with your finger, hold it against your skin for a couple seconds so it melts a little, then rub around.
Storage: Store in a closed container at room temp. (if the deodorant gets too soft, try refrigerating it for a bit to firm it up).
Tell me what mixtures you come up with. I feel like I could have written a lot more, because I love essential oils so much.
* I'm very serious about my deodorant as the top photo suggests.
Labels: fun, gifts, searching the cushions, she's crafty
