Homemade Deodorant Update

I know you've all been anxiously awaiting my homemade deodorant update - well wait no longer - I've come to a verdict!

Homemade deodorant rocks my world!

My first big "real day" try (ie: not sitting at home in my jammies) was last Monday. I armed myself with my homemade deo (just in case a reapply was all I needed), a pack of Wet Ones (just in case I needed a pit refresh mid-day, and my normal Dove anti-perspirant (just in case the above products failed and I had to whip out the big guns). 

Well, I am here to tell you that I didn't need ANY of my back up products! One application of my homemade deo took me through my ENTIRE day. I biked to work, had some stressful moments and even walked all the way home, and never once did I feel smelly or icky - and believe me, I checked - multiple times!

I went all week and even took a yoga class yesterday using just my homemade stuff - I'm telling you, it's amazing. I do sweat - don't get me wrong - but I don't smell. I made Copain take one for the team and stick his nose in my pit for double verification -  he confirmed that I was stink-free. What can I say, the man loves me. 

Everyone who I've shared this underarm brilliance with has generally laughed in my face and called me a weirdo (it's okay, I kind of am), but I have sparked some interest out there. My male colleague got a tester pot, compliments of yours truly and he's going to report back after a trial run. Copain tried it with me last weekend and it worked for him too.

I'll be packing it in my suitcase for the US and using my family as guinea pigs (get ready family!) - also, I'm thinking that if I can get through a 10-hour flight stink-free, I'll be 100% sold.

Anyone out there already tried something like this? I'm so curious! Help a weirdo out and report back!

Homemade Deodorant - Oh Yes I Did

I've been inside all day with a horrible sore throat and nasty cough - no bueno. Poor Copain didn't sleep at all last night, because I was up every five minutes pouring honey down my throat. Note to self: keep throat lozenges in the house at all times.

In any case, this morning he was a papa poule (a "father hen"), as they say here in France, and got me meds, made me tea and covered me up with a quilt on the taupe couch. We watched some TV, had some soup for lunch and then, when I realized that I had basically been horizontal for the past 15 hours, I decided that it was time to actually do something.

I got dressed (boo), walked up the street to my local organic market, BioCoop, and bought everything that this blogger told me I needed to make my very own deodorant. Why on Earth would she do that, is what you are probably thinking to yourself. Well, I had used a bit of Copain's deo that morning and had my annual revelation that I should really stop using anti-perspirant. 

This happens to me every so often, like when I decided to go shampoo-free, or 'poo free as the hippies call it, using just baking soda and apple cider vinegar to wash my hair.  Copain just about had a mini flip out about that one. 

But I digress...back to BioCoop...

I gathered all of the necessary, organic supplies, but got coconut oil instead of cocoa butter (they didn't have any at that store). Once back home, I sterilized my tools, melted the butters, added my baking soda and arrowroot, threw in some vitamin E, lavender and clove essential oils and 10 minutes later, BOOM! Homemade, totally organic deodorant!

All of my ingredients, plus my little pot of deo, down right.

It's sitting in the fridge right now and I'll be testing it out tomorrow. I'm admittedly a bit cynical - I've tried it all in terms of natural deodorants...but I have high hopes for this homemade one. Plus, it's always more fun to try stuff you've made yourself, right? Apparently, this one will go on like a cream and I'll smell like a daisy (or a lavender bush) all the live long day. Ca à l'air pas mal n'est pas?

Je vous tiendrai au courant! (I'll keep you posted!) Worst case scenario, I'll just have really moisturized armpits right? 

Want to test it out with me? Here is the recipe I used:

- 3 tablespoons of shea butter (beurre de karité)

- 2 tablespoons of coconut oil (huile de coco) or cocoa butter (beurre de cacao)

- 3 tablespoons of baking soda (bicarbonate de soude)

- 2 tablespoons of arrowroot (arrowroot) or cornstarch (maizena)

- 2 vitamin E capsules (you squeeze the oil into the mixture)

- 5 drops of lavender essential oil (lavande fine)

- 1 drop of clove essential oil (clous de girofle)

Note: you can use whatever essential oils you like. Many websites recommend tea tree oil for its anti-bacterial properties. I unfortunately didn't have any. 

Sterilize all tools, including the jar that you will use for the final product. I placed a glass cup in a pot of  boiling water, added the butters, baking soda and arrowroot, then mixed it with a wooden stick until it was smooth. Once I took the glass out of the water, I added the vitamin E and essential oils, then gave it a final stir. Finally, I poured the mixture into my specially purchased container and popped it in the fridge to harden. Voila! This took me a total of 15 minutes, tops!

Has anyone ever tried this before? Am I a total weirdo? Wait - don't answer that.