Written by Lydia Krupinski  Photos by David Paul Downs

fun deododorant

Over the years I’ve tried every natural deodorant imaginable….Tom’s, Jason, Dr. Hauschka, Burt’s Bees, Lush, crystals, lotions, and good ole’ soap. All left me either stinky and slimy, or red and rashy.

Determined to win the battle, I began to scour the internet to find an effective DIY Deodorant recipe. After two failed attempts using Essential Day Spa’s recipe, I ditched the clay, coconut oil, and lavender, and opted for the following simplified recipe.

I recently recruited several guinea pigs, including my husband David, to put my homemade concotion to the test. Through wind and rain, heat and cold, lazy days and vigorous bike riding, my subjects’ pits smelled as fresh as ever! I am now proud to present you with this easy DIY Natural Deodorant tutorial… Sprout Chicago style!

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Ingredients: 3 Tbsp Corn Starch,  1/2 tsp Baking Soda, 1/2 cup Pure Shea Butter, 10 drops Neem Oil, 10 drops Tee Tree oil, 10 drops Lemon Grass oil

Follow These Steps:

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Step 1: Combine ingredients and stir. I threw mine in a fondue pot I no longer use and melted them all together.

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Step 2: Check consistency. If the mix looks too thin, add more baking soda. If you’re skin is sensitive, like mine, add starch instead.

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Step 3: Pour mixture into an air tight container and allow to set. I used an empty glass jar from my face cream and let the mixture set for an hour before use.

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Step 4: To apply, scoop out a dime sized amount and massage into underarms.

Not enough time to DIY? In her article “Want a fresh green deodorant? Don’t Sweat It!” Marisa Belger put together this list of five ingredients to avoid when choosing a deodorant from the store. She writes:

“Parabens: These preservatives come in several forms (methyl, ethyl, propyl, benzyl and butyl) and have been found in breast cancer tumors — though the link to cancer has yet to be substantiated.

Aluminum and friends: Aluminum should be wrapped around sandwiches and not absorbed into the body where, as I mentioned earlier, it has been connected to Alzheimer’s disease. But aluminum is a key ingredient in antiperspirant and may look like any of these on a label: aluminum chlorohydrate, aluminum zirconium tetrachlorohydrex gly or any other aluminum compound.

Triclosan: Sounds like a toilet bowl cleaner, but it’s really a chemical that is classified as a pesticide by the FDA. It’s thought to contain carcinogenic contaminants and is stored in body fat.

Talc: This seemingly benign duster of baby bottoms is often contaminated with asbestos (which is carcinogenic).

Propelyn glycol: As a ‘penetration enhancer,’ propelyn glycol sounds as if it should be sold with Viagra, but it is actually believed to be a neurotoxin that may cause kidney or liver damage.”

Itching for more? Check out this fun deodorant trivia article from CNN.

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