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If you have a big jar of coconut oil in your pantry, you’re set. And I’m not just talking about making popcorn, baking sweets or roasting veggies. For those of us dabbing into DIY beauty products, coconut oil is miracle stuff. You can use this inexpensive ingredient to make everything from body butter to deodorant and coconut oil toothpaste. Scroll down if you’re tempted to give it a try.
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My Experience with Coconut Oil Deodorant
I’ve been using the natural stuff for several weeks, and here’s what I’ve noticed:
The first few days your pits will itch like crazy. Apparently this is them getting used to not having the usual chemicals.
The smell is awesome. As a big coconut fan already I love the tropical-y smell combined with my favorite essential oils. I do the sniff test every so often because I’m still paranoid about BO and have yet to smell anything really appalling. By nighttime, the smell has usually worn off but nothing is stinky.
Yes, I still sweat on occasion. But it’s far less than I expected. I was worried about lots of sweating since natural deodorants don’t have antiperspirant, but it has not been an issue at all. And when I do sweat, it’s not accompanied by terrible BO.
Apparently, after a few months of use, the baking soda can mess up your underarm pH. You’ll know this has happened if you get the crazy itchiness again. You can speed up the detox process with an arm pit mask, or try swabbing with apple cider vinegar before applying the deodorant to correct the pH.
Coconut Oil Deodorant Recipe
To make your own you’ll need:
—¼ cup baking soda
—¼ cup cornstarch (you can also use arrowroot powder)
—3 tablespoons coconut oil
—2 tablespoons shea butter
—Essential oils (I used 2 drops lavender, 2 drops jasmine and 2 drops eucalyptus)
Melt the coconut oil and shea butter together over low heat. Stir in the baking soda, corn starch/arrowroot and essential oils and pour into a small jar with a lid.
You’ll be amazed at how well this solidifies. I apply it with my fingers but it would be super easy to use as a bar as well.
Detoxing my dental routine was an easier switch for me—at least mentally. In practice, though, I’ve found it much harder to adjust to.
One of the reasons is that I love brushing my teeth (weird, but true). So I brush 3 to 4 times a day—usually for a looong time. My OCD brushing habits were the major reason I wanted to switch to something natural. How much of that stuff am I ingesting with all that crazy brushing?
My Experience with Coconut Oil Toothpaste
It’s much harder to brush for long periods of time. The toothpaste gets very liquid-y and doesn’t foam like regular toothpastes, so you can’t keep working it around for more than about 45 seconds. So if you want to brush longer, you’ll need to apply the toothpaste again.
It tastes good! Again, I’m a coconut fan, so if you can cover up the baking soda, you won’t mind the taste at all. And the mint will make your breath nice and fresh.
A nice side benefit is that you’ll inevitably get coconut oil on your lips. I used to always have to apply lip balm after brushing my teeth, but now my lips are nice and soft at the end of brushing. In the evening, I use this homemade mouthwash.
Minty Coconut Toothpaste Recipe
You’ll need:
—3 tablespoons coconut oil
—3 tablespoons baking soda
—10–15 drops peppermint essential oil
Warm the coconut oil if solid, as I think it’s easier to mix everything together with the liquid. Stir in the baking soda and essential oil and store in a sealed container.
If you still don’t like the taste or you’re trying to get your kids on board, then adding a bit of stevia really helps.
Have you tried making your own toothpaste or deodorant? How did it go?
Coconut Oil and Baking Soda DIY Deodorant Recipe
Yield: 4 ounces
Cost: $8
Equipment
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Double boiler
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4-ounce jar with lid
Instructions
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Combine shea butter and coconut oil in a heat-safe bowl. Heat a couple of inches of water over low heat in a small saucepan. Place the bowl on top to melt the oils.
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Remove from heat and stir in the baking soda and corn starch/arrowroot. Add in essential oils and combine.
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Pour into a small jar and let it sit until completely hardened. Replace the lid and keep in a cool, dry spot.
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Apply a small amount to your underarms with your fingers.
Notes
Use your homemade deodorant within 1–2 months.
FAQ
The coconut oil in the toothpaste will become very soft if kept in a warm environment. If the texture bothers you, you can either store the toothpaste somewhere cold or modify the recipe to include more baking soda.
Just like regular toothpaste, you won’t be ingesting this natural version. Spit it out and rinse your mouth as normal. Also make sure you use certified pure therapeutic grade essential oils in this recipe to be on the safe side. If you’re still uncomfortable with the idea, you can skip the peppermint essential oil altogether.
This might be the case if you live in a warm climate. You can try using a coconut oil with a higher melting point. You could also pop the deodorant in the fridge (and even store it there) to help solidify it faster. The shea butter in this recipe also helps the deodorant stay solid.
Same as with oil pulling, you might want to spit out your coconut oil toothpaste directly into the bin to prevent clogging the drain. This depends on the building you live in, but better to be safe than sorry.
We haven’t noticed any staining using this deodorant. However, if you’re worried about staining more precious fabrics, apply the deodorant 15-20 minutes before getting dressed to allow it to soak into the skin. You can also dust your underarms with a bit of cornstarch just in case.
