DIY Spray Deodorant

Jump to Recipe Jump to Video

This DIY spray deodorant is a must-have for everyone. I make it without baking soda and scent it with pure essential oils for a long-lasting, easy-to-apply deodorant.

An amber bottle of spray deodorant with green flowers in the background.

I have been making my own homemade deodorant stick for years and I love it! Making the switch to natural deodorant did have a transition period, but once I got through that I’ll never go back to conventional deodorant.

While I love the regular stick deodorant, I’ve gotten requests for other types of deodorant. Of course, I was happy to oblige!

I started with a deodorant cream and now I am tackling spray-on deodorant.

At first, I wasn’t sure how I’d like spraying my deodorant on, but I can honestly say I’m a huge fan.

This spray deodorant works well for me and only uses three simple ingredients. I think you’ll love it as much as I do!

Table of Contents

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Baking soda-free: A lot of natural deodorants use baking soda as a main ingredient, but many of my readers find that it irritates their underarms. This simple spray deodorant neutralizes body odor without any baking soda! If you prefer solid deodorant, you can also try my baking soda-free deodorant stick.
Simple ingredients: Storebought deodorants can have very long and confusing ingredient lists. This recipe just has three simple, recognizable ingredients.
Easy application: If you’ve never tried a spray-on deodorant, I think you’ll love it! A quick mist in the morning is all it takes to smell fresh throughout the day. It’s also less messy than most other deodorants.
Quick to make: To make this spray deodorant, all you have to do is mix together three ingredients and shake it up. It’s that easy!

Spray Deodorant Ingredients

Witch hazel: Witch hazel is a great deodorant ingredient as it’s soothing to sensitive or irritated skin. I use it in homemade body spray as a solvent for the essential oils. It works similarly in this spray-on deodorant to give it a scent that will last.
Magnesium oil: Topical magnesium is widely believed to help neutralize body odor when sprayed directly onto the underarms. Seven Minerals recommends using magnesium oil as a natural deodorant and even states that magnesium deficiency can worsen body odor. There isn’t adequate research on the topic to say with certainty this is true, but it surely works for me! Using magnesium oil on my underarms works very well to keep body odor at bay, so perhaps it will help you too. If nothing else, topical magnesium will help supplement your magnesium levels, which is important as a majority of the population does not meet the daily requirement of magnesium.
Essential oils: Use one of my suggested blends below or create your own custom scent!

How to Make DIY Spray Deodorant

Step 1. Combine the magnesium oil and witch hazel in a glass spray bottle using a funnel.

Step 2. Add essential oils and secure the lid. Shake well and your spray deodorant is ready to use.

Expert Tips + Safety

This deodorant may cause tingling when you first use it. This is because of the magnesium oil and is a very normal reaction. With continued use, the tingling will go away after a few days.
Do not apply this deodorant to broken skin.
It’s always a good idea to perform a patch test before using a new product, especially underarm products. Test the deodorant on a small area of your inner arm and check for skin irritation before applying it to the underarms.
If needed, use this armpit odor detox or exfoliate the underarms to help with transitioning to natural deodorants.
If you prefer a solid deodorant, you can make that too. Try my DIY deodorant without baking soda.

An amber spray bottle of spray deodorant with essential oils and towels and in the background.

Essential Oil Blends for Deodorant

The amount of essential oils you add to the recipe really depends on your preference and how strong you like the scent. For this recipe, I will be using a 2-ounce glass spray bottle. For that amount of spray, I use 15 drops of essential oils. If you are new to essential oils, you can check out the essential oils I use.

Women’s Blend

5 drops lavender
5 drops bergamot
5 drops Roman Chamomile

Men’s Blend

5 drops cypress
5 drops sandalwood
5 drops rosemary

Floral Blend

5 drops lavender
5 drops Roman Chamomile
5 drops patchouli

Citrus Blend

5 drops orange
5 drops lime
5 drops lemon

Fresh & Clean Blend

5 drops cypress
5 drops eucalyptus
5 drops lemongrass

An amber spray bottle of spray deodorant with green flowers, essential oils, and towels in the background.

Best Natural Deodorants to Buy

There are plenty of mixed feelings towards store-bought deodorants. So if you would rather not make your own, you can find pre-made natural options, too. I have tried some of these, and though they work and smell nice, I find them to be rather pricy! I prefer to make my own. 🙂

If you are not a DIY-er and prefer to buy, here is a list of natural deodorants to try:

Recipe FAQs

How long does DIY spray deodorant last?

This spray will last 3-6 months in an airtight glass spray bottle. Store out of direct sunlight.

Is natural deodorant as strong as regular deodorant?

Unfortunately, no, natural deodorant isn’t as strong as regular deodorant. That’s just the way it is when we’re avoiding certain ingredients. That said, I have found it to work well enough for me! On particularly sweaty days, you might prefer to use conventional deodorant, but for regular everyday use, natural deodorant gets the job done.

Is this spray deodorant an antiperspirant?

It’s important to note that this recipe is for a deodorant, not an antiperspirant. This is by design as sweating is an important way your body detoxifies itself. Antiperspirants are not necessary for avoiding body odor; it’s bacteria in your underarms that smells, not the sweat itself. This deodorant does help neutralize body odor and leaves a lovely scent from the essential oils.