Making your own homemade deodorant without baking soda can be a great option for sensitive skin. This recipe is made with all-natural ingredients, scented with essential oils, and perfectly formulated to be gentle on sensitive skin.
Homemade deodorant is simple to make and only requires a few ingredients. It is very soothing for the skin and works great for both women and men. Scented with essential oils, you can customize it just the way you want.
I’ve been making my own homemade all-natural deodorant stick for years and I love it! I am able to completely customize the ingredients to suit my skin type and preferences. Plus, it is much more affordable than most store-bought natural deodorants.
I had several requests for a deodorant recipe that doesn’t use baking soda, as it can be irritating to some. So, I got to work and created this DIY baking soda-free deodorant. It works wonderfully and is perfect for sensitive skin!
When you are finished making it, be sure to add a free printable label from my membership library to the container.
Learn how to make this simple DIY deodorant and get my favorite oil blends to try!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Gentle on the skin: Many homemade and natural deodorants contain baking soda, which is alkaline with a pH of 9. This can be very irritating to the sensitive underarm skin of some people. If you have had reactions in the past or would just like a gentle deodorant, this recipe still works great without the addition of baking soda.
- Easy to make: When I realized how simple it can be to make your own homemade deodorant, I couldn’t believe I waited so long to start! With less than 15 minutes of active time, you’ll have your own homemade deodorant.
- Moisturizing ingredients: With all-natural ingredients like beeswax and mango butter, this deodorant doesn’t just fight odor, it also hydrates and soothes the skin.
What Goes Into This Recipe
- Coconut Oil: Coconut oil makes a great natural deodorant all on its own and can be used on a whim in emergency situations. It is a great natural deodorant base as it is anti-fungal and antibacterial.
- Mango Butter: Another base of this homemade deodorant, mango butter, is very nourishing and gentle for sensitive skin. Mango butter will help keep your underarms clean and odor-free with its antimicrobial and antibacterial properties. You can also use shea butter or cocoa butter if you prefer.
- Beeswax: The beeswax will help you to get the texture you need and hold the shape of your homemade deodorant stick. Beeswax is found in many skin care products (such as my homemade lotion bars) because of the many benefits it has for the skin. The added beeswax will help this deodorant to stay solid even in the warmer months.
- Arrowroot powder: A gentler alternative to baking soda, arrowroot powder helps to absorb sweat, keeping your underarms fresh and dry.
- Vitamin E Oil: Adding in vitamin E oil is optional but has many great benefits for the skin. Vitamin E oil is high in antioxidants and can be used as a natural preservative.
- Essential Oils: In this recipe, the essential oils are mainly for scent, but they do have benefits for the skin as well. Keep reading to see my favorite blends for deodorant.
How to Make Homemade Deodorant without baking soda
Step 1. Melt coconut oil, mango butter, and beeswax in a double boiler. You can make your own by placing a glass bowl over a pot of water.
Step 2. Remove from heat and add in vitamin E oil, arrowroot powder, and essential oils.
Step 3. Stir the mixture well until the ingredients are thoroughly combined.
Step 4. Pour the mixture into an empty deodorant container and allow it to cool until solid. This takes about an hour in the refrigerator.
Note: If you are storing your homemade deodorant in a deodorant container, you may want to keep it in the refrigerator because the coconut oil will soften at temps above 76°.
Expert Tips
Using a natural deodorant without baking soda may be an adjustment at first, but with a few tips, the transition can be smooth!
An important thing to note is this recipe is for a deodorant, not an antiperspirant. Many commercial deodorants contain aluminum to act as an antiperspirant and stop sweating. Homemade deodorants generally do not have antiperspirants in them because sweating is actually important. There are also some potential risks to putting aluminum in your underarms daily.
So when you make the switch from antiperspirant, you may notice sweating. Fortunately, the arrowroot powder will help to absorb moisture, and the essential oils will help to cover up the smell.
It can take your body up to 30 days to adjust to the switch. Here are some pointers to make it easier:
- Apply the deodorant as needed
- Drink a lot of water to help the body detox
- Do an armpit detox a few times a week to help draw out impurities
Once your body adjusts, you will love homemade, natural deodorant! I’ve used it for years and find it to be effective, affordable, and very gentle on my skin.
Essential Oil Blends for Deodorant
Adding essential oils to your homemade deodorant will give it a lovely, natural scent. Feel free to put your favorite oils together to make a custom blend! If you’d prefer a tried and tested blend, here are my favorites for both men and women:
For Men
Fresh
- 10 drops cypress
- 10 drops eucalyptus
- 10 drops peppermint
Woodsy
- 10 drops sandalwood
- 10 drops cedarwood
- 10 drops lemongrass
Odor Buster
- 10 drops lemon
- 10 drops rosemary
- 10 drops citronella
For Women
Floral
- 10 drops lavender
- 10 drops rose
- 10 drops jasmine
Citrus
- 10 drops wild orange
- 10 drops bergamot
- 10 drops lemon
Sensitive Skin
- 5 drops lavender
- 5 drops Roman chamomile
- 3 drops frankincense
Recipe FAQs
No, you can pour your homemade deodorant mixture into a small container or glass jar if you prefer. To apply it, you can scoop a bit out and rub it into the skin. If you would rather try a different application method, you may like my homemade spray deodorant or DIY deodorant cream.
No, natural deodorant isn’t as strong and doesn’t work as well as commercial deodorant. That’s, unfortunately, just the way it is when you are avoiding certain ingredients. That said, many folks (myself included) still prefer homemade deodorant and find that it works well! Scroll up for my tips on making the switch to natural deodorant.
Homemade deodorant can usually be stored in a cool, dark place, like a bathroom drawer. If your house gets above 76°, you may need to store it in the fridge or keep your deodorant in a small jar rather than the deodorant stick container.
Yes, you must perform a patch test before using any homemade deodorant. This helps determine if your skin reacts negatively to any ingredients in the product.
Related Content
- Whole Body Deodorant Spray
- How to Exfoliate Underarms the Natural Way
- Homemade Body Butter Stick
- Vanilla Lavender Body Spray
- DIY Men’s Cologne with Essential Oils
If you tried this Homemade Deodorant without Baking Soda or any other tutorial on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. Thanks for visiting!
Homemade Deodorant without Baking Soda
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 oz coconut oil 2 tbsp
- 0.5 oz mango butter 2 tbsp
- 0.5 oz beeswax pellets 2 tbsp
- 5 drops vitamin E oil
- 1 tbsp arrowroot powder
- 15-30 drops Essential oils of choice see my favorite blends above
Instructions
- Melt coconut oil, mango butter, and beeswax in a double boiler. I make my own by placing a glass bowl over a pot of water.
- Remove from heat and add in vitamin E oil, arrowroot powder, and essential oils.
- Carefully pour it into your empty deodorant container while it's still melted.
- Once the mixture sets up and becomes solid, it is ready to use. This may take several hours at room temperature or an hour in the refrigerator.
Video
Notes
- 10 drops sandalwood
- 10 drops cedarwood
- 10 drops lemongrass
- 10 drops lavender
- 10 drops rose
- 10 drops jasmine
Mo says
Hi Laura!
Personally, the baking soda recipe irritated my skin. So I used this recipe instead and put it like 1/2 tsp of baking soda. It’s still doesn’t make me as fresh as the full baking soda one on my underarm area (but it doesn’t irritate it). Would you recommend I try more baking soda to this recipe or use another ingredient to help the power? Maybe more arrowroot powder or use activated charcoal? It could be the essential oils irritating my underarms in tandem. What is your insight? I could really use a more knowledgeable person on this as Id love to make sure the natural one works for me! Thank you so very much! God bless you and yours!
Mo says
Hi Laura!
Personally, the baking soda recipe irritated my skin. So I used this recipe instead and put it like 1/2 tsp of baking soda. It’s still doesn’t make me as fresh as the full baking soda one on my underarm area (but it doesn’t irritate it). Would you recommend I try more baking soda to this recipe or use another ingredient to help the power? Maybe more arrowroot powder or use activated charcoal? It could be the essential oils irritating my underarms in tandem. What is your insight? I could really use a more knowledgeable person on this as Id love to make sure the natural one works for me! Thank you so very much! God bless you and yours!
Khadeeja says
Hi
Can I use cornstarch instead of arrow root powder?
I’m finding it difficult to source
Thanks
Laura says
They are similar so that should work!
Clark Daniels says
Can you forgo the beeswax for more of a spread?
Laura says
Certainly. Just store it in a jar rather than a deodorant container.
Laura says
Yes, you can but it will change the texture and not be able to go in the deodorant stick.
Firdaus mukhtar says
Thanks alot dear
Diane says
How do you “detox” your armpits”
Laura says
You can use charcoal soap, I have a recipe on my blog.
Jeanette says
How do you detox your armpits??..
Karrie says
What size of container did you use?
Laura says
I have the containers I used linked.
Joy says
Hi Laura! Can you please tell me where you get your mango butter? Thank you so much!
Laura says
I have the kind I used linked in the blog post.
Sarah says
Hi Laura,
What would be a good substitute for the coconut oil. A friend of mine has eczema under her arms and is afraid that coconut oil will clog the pores. I told her it wouldn’t and would be a good moisturizer for it, but she is insistent over it and won’t use it. Sooooo I’m up to experimenting, and just wondered if you had any thoughts………thank you so much! 🤗
Megan says
How long does it last? 12 months or less?
Laura says
Yes, good for one year.
Peter says
Hi Laura
Have you tried using fractionated coconut oil instead of normal coconut oil?
Regards
Peter
Laura says
That won’t work in this recipe.
Rebecca says
Hi Laura,
This recipe looks great and I can’t wait to try it out! The beeswax link keeps taking me to mango butter though. 🙁
Laura says
Sorry about that, it is fixed! 🙂
Karmistha Poovan says
Hi Laura
Could one perhaps use Shea butter in place of coconut oil to prevent the possibility of melting at temperatures higher than 76?
Thanks
Laura says
You can use shea butter instead of mango butter, I have not tried the recipe without coconut oil.
Kath says
You could try making a smaller batch as a trial and reduce the amount of coconut oil and increase the amount of bees wax a little or you could reduce the coconut oil and add some shea butter to the recipe (this would be better in the warmer months)!
Coconut oil has lots of benefits to it and has anti-bacterial properties and nutralises odour, plus many more excelent skin caring properties…
Shizu says
Hi Laura!
I enjoyed making your deodorant recipe! I just wanted to point out that baking soda pH of 9 is “alkaline” not “acidic”.
Laura says
Fixed it. Thanks for pointing that out!