There are so many different varieties of natural and organic beauty and hygiene products out there, but when you are diagnosed with cancer it is essential to make sure you’re keeping the bad stuff off of your skin and ultimately out of your blood system.

The most concerning of all of these products to me and to many others out there is DEODORANT. Why? Because conventional deodorant is incredibly invasive and toxic. But why are most natural deodorants so disappointing in their performance? I have used many, MANY varieties. I won’t name brands here, but TRUST me when I say I have tried 10 different brands that I can remember and many others that I’m sure were forgettable. AND many of these products were EXPENSIVE!!!! I am so happy to write about my soul-mate of deodorant today. The search is over. I have found THE ONE.

I first off want to thank Brittany at The Pistachio Project for the base of this recipe. She turned me onto this along with the rest of the “Crunchy Mamas” group at Babycenter.com who have raved about it. I didn’t make it for the longest time because we didn’t keep corn starch in our house and “I didn’t have the time.” I didn’t know what I was missing out on or how easy it was.

I’m glad I took the 5 minutes to make it. Seriously- it took 5 minutes once I ventured into it. I mixed in a medium sized bowl:

1/8 – 1/4 cup baking soda

1/8 – 1/4 cup cornstarch

1/4 cup coconut oil

Directions: Mix the dry ingredients first and then add the oil. Store in a sealed container at room temperature.

It will have a pasty consistency if mixed properly and will vary depending on the oil’s temperature. Right now it is 77 in my house and the mixture is a little bit more oily than it was when I made it with oil that was solid from being in a cold grocery store. When purchasing the ingredients, I would double check that the baking soda does not have added aluminum and that the corn starch is organic since most corn Americans consume IS genetically modified, or has had its genes altered in a lab. Organic coconut oil is best but you will be fine with regular- as in at least it’s a better alternative to store bought deodorant.

My Experience:

I found it very simple to keep the mixture in a small container such as a baby food jar or even a small plastic food storage container. I stir it with my finger and whatever has stuck to my finger I use to smear one side on one armpit and the other armpit with the other side of my finger. You can then either rub in the rest of the coconut oil on your hands to moisturize (although it is a little gritty- maybe you could use as an exfoliant??) You could also just wash your hands with mild soap.

I absolutely LOVE this deodorant. A week has past since I first used it and I have found nothing wrong with it. Coconut Oil should last up to two years and the other two ingredients have shelf lives to at least one year.

Pros:

• It is completely non-toxic. You could eat it…if you needed to.
• It WORKS. I put it on after I shower in the morning and the next morning after my workout I still don’t smell- from the application of it 24 hours before!
• You might think that it stains your clothes but it doesn’t. I would use the exact amount I specify and rub it in well. Let it sit for a few minutes before putting a shirt on.
• It still allows you to sweat, but the baking soda and cornstarch absorb enough that you don’t look like a sweaty mess in your pits. Sweat helps detoxify your lymph system and rid your body of the bad stuff. Antiperspirants in store-bought deodorants stop this natural process from happening.
• It works for women and men- my husband has also been using it and it works just as well for him!
• It has not caused me irritation even after shaving.
• It’s CHEAP- I paid $ .49, $.99 and $7.99 for the ingredients which will make (by my estimation) over a year’s supply of deodorant for my husband and me.

Please let me know your feedback or any variations ya’ll try! I think you might find THE ONE with this recipe, too!

 Helpful Links:

Breast Cancer and Antiperspirants (National Cancer Institute)

Aluminum in Deodorant (Natural News)

Cancer and Deodorant  (Dr. Mercola: must register to read this article)

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