If you’ve been looking for a natural deodorant that combats moisture as well as stink, this is your deodorant. Made with a great blend of smooth powders designed to keep you dry and smelling pretty, it comes together in a flash and works like a charm.
The majority of the deodorant is a blend of white white kaolin clay (USA / Canada), arrowroot starch, and silk powder. Kaolin clay is a smooth, mild clay that naturally absorbs moisture. Arrowroot starch is silky smooth and absorbent, and silk is a fantastic moisture management powerhouse. If it’s too humid, it attracts and absorbs moisture, and if it’s too dry it releases moisture. Cool, eh?
Allantoin helps aid healing on the off chance you’ve got a razor nick, and benzoin gum powder helps kill germs and brings a soft vanilla-cinnamon scent to the deodorant.
The deodorizing powder of this concoction comes from trusty ol’ baking soda (USA / Canada). I used 2 tsp, and that amount works for me, but it might not for you. I’d recommend starting with the recipe as written, and adding an extra half teaspoon or so as needed after wearing.
I added a few drops of rosehip oil and some doTerra wild orange essential oil to finish things up. Rosehip oil is a drying oil, so while it helps weigh the powder down, it won’t slick up your pits at all.
The doTerra wild orange essential oil was a gift from Heather, who wanted to give me a chance to play around with some doTerra product. The wild orange essential oil smells fantastic—it’s the juiciest citrus essential oil I’ve ever worked with. Yum. If you don’t have it on hand, mandarin, sweet orange, or blood orange essential oils would all be good alternatives.
Now all that’s left is a quick buzz in your DIY coffee grinder and you’re done! Enjoy 🙂
I no longer recommend putting baking soda on your skin; read this for more information.
Sweet Orange Powdered Deodorant
1 tbsp white kaolin clay (USA / Canada)
1 tbsp arrowroot starch
1 tsp silk powder
1/2 tsp allantoin (USA / Canada)
1/2 tsp benzoin gum powder
2 tsp baking soda (USA / Canada)5 drops rosehip oil
7 drops wild orange essential oilCombine everything in your DIY coffee grinder and blend to combine. You may have to blend in batches depending on the size of your grinder.
Transfer the mixture to a sifter jar or powder bottle. To use, dust the powder under your arms.
I usually wouldn’t include citrus essential oils in a body recipe, but armpits don’t tend to see a lot of sun, so I figured it would be ok here. If you’re planning on sunning your pits, I’d recommend choosing a different essential oil or you might torch your armpits, and that would be sad 🙁
Hi Marie! Looks amazing! Thanks for including me in your post! I love this oil too 🙂 I’ll have to give your recipe a try. I’ve used a different version of “pit powder” but love some of the ingredients ideas in your recipe.
Thanks for the oils, Heather! I’ve quite enjoyed them 🙂 And enjoy the deodorant!
Wonderful concoction Marie,
Thoughts on switching out the Baking Soda (we’ve had skin reactions to that in a creme deodorant before) with on food grade Diatomaceous Earth?
Thanks!
Jan
I am also looking for an alternative to baking soda in deoderants. It REALLY irritates my skin and unfortunately is found in many of natural deoderants. What would be a safe bet? Thanks!
I just found out about this stuff 🙂
I’ve had some readers mention it, but I haven’t tried it. Let me know if you try it!
What about using dried and powdered orange or lemon peel instead of the essential oils?
You can try it—I haven’t, so I can’t speak to it. I would potentially be concerned about irritation. Hmm. Let me know if you give it a go.
You had me scared there for a minute! When I saw the doTerra bottle, I thought they had converted you to the MLM-side!
I do want to try this recipe with my (generic) sweet orange oil, though 😉 Looks like it might be great for skirt-wearing ladies like me!
I had the same thought as you Kat! The oils are great, don’t get me wrong! But I’m sure generic brands are also great.
I’ve been happily trucking along with non-MLM brands for all these years—there are great non-MLM products out there!
No worries, no MLM’s for me 🙂 It is a really nice smelling EO, though. Enjoy your new deodorant!
Hi Marie, This Is a fantastic recipe. I have making a similar blend using ylang ylang EO. Also since baking soda gives me irritation, I use only kaolin clay, mag stearate and silk powder. It works like a charm for me ( keeping me un-stinky;) ).Thank you for all the super duper recipes!
Cool, thanks for sharing Atiya 🙂
This look amazing! I don’t suppose you have an opinion on a suitable substitute for the silk, for us picky vegan types?
Hi Lola! I’ve written an FAQ on this 🙂
Sounds like a great recipe, Marie. Do you think cornsilk would be an appropriate substitution for the silk and allantoin? I can’t seem to get my hands on straight allantoin or silk powder though i read that cornsilk is very high in allantoin.
Hi Jaclyn! Nothing will do what silk does, but it sounds like the cornsilk should be a pretty good alternative for the allantoin 🙂
What about benzoin gum powder substitute? I can’t seem to find that. Or can I just take it out of the recipe without a substitute? I do have benzoin EO???
You can just leave it out 🙂
My boyfriend loves this stuff! I find, however, it’s a tad too dry (and the vegan deodorant is a tad too wet for summer — mine actually melted when I went camping one weekend!). Do you have any advice for finding a happy middle spot for me? I was considering blending some cocoa butter into the powder deodorant like with the after bath powder, but I have never had much success grinding up cocoa butter without it going soft on me and getting clumpy. Can you help?
Hmm… perhaps try one of my recipes with wax? That’ll make a much more solid deodorant 🙂
Hi Marie, love all your post and your book. Do you think this would be a good anti-chaffing powder say for a man’s private parts, or do you have any other recipes I could give a try.
I’d probably try this instead 🙂 I’m not sure more sensitive bits would enjoy the baking soda!
It looks so tempting…I am still going with a puff of baking soda, might put a drop or two of essential oil into it
Happy making! 🙂