Deodorant Recipe

I do not like commercial deodorants. I mean they smell good and they keep me from getting stinky, but I do not like what they do to my skin. I have tried degree, dove, suave, and they are all the same. I get clogged pores (that's really gross and uncomfortable) and after I shave I have a horrible problem with rashes and irritations, and the ingrown hairs were horrible. It didn't matter what kind of razor I used, the direction I shaved in, or even what kind of after shave cream I used or didn't use. I'm pretty sure that since I was having lots of problems with clogged pores, the deodorants were clogging my hair follicles as well and causing ingrown hairs.

So, I decided to try making my own. I found Lush's version and figured I could do something like that. I didn't want a cream I needed to smear on with my hands, I still wanted it in a tube. So, I did a little research and played a little and this is my recipe:

.5 oz cocoa butter
.5 oz beeswax
1 oz of any oil you like (I used almond oil and fractionated coconut oil cause its what I had)
1 tbsp cornstarch
1 tbsp baking soda (I've read that this can cause redness, so I think I'll decrease it to 1/2 next time)
Essential oils of your choice (I used 20 drops sweet orange, 10 drops lavender, 5 drops rosemary, and 3 drops thyme and it smells like a spicy chocolate orange)
container (I used a 2 oz natural tube)

1. Melt your cocoa butter and beeswax in a double boiler.

2. Add liquid oils and powders and mix well. Add essential oils and mix very well.

3. Pour into container and allow to cool.

Some essential oils are irritating to sensitive skin, it is a good idea to do a patch test with all essential oils before using in a product (do not forget to dilute in oil).