LivingWasteFree

Let me take you back to September 2015. It was a simpler time. One Direction was still together.  The pope was visiting the U.S. for the first time as, well, the pope. Selena Gomez had just released the somehow still over-played hit Same Old Love. And Pizza Rat was taking the internet by storm.

During all of that I managed to write a little blog post about homemade deodorant. It was one of the first homemade recipes that I created and put online, and it worked. But, it wasn’t perfect and James didn’t like it. Plus, in those early days of my zero waste journey I was determined to continue using some of my pre-zero waste comforts like solid stick deodorant, which resulted in me keeping the deodorant in the fridge so that it wouldn’t melt.

How very 2015 of me….

It’s now 2017 and a lot has changed. One D broke up, Pizza Rat has faded into internet history, and most notably, I have switched up my deodorant recipe. Both James and I have used this new recipe for a while now (like 8 months-ish maybe a tad more) and we still seem to be enjoying it. It doesn’t irritate my skin (but it does use baking soda, so if you’re sensitive to that then this is not the right recipe for you), leaves me smelling like nothing all day (a high praise in my life), and is easily applied with my fingers (yep, you read that right, I have given up my stick deodorant ways).

It also should be noted that I work outside for part of the week (and it is currently summer here….hot, muggy, un-air conditioned summer) and this deodorant has kept me smelling decent even at my sweatiest.

Ok, I think that’s enough witty dialogue, let’s get to the recipe.

What I use:

Makes just a bit less than 1/2 cup

• 1 Tablespoon Beeswax (about .3 ounces)
• 1 Tablespoon Coco Butter (about .2-.3 ounces)
• 2 Tablespoons Coconut Oil
• 1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
• 2 Tablespoons Baking Soda
• 4 Tablespoons Cornstarch (or Arrowroot Powder)

• Measuring Spoons
• A grater (I own 2 graters, one for beeswax and one for everything else. You do you, but I strongly recommend getting a specific grater to be used only for beeswax)
• A scale (optional, but a tablespoons of beeswax or coco butter can be a little hard to measure so a scale can be useful. But, again, you do you.)
• A double boiler (or a sauce pan with a heat safe bowl (I use a Pyrex one) that fits on top).
• A spatula or wooden spoon
• A container (I use a “Sidekick” container from To-Go Ware that is said to hold a ½ cup of liquid)

The process:

• Start by grating 1 Tbsp of beeswax.

Or if you want to weigh the wax out, grate or chop, approx. .3 ounces.

   

I use a plate to weigh my wax out, and use an identical plate to tare the scale before putting the plate with wax down. This just keeps cleanup easy and allows me to re-tare the scale at any point without having to empty and rewash my plate (which is handy since my scale turns off if it’s not being used after a minute). So if I need to go grate a bit more beeswax I can and then re-tare my scale with the clean plate.

• Once your beeswax is grated place it in the top part of your double boiler. Add water to the lower sauce pan, and set that on the stove on low heat until the wax has fully melted.

• While the wax is melting grate 1 Tbsp. (approx. .2 – .3 ounces) coco butter.

Or chop off a chunk and weigh it, totally up to you, but whatever you do make it quick because grated coco butter melts almost the second it touches your hand. Which doesn’t actually matter since you can just rub it onto your skin like lotion.

Side note: I am unable to find bulk coco butter where I live, so I bought this block online and it has lasted me 2 years. So even though it came wrapped in plastic I feel pretty good about my purchase.

• Measure out your 2 Tbps. baking soda and 4 Tbsp. cornstarch and set aside.

I measure them into a sieve that I have set on a bowl so that I can get the clumps out. You can either sift them straight into the bowl, or wait and sift them directly into the double boiler. Either way works, but there seems to be a bit less mixing at the end if you sift them directly into the hot mixture, so I just use the bowl as a way to hold the sieve until I’m ready to sift them.

• Add the grated coco butter, 2 Tbsp. of coconut oil, and 1 Tbsp. olive oil to your double boiler and stir until combined.

• Once your oils have melted together add your baking soda and corn starch and mix until smooth.

It may clump right away, but I promise if you just keep mixing it will all smooth out.

• CAREFULLY, using a hot pan holder, pour your hot mixture into your container of choice. This recipe makes about 1/2 cup of deodorant, so plan your container/s accordingly.

You can’t tell but that bowl is HOT and I am using a hot pan holder to grab it.

• Let your deodorant cool and then use it up!

Once your deodorant cools to room temp and solidifies a bit its ready to use.

To use: 

Just dip a finger in, get a dime sized amount, and rub into your under arm area. Or where ever you usually use deodorant.

To store: 

I store mine in a metal container on my bathroom counter for months and it hasn’t gone bad or quit working.