Submitted by Sima Chowdhury, HSCA Community Connector Volunteer and Make Mindfully Co-creator
HSCA’s April’s Neighbour Night featured Melisa Centofanti leading our group activity, showing participants how to make a natural deodorant. She went through the process and some of the chemicals found in cosmetic products. The following is from her recipe that she handed out in class. The class was so popular that we ran out of copies! Here is the recipe below:
Deodorant recipe:
¾ cup of cornstarch (or 1/4 cup cornstarch and 1/2 cup arrowroot powder)
¼ cup of diatomaceous earth
½ tsp of activated charcoal
½ cup melted coconut oil
½ tsp essential oils (optional) you can purchase a deodorizing essential oil online
Mix all ingredients together adding the liquid ingredients last.
The Finished Product- DIY Deodorant from this month’s Neighbour Night
Activated Charcoal:
Activated coconut charcoal is made by burning coconut shells at a very high heat then
activating the charcoal in a furnace at high temperatures. This creates millions of tiny pores on
the surface. That is why it is used for water filtration.
Diatomaceous earth:
Diatomaceous earth is a natural remedy with hundreds of uses. It is made from tiny fossilized
plankton (diatoms) that accumulate in freshwater lakes. The remains of these organisms
contain silica, which is a major component of healthy ligaments and cartilage. Diatomaceous
earth is a gentle abrasive available in food grade and non-food grade forms. People add the
powder to drinks, foods, or pill capsules for internal use, or combine it with dozens of products
for external use.
Coconut oil:
Coconut oil has antibacterial properties and can reduce candida, fight bacteria, and create a
hostile environment for viruses.
Cornstarch:
Thanks to its moisture-absorbing properties, it acts as a natural deodorant to decrease sweat
and odor
Arrowroot powder:
Arrowroot powder is a natural sweat absorbent, clearly perfect for deodorants, and is gentle
enough for even the most sensitive armpits.
The recipe makes about 10 of the 75 mL deodorant bars. I had purchased them on clearance at Soap and More in Calgary. Melisa cautioned that this recipe is best used in winter and kept in the fridge.
My suggestion for a summer formulation would be to melt 5 g of beeswax or candelila wax if you want a vegan formulation with the coconut oil. Another option might be to have 1/4 cup coconut oil and 1/4 cup cocoa, shea or mango butter.
The small containers mean that the deodorant will be used up quickly and there's no water in the formulation so microbe growth is not a huge concern. Essential oils such as tea tree and neem have strong anti-fungal and anti-bacterial properties. Lavender and eucalyptus also have these properties but are not as strong. Melisa and I had pure essential oils which are quite strong. We asked people to put a few drops into their deodorant tube and then add the mixture on top. The oils will diffuse through the product especially when closed.
Neighbour Night runs every 1st and 3rd Thursday of the month. Check out our Calendar for all HSCA programs, recreation, and events.