This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at UC Irvine chapter.
Leaving home comes with fun and freedom as well as the responsibility to pay for a lot of stuff. This can be particularly frustrating when you have to buy boring and surprisingly expensive items such as razors. Deodorant is another offender that you can not live without but also hate shelling out ten dollars for. Deodorant also has a strong link to breast cancer as the aluminum and parabens in most formulas are the leading link to the disease. In an attempt to be healthier I tried making deodorant out of the miracle product known as coconut oil*. It works so well that I have not used any store bought deodorant since. And the best part? It is extremely inexpensive and you probably already have the ingredients in your kitchen. There are many recipes online that contain more uncommon ingredients and you should try those formulas if this one isn’t strong enough for you. But I simplified this recipe and it works great and smells like a tropical vacation.
You only need three ingredients:
1. 6 teaspoons of coconut oil.
2. ¼ cup baking soda.
3. ¼ cup cornstarch.
Note: You can play around with the amounts until you get the consistency you desire.
Instructions:
1. Mix baking soda and cornstarch together in a bowl.
2. Add in coconut oil. I suggest melting it first so it blends easy. It will eventually go back to a solid state.
3. Mix it all together.
4. And you are done! You can put it in a deodorant stick but I just leave it in tupperware and apply it with my hands. It goes on clear and absorbs quickly so no more deodorant stains on your shirt.
Helpful Hint: During the hotter months leave it in a cooler location, coconut oil has a melting temperature of 76 degrees.
*Coconut oil can be used for practically any beauty need: shaving cream, lotion, make-up remover, conditioning treatments, cuticle oil and lip balm. And of course it can be used for cooking. If you know any more uses, leave them in the comments section below!