DIY deodorant (like Oyin Funk Butter, Lush Aromacreme)

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free skin care · Mon Aug 06, 2007 2:18 pm

I got sick of trying a million natural deodorants and only finding ones that a) didn't work, or b) gave me a horrible armpit rash/skin irritation. So I decided to try and make my own!

The only natural-ish deo I'd tried that actually helped was Lush Aromacreme, and based on the ingredients I determined that Oyin Funk Butter was very similar. Both contained baking soda, and I was pretty sure that was the reason people kept getting the irritation, so I decided to try and recreate these with a lower level of baking soda, and a higher level of other absorbent and odor-fighting materials to compensate.

I started with shea butter (I think I was using crappy refined stuff, sadly, as it was all white and not yellow-tan - but I figure I'll use that stuff up for underarms, and save the refined stuff for facial concoctions). I added a bit of coconut oil to make it more spreadable, and then added a bit of baking soda. I added more kaolin than all the liquid ingredients combined, and stirred until it was about the consistency of frosting (it hardens up a bit more when you let it set). Then I added tea tree, neem, and lavender oils, and I was quite generous with the neem for funk-busting. And lastly, I added enough sweet orange EO to try to mask the god-awful neem stink, haha. (Sweet orange was the only aromatic EO I had besides lavender, and I don't like strong lavender scents - but you could probably add whatever scent you liked to try and mask the neem/tea tree scent.)

This stuff has been great - no irritation even when I apply it right after shaving, it doesn't make my skin peel or get raw and sore like Aromacreme did, and it lasts ALL DAY even with strenuous activity, WAY better than most natural deos. I'd say it's definitely comparable to Lush Aromacreme in terms of efficiency. You still do get a bit wet, and I'm not sure what this does if it gets on your clothes, but I can't complain - this is definitely a great solution for me. Here's hoping my concoction will help others who struggle with annoying natural deodorant woes!

free skin care · Mon Aug 06, 2007 4:20 pm

Hey ginnieliz, thanks for the recipe! Uh, I don't suppose you have any proportions for the ingredients?

I know, when I make up my DIY stuff I never measure anything either [kind of like the way I cook, just a dash here, a handful there, a pour over there] but then I don't make anything complicated when it comes to the DIY stuff. I imagine if I ever get into anything more complicated I'll have to break down and actually measure stuff! Laughing

free skin care · Mon Aug 06, 2007 4:41 pm

Hahahaha, I'm just like you, I never really measure. But let's see if I can pseudo-recreate it retroactively for you other DIY fans (these are ROUGH measurements, so definitely experiment if need be!):

Start with 1 Tbsp shea butter, mix it around to soften it up and smooth out any lumps.

Mix in 1 tsp coconut oil and blend until texture is uniform.

Mix in about 2 tsp baking soda (or less if you're very sensitive) and blend thoroughly.

Mix in 3 Tbsp kaolin clay, blend thoroughly.

Mix in 10 drops tea tree oil, 10 drops neem oil, 10 drops lavender essential oil, and however much "extra" EO you want to cover up the stink!

Blend very thoroughly, and store in an airtight container. Smile

Hopefully that'll give a rough sense of proportions - but definitely experiment, and remember that the mixture will harden up a little bit after you mix it, so don't stress if it seems a little too liquid. A LOT too liquid though, like it would actually drip if you turned the container updside down, means you need more kaolin. I'm all about small batches like this, personally - especially since I'm not sure how long it'll stay fresh and happy.

Hope this helps, more or less!

Thu Aug 30, 2007 5:12 am

I don't have kaolin clay, would fuller's earth work? What if I left out the clay completely, and applied the liquidy mixture and dusted over it with cornstarch to "set" it?

-Shilpa

free skin care · Thu Aug 30, 2007 12:04 pm

I'm not sure, but I bet Fuller's Earth would work. I'm pretty sure that's a more astringent clay, so you might find it a bit drying - but then, who says that's a problem when it comes to your armpits? Laughing

I don't think just dusting with cornstarch would provide the same effect. You could try it, of course - but I think the high clay content is part of what makes my version so effective. Lush Aromacreme has no clay, but Oyin Funk Butter does have kaolin, though I think less than mine. But you could always try melting in some wax or adding a harder butter like cocoa butter if you wanted a more solid consistency without the clay.

...I also have some bad news. It took a full month of regular use, but my armpits are suddenly irritated. It's WAY better than the reaction I would always eventually get with Lush's Aromacreme, so I'm still sticking with my concoction, but my underarm skin is red and irritated for the first time since I first made this cream. I've been using my cream and only my cream every day since I first made it, so that's definitely the culprit. But no peeling or burning or stinging like with the Lush, so I'm still happier than I was. Curious to know what it is that does this though! I may try adding some chamomile EO in my next batch (I'm almost out), so that it has some soothing properties.

free skin care · Mon Sep 03, 2007 9:49 am

Booo... so it took almost a whole month for this to happen, but I eventually had the same rash-then-peel experience with my DIY stuff as I did with the Lush Aromacreme. Sad

But the difference is that I was only sore for about a day, and then the peel occurred all in ONE day, and a bit of exfoliation totally took care of it and the skin underneath wasn't raw or uncomfortable. So the whole process was much more bearable than before, but I'm still irked that it happened at all. I'm fairly convinced at this point that it's the baking soda that's irritating my skin, though I suppose I'd have to try that theory out by making a batch without any baking soda. I worry that it won't bust odor nearly as well, but we'll see. I'll let y'all know if I come up with the magic solution! For now I'm still using the stuff since it's better than anything else I've got. Laughing

Tue Sep 04, 2007 7:26 am

What if you used neem powder to substitute for some of the baking soda? I was thinking of using it in place of half the clay (I'm going to use fuller's earth), and then I could elliminate the neem oil which is so stinky smelling.

-Shilpa

free skin care · Tue Sep 04, 2007 7:57 pm

OOoh, I've never even HEARD of neem powder - it would be fabulous to get neem benefits without the stink though, I agree. By any chance do you know where this can be purchased, either in the US or online? And thanks for the suggestion, now I'll keep my eye out for it!

Wed Sep 05, 2007 4:59 am

I got neem powder at my local Indian grocery store. It is a well ground powder, no bits and pieces. They have multanni mitti (fuller's earth) there as well and rose water (though I don't know if it is actually a hydrosol). I use a lot of Indian herbs for deep hair treatments or to wash with, and oil my hair regularly with coconut oil I bought there. I think it's refined, although it does smell coconutty, so maybe it's unrefined. It's not organic, and it's pretty cheap. The neem powder was probably about $2 for a 100 gram box. I buy henna powder there as well because it is just cheaper, though it may not color as brightly as freshly ground henna powder I could buy online from an actual henna dealer.

-Shilpa

free skin care · Wed Sep 05, 2007 2:06 pm

Thank you for this - I'll have to keep an eye out for an Indian food store in my area. This sounds like a good ingredient to try!

And I don't think food-grade rosewater is usually an official hydrosol, but I don't necessarily think that should stop you from using it.

free skin care · Sun Apr 06, 2008 10:00 pm

Isnt neem really strong stuff? I think its like for killing lice or something. My Funk Butter went all dry so I added a few drops of grapeseed oil and its a good as new. No problems with irritation yet but I also rotate my deodorants so I lessen the chance of problems.

I also found a mix of the Crystal liquid spray and topped with a few swishes of Lush Aromarant lasts all day without breaking down.

Have you tried using cornstarch instead of baking soda? I believe Funk Butter has some in it.

free skin care · Mon Apr 07, 2008 9:40 am

You know, I have tried, but corn starch just doesn't cut it. Since it's a hyper-processed starch from corn, it actually serves to "feed" the bacteria that cause that funky smell since it's easy to break it down into a sugar. The latest thing I've tried is just like you said, using Dr. Mist underneath my homemade deodorant (a neem-free version). I've also tried grating up one of those Thai deodorant crystals and adding those to my mix, but nothing's quite as potent as I like.

And yes, neem IS very strong, but that's why it works so well in this case! I just wish it didn't smell like an evil dragon's lair. Sad

free skin care · Mon Apr 07, 2008 11:54 am

Oh too bad. I dont think the Funk Butter caused any issues like that for me. My mom swears by petro jelly! There is also a German deodorant called Lavilin which is just a cream but its been around for a long time so I guess it must work. Its damned expensive but I am sure you can figure out how to dupe it!

I think you can find it at www.feelgreatsupplements.ca if you are in Canada for a good price
http://www.feelgreatorganics.ca/product.php?p=13327

free skin care · Tue Apr 08, 2008 9:34 pm

ii'm wondering the problems you're having are from an acid mantle imbalance?

the baking soda is quite alkaline, and while it prohibits bacterial growth, it doesn't make the skin happy.

i don't know what the solution is, sorry, but i'm interested in what you find out as you explore this

free skin care · Tue Apr 08, 2008 10:57 pm

I'm pretty sure the pH has a lot to do with it -- after all, baking soda's like a 10, right? And skin is a 5.5 or so? No wonder it's irritating! Sigh... I'm still at it, and I'll post results. I have to make a new batch soon.

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