Deodorant! I've been making my own for about a year and a half now and this recipe works far better than any store-bought deodorant I've tried (even the Rx-strength ones!). I started with this recipe from the Passionate Homemaking blog and made some changes of my own to it, mainly reducing the baking soda and adding Shea butter. My skin is really sensitive and these changes make the deodorant gentler. And further proof of how awesome this deodorant is, I went camping for 3 days with no showers and didn't smell like armpit!
Deodorant
6 tablespoons coconut oil
3 tablespoons Shea butter
1/4 cup cornstarch
1/8 cup baking soda
Using a fork, mix the coconut oil and shea butter together until it is smooth. If the shea butter is too hard, microwave it in 15 second intervals until it is soft enough to mix. Add the cornstarch and baking soda and mix until it is smooth. You can add a few drops of essential oils now if you want to add fragrance, otherwise the deodorant will be mostly scent-free. Spoon the deodorant into jars to apply with your fingertips, or into an empty deodorant stick for a traditional application.
Note: This deodorant will melt at warmer temperatures, so if your home is really warm you may want to store the deodorant in the refrigerator. Also, if you are going on a car trip in warm weather, keep the deodorant inside the car with you, not the trunk. Otherwise, you will have coconut oil all over your suitcase! I learned that the hard way.
