# Making Deodorant



## tjturner

I have a customer wanting me to make some deodorant in a deodorant tube and just wondering if anyone has made a deodorant before and how did it turn out


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## CaraBou

I haven't made one but I do use "alternative" deodorant and have tried many that don't work so great.  I would ask your customer if they have used something that worked for them -- i.e., specific ingredients or bases, or perhaps even ingredients they are trying to avoid.  That will help you narrow it down and meet their expectations better.  

I'm a big fan of alum crystals, which can be made at home (google it), but if that's not what they're looking for then don't waste your time.


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## amd

Tried about 5 different recipes and went to Tom's brand. I was incredibly sensitive to baking soda and couldn't find anything else (clays, diatomaceous earth etc) that didn't stain my clothes.


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## JayJay

I would also ask them about their needs. Do they just want scent and some anti-bacterial qualities? Do they sweat a lot or a little? Have they been satisfied with other alternative products? I'd not why not? I agree that asking what they are tying to avoid would be helpful as well. 

Their answers may determine whether you can give them what they are looking for. Some people want an alternative version of Secret or Degree. I haven't found any alternative product that can control sweating and odor as well as commercial for those who have heavy sweating and strong odor.  I'm not saying that it doesn't exist, or is not possible. I am just saying that you may benefit from knowing exactly how much of a challenge lies ahead of you with this project.


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## green soap

I made one with baking soda that would 'sorta' work in the push up tubes.  After using it for a while i developed a reaction to it, so I stopped making it.

The one I use now has no soda or clays, it is just shea butter, almond oil, and a very complex blend of antiseptic essential oils.  It is in a paste form, so the user has to wash their hands after use.  This bothers some people, but I find it very effective.  I have been using it for a couple of years, works well to deodorize and I do get very sweaty and dirty.  No bad reaction what so ever.  Not commercializable though, folks want the pop up or roll on kind, and it is too expensive to make for general sale.


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## Dahila

I used my deos for over two years but finally went for tom's too.  Mine do not irritate the skin but the butters leave stain on my shirts


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## Trix

Funny i see this today after i saw one nearby shop selling tiny bottles of deodrant powder...what are the ingredients? Baking soda, tea tree oil and lavender oil...at a lrice where you could buy a few boxes of baking soda and DIY.

I am another big fan of alum crystals here but not sure how they will work in a push up....


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## Yooper

I don't have sensitive skin at all, and mine was coconut oil, baking soda, a bit of cornstarch, and EOs.  I live in a cool/cold climate so it stayed firm in the push up container, but for a warmer climate some shea butter or cocoa butter would work for firmness.

I've read of arrowroot powder being used, but didn't try that.


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## Consuela

Trix said:


> Funny i see this today after i saw one nearby shop selling tiny bottles of deodrant powder...what are the ingredients? Baking soda, tea tree oil and lavender oil...at a lrice where you could buy a few boxes of baking soda and DIY.
> 
> I am another big fan of alum crystals here but not sure how they will work in a push up....




Totally, that's my thinking about it too... However.... the average person doesn't want to DIY, they want it already done for them. They don't have time, they're not crafty, they'd rather drink wine.... lol.


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## lsg

Susan, on the Swiftcraftymonkey blog, has several recipes for deodorant.


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## The Efficacious Gentleman

I use zinc oxide mixed with co and cornflour. It's basically sun block, too, so it isn't particularly inconspicuous if you're going with a strappy little number and showing your underarms (not something I often do) so for me it is no problem. Could maybe up the zinc and use less product over all. It's not as good as the baking powder but then I also have no adverse reaction to the zinc like I did with the baking powder. 

Maybe adding in tea tree would give it that boost that it needs. Adding something other than cornflour, that in itself also has anti bacterial properties might then make it really effective.........

Sounds like I also have some experiments to do


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## DeeAnna

I really, really wouldn't sell a product with baking soda, unless it's only a tiny % and well tested on a wide variety of people. The alkalinity of the baking soda can be very irritating on the tender skin of the underarms -- to the point of getting red, swollen, painful, and even sores. I don't think I'd want to take that kind of risk.


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## navigator9

Made my own, it worked well, but after several weeks the baking soda turned my armpits fire engine red. I tried a couple of recipes without baking soda, they contained clay, and I noticed marks on my clothing. I was going to try Tom's, but eek, the price. Instead, I discovered that the crystal deodorant now comes in a push up tube, and it's nice and smooth, not like that chunk of rock that they used to sell. It was 6 dollars and change, but the label says it lasts a year. I'm liking it well enough so far. I think deodorant is one DIY that I'm giving up on.


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## TVivian

Here's my deodorant recipe: 

2oz beeswax
2oz cocoa butter 
2oz coconut oil
1/3 C cornstarch
2 T baking soda
Fragrance oil 

Melt the oils, sift in the powders, add fragrance, stick blend and pour into molds. This recipe works great in a tube, but it also holds its shape enough (it's basically a lotion bar) to rub onto skin. It's been working well for me, but I'm not particularly fragrant or sweaty.. Or skin sensitive. 





It's over 100 degrees today and these are sitting out on my kitchen counter.


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## JayJay

Those look lovely.


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## FlybyStardancer

I make my own as well, but wouldn't sell it. I started with a recipe that called for baking soda and cornstartch, mixed with coconut oil and EOs. On a suggestion on the recipe, I switched some of the CO for cocoa butter, which made it a little bit harder (at least in winter, I have to leave it in the fridge from spring to early fall). It was fine when I only needed to wear it for 3-4 days a week (if not less). Then I suddenly needed to wear it 6 days a week for several weeks in a row...and the baking soda started to irritate. I ended up swapping out the baking soda for zinc oxide. For me it works, but I sweated a lot even with superpowered commercial antiperspirants. For me, sweating is just a fact of life. I'll sweat buckets even while I"m shivering from being cold. I haven't noticed any extra staining from my deodorant compared to commercial... but that may be because I sweat so much. Even if the deodorant wasn't staining, I was still getting stains from the sweat itself.


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## IrishLass

I have a 'system' that includes 5 different store-bought, 'natural-type' deodorants from the health-food store that I use on a rotating basis (a different one each day to maintain effectiveness and to minimize sensitivity), and I just took a gander at the ingredients. All are different from each other in one way or another, but the one thing they all have in common near the top of the ingredient list is sodium stearate.....oh- and none of them include any oil(s) in the ingredients. All of them work great for me and none of them stain my clothes. 

I mention this because I also have one other deodorant (from Wholefoods) that is very similar to some of the recipes mentioned in this thread.
The ingredients of that one in order are: coconut oil, beeswax, corn starch, cocoa butter, shea butter, saccharomyces ferment (the same deodorant additive that BB sells), and fragrance. It worked fine for me, too, but it's the only deodorant in my 'system' that stains my clothes something awful, and so I took it out of my line of rotation and shelved it after only 2 tries because it nearly ruined two of my most favorite blouses, and I wasn't even sweating! After about 3 treatments of my trusty oil stain remover (vinegar and Dawn Ultra), they are almost back to normal now, but I've decided I won't be using that particular deodorant again unless I'm wearing something grubby to do housework in or something.. 

This all has me curious, though. I'm wondering how hard/easy it would be to make a homemade deodorant using a base of sodium stearate instead of clothes-staining oils/butters?


IrishLass


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## cmzaha

I was also making some for awhile with .7% baking soda, after about 6-8 months it started irritating me. It did not stain but instead of coconut oil I use pko


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## Dahila

lsg said:


> Susan, on the Swiftcraftymonkey blog, has several recipes for deodorant.


 The problem is Sodium stearate which is not available in Canada (
When I get it , I will make my own


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## IrishLass

Dahila- you can make sodium stearate by saponifying stearic acid with lye. 

So, Susan has deodorant recipes using sodium stearate? Off to look......  


IrishLass


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## DeeAnna

Tom's of Maine deodorant: Propylene glycol, water, sodium stearate, organic Aloe barbadensis leaf juice, zinc ricinoleate (deodorizer), glyceryl laurate (emulsifier/surfactant, skin soothing, bacterial growth inhibitor), natural fragrance, Humulus lupulus (hops) (CO2) extract, organic Helianthus annuus (sunflower) seed oil, ascorbic acid, organic Cymbopogon flexuosus oil.

Susan's post on a basic deodorant:

"...A clear gel stick is generally made by using sodium stearate and a glycol. Sometimes you'll see glycerin, sometimes propylene glycol, and sometimes a combination of these humectants with alcohol as the base, but you'll almost always find sodium stearate or another sodium salt of a fatty acid. ... What else do we want to include? Well, you can pretty much any water soluble ingredient you want. I like to add proteins, aloe vera, and water soluble esters, like the PEG- or PPG esters. ...[Y]ou could include some botanical ingredients if you include a preservative. You can include things like cationic polymers to add a little moisturizing and to increase the mildness as well...." 

Source: http://swiftcraftymonkey.blogspot.com/2011/05/duplicating-products-healthy-deodorant.html

I'm musing about this. A stearic soap plus glycerin ... what does that sound like to me? Um, a cream soap or a shaving soap. Innnnnteresssssting.....

ETA: Susan mentions in this post http://swiftcraftymonkey.blogspot.com/2010/09/deodorants-recipe-with-glycerin-and.html that a glycerin based deodorant will attract moisture and become slimy in humid weather, which is why propylene glycol is usually used rather than glycerin.


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## Trix

DeeAnna said:


> I really, really wouldn't sell a product with baking soda, unless it's only a tiny % and well tested on a wide variety of people. The alkalinity of the baking soda can be very irritating on the tender skin of the underarms -- to the point of getting red, swollen, painful, and even sores. I don't think I'd want to take that kind of risk.



It gets better and better....i found the owner running seminars around the city '_warning_' people about the _dangerous chemicals_ in products like,  preservatives, mineral oil, soduim palmitate, proplyene glycol...and wait for it 'other things you can't pronounce'.
Never mind that a quick google search could have showed her what half these things really are, and what they do.
any green thing that grows on her lotions should be fine as 'it's all natural' i guess...

But yes, marketing a product should be fine, but selling misinformation that will do damage in the long run to some poor people that are just trying to find what is best for them and their families, just because she does not want to do a proper research on matters, really makes me angry.

Sorry about the rant, i must have gotten up on the wrong side of bed today...but miss all natural also tried selling me _real_ strawberry Essential oil.....


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## TVivian

"I'm musing about this. A stearic soap plus glycerin ... what does that sound like to me? Um, a cream soap or a shaving soap. Innnnnteresssssting....."


I wonder if Tom's would lather?! Somebody give it a try! 

I wouldn't sell deodorant either. What works and doesn't work seems to vary so greatly from person to person!


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## Obsidian

TVivian said:


> "I'm musing about this. A stearic soap plus glycerin ... what does that sound like to me? Um, a cream soap or a shaving soap. Innnnnteresssssting....."
> 
> 
> I wonder if Tom's would lather?! Somebody give it a try!
> 
> I wouldn't sell deodorant either. What works and doesn't work seems to vary so greatly from person to person!



Nope, it does not lather but now my hands smell nice;-)


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## DeeAnna

The lather (of sodium stearate, not Tom's deodorant!) will be more of a creamy lotion rather than fluffy and bubbly. If you know how a high quality shave soap lathers, you'll know what I mean -- the fellas really have to whip the air into the soap with a brush to get any volume of lather.

If you think about it, sodium stearate soap as the thickener in a deodorant makes a lot of sense. It won't suds up, it will wash out easier than any fat/oil will, and it shouldn't be irritating to the skin. 

I found a 1911 article in a pharmaceutical trade magazine talking about "grease free" creams. The author gives two recipes for making a cream based on sodium stearate soap. I'll post the article later today. 

I think it's kind of funny that even stuff like this is an example of "what's old is now new".


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## Pepsi Girl

My recipe is very much like TVivian.  The only difference is I don't use bakingsoda or cornstarch. I use arrowroot and Vit. E.  And I pour into roll up tubes.
It works for me and my daughters! These are four I just finished, they are scented with baby powder.


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## DeeAnna

GREASELESS CREAMS.
By EDWIN B. CURTIS.

For years cold creams of various descriptions have been used as cooling applications for sun burn, chapped skin and such afflictions. In recent years, however, there has been an ever-increasing demand for a skin cream which would be free from the greasiness of the usual type of cold cream, and many such preparations have been put upon the market which arc claimed to be free from this characteristic greasy or fatty feature. As a rule the creams so constructed present a pearly appearance. Some are good "rolling creams" and many are called "whipped” or "foamed" creams, alluding to the physical appearance of the particular cream. 

Creams may be divided into three groups, (a) ordinary cold cream, of which the U. S. P. Ung. Aq. Rosae is an example, a greasy cream. (b) Casein type. (c) Sodium Stearate type, the greaseless variety, the kind considered here.

Greaseless Sodium Stearate Cream. This cream seems to be the most prevalent in the market, being the least expensive and the easier to manufacture. The base of this cream is sodium stearate which is produced in the reaction between stearic acid and sodium carbonate, the carbon dioxide liberated aiding in the division of the mass. 

Different kinds of stearic acid may be used but greased stearin or the commercial acid of the market is very satisfactory. Monohydrated sodium carbonate is better to use than potassium carbonate which is sometimes recommended. 

Sodium stearate is a soap and is produced in making a cream of this kind, therefore in analyzing a greaseless cream the method must follow that of a soap analysis. Besides true soap there may be present water, glycerine, borax, unsaponified matter and alkali. 

The five market creams that I examined agreed with each other fairly closely as to the amount of water, combined alkali and glycerine. As a result of this analysis and experimental work I wish to submit the following formulas with directions for compounding:

Recipe 1. [In apothecary units]
Stearic Acid 	180 grs.
Sodium Carbonate 	48 grs.
Borax 	3.5 grs.
Glycerine 	6 drs.
Lilac Oil 	8 mins.
Alcohol	1 dr.
Water	8 ozs.

[DeeAnna's note: The apothecaries' system of weights is a historical system of mass units that were used by physicians and apothecaries for medical recipes, and also sometimes by scientists. The English version of the system is closely related with the English troy system of weights, the pound and grain being exactly the same in both. It divides a [troy] pound (lb, 373 grams/pound -- yes, 373 is correct in this context) into 12 ounces (oz, 31.1 grams/ounce), an ounce into 8 drachms (dr, 3.9 grams/drachm), and a drachm into ... 60 grains (gr, 0.648 grams/grain). Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apothecaries'_system]

Put the acid, carbonate, borax, glycerine and water in a capsule on water-bath, heat until effervescence ceases. Then add perfume dissolved in the alcohol and beat with an egg beater until cold. This gives a light, fluffy, pearly white cream.

Recipe 2. [In metric units]
Stearic Acid	10 gm
Cocoa Butter 	1 gm
Sodium Carbonate	4 gm
Borax	4 gms
Glycerine	8 cc
Oil Bitter Almond	1 drop
Oil Rose	5 drops
Alcohol	6 cc
Water	80 cc

Heat the acid, carbonate, cocoa butter, borax ... glycerine [and water] on water-bath until effervescence ceases, discontinue heat and as mixture congeals add alcohol in which oils have been dissolved, warm again and while cooling, beat vigorously.

Hydrogen peroxide may be added for its bleaching effect, also a trace of castor oil may be used to produce a pearly effect.

A disadvantage of this type of cream is its proneness to fall or shrink on keeping. This may be overcome by the addition of a small amount of grease, such as cocoa butter, almond oil or paraffin. Another substance used to overcome this fault is mucilage of tragacanth. the idea being to coat the particles, thus keeping them from contact with the air. If the cream is kept in jars a coating of paraffin on top will prevent evaporation.

—Thesis, Massachusetts College of Pharmacy

Source: Practical Druggist and Pharmaceutical Review, Vol 29, No 2, page 32, February, 1911. Found in the Practical Druggist and Pharmaceutical Review of Reviews, Volume 29, edited by Benjamin Lillard, Lillard & Company, 1911.


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## The Efficacious Gentleman

Hmmm, zinc oxide in a sodium stearate base.....I'll have to give that a try


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## DeeAnna

I think a base of just sodium stearate might be a little sticky and heavy ... maybe the glycol is serving to lighten the texture of the product and make it more glidy? I also like the idea of adding antibacterial EOs to the mix, but with a light hand.

The 1911 article lists borax in both recipes which would serve to neutralize free alkali and perhaps provide some chemical emulsification, but I think it could easily be omitted.


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## lsg

Dahila said:


> The problem is Sodium stearate which is not available in Canada (
> When I get it , I will make my own



Here is a link to a roll on deodorant recipe that works well for me:

http://www.makingcosmetics.net/recipes/33-Deodorant Cream with Zinc Ricinoleate.pdf


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## Dahila

lsg said:


> Here is a link to a roll on deodorant recipe that works well for me:
> 
> http://www.makingcosmetics.net/recipes/33-Deodorant Cream with Zinc Ricinoleate.pdf


Does it leave white residue on clothes?  Very interesting thank you , will copy and think what I can substitute with other emulsifiers. :mrgreen:


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## lsg

I haven't had any problem with residue.  Keep in mind that this is a deodorant and not an antiperspirant.   You can check out the ingredients for the emulsifiers in the recipe and see if you have emulsifiers with the same ingredients under another brand name.


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## The Efficacious Gentleman

Just had an idea - it might be a little bit silly but I thought I'd float it:

Bacteria breaking down the sweat is what causes the smell, so we tend to use ingredients which fight bacteria.  Now, what ingredient do we use in other B&B products to fight bacterial growth....................?  So, could we add a touch of a preservative to the deo to help knock those nasties in to the long grass?


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## DeeAnna

I think the deal with a preservative is it is a chemical or blend of chemicals that in tiny doses is safe (arguably it's safer than the cooties it kills!) but in larger doses it might not be so healthy for a person to be exposed to especially in the long run. For example, Germall Plus kills cooties because it gradually releases formaldehyde. In minuscule amounts, formaldehyde is fine on the skin. In larger amounts, formaldehyde is a skin irritant.

ETA: That's not to say one shouldn't use a preservative in this type of product, although I'd stick with the recommended dosage. It sure couldn't hurt! And maybe that's the idea you were offering, Effy. If so, I misunderstood the drift of your suggestion -- my apologies.


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## Consuela

The Efficacious Gentleman said:


> Now, what ingredient do we use in other B&B products to fight bacterial growth....................?  So, could we add a touch of a preservative to the deo to help knock those nasties in to the long grass?



I know it's not a preservative but would Grapefruit Seed Extract contribute anything awesome to the party?


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## The Efficacious Gentleman

Aha, so it works over time to kill things in our lotion, but doesn't really work that quickly when applied?  That's actually good to know when people whine about preservatives in a product

As I understand it, the preservative qualities of GSE come from the preservatives that are added to the GSE product itself, rather than from the actual seed extract


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## DeeAnna

A preservative might indeed help to reduce bacterial growth when applied to the skin, at least for a bit. I'd say the effect is going to be short lived because the bacterial load is going to be much higher on the skin than in the deodorant container -- and fresh troops are constantly arriving to reinforce the bacterial army.


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## DeeAnna

Here's an interesting article on the ingredients commonly found in commercial deodorant sticks: 
http://chemistscorner.com/basic-cosmetic-formulations-deodorant-sticks/

And here's a research paper that tested the effectiveness of hops extract for odor control:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19735518

More discussion in a patent claim regarding the use of hops for odor control:
http://www.google.com/patents/US20090098075

An entertaining thread about hops in deodorant and in beer on a beer maker's forum:
https://www.reddit.com/r/Homebrewing/comments/1bpq94/there_are_hops_in_my_deodorant/

Here is a reputable source of CO2 extracted hops, which is the extract I'm seeing in deodorants (there is an alcohol based extract):
http://www.naturesgift.com/product/hops-co2-15ml/
Sounds like a little of the CO2 extract will go a LONG way in deodorant -- suggested dosage is 0.1% to 0.2%.

Zinc ricinoleate, an odor absorber found along with hops extract in some commercial deodorants:
http://www.makingcosmetics.com/Zinc-Ricinoleate_p_89.html
Dosage range is 1.5% to 3% in deodorants per the fact sheet for this product.


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## The Efficacious Gentleman

Those are some really good tips! Now to see if I can get some of those things over here.......


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## DeeAnna

Here is an ingredients list from Schmidt's deodorant stick. The formula is billed as "all natural" and it doesn't contain propylene glycol or sodium stearate. It appears the active ingredients are the baking soda and possibly the green tea extract -- I need to check into what the tea extract does, however.

I haven't actually seen this product, but I'm guessing the body of the product is more like a dry lotion bar or firm salve -- arrowroot powder bound together with fats and wax. This particular product has a lavender sage scent so the lavender and clary sage EOs are the fragrance part. 

Ingredients: Maranta arundinacea (arrowroot) powder, Cocos Nucifera (coconut) Oil, Euphorbia Cerifera (candelilla) Wax, Butyrospermum parkii (shea butter), Sodium bicarbonate (baking soda), Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride (fractionated coconut oil), Lavandula (lavender) essential oil, Salvia sclarea (clary sage) essential oil, Tocopherol (vitamin E), Camellia sinensis (Green Tea) Extract

Source: https://schmidtsdeodorant.com//lavender-sage-stick.html

***

This version of the deodorant has the same fragrance but is packaged in jar form. You use a small scoop to remove a bit from the jar, warm the product on your fingertips, and apply to the underarm area. Many of the ingredients are common to the stick formulation, but the proportions appear to be quite different. And here's that hops extract coming into play....

Butyrospermum parkii (shea butter), Sodium bicarbonate (baking soda), Maranta arundinacea (arrowroot) powder, Theobroma cacao (cocoa) seed butter, Salvia sclarea (clary sage) essential oil, Lavandula (lavender) essential oil, Tocopherol (vitamin E), Humulus lupulus (hop) extract

https://schmidtsdeodorant.com//lavender-sage-jar.html


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## doriettefarm

A friend recently purchased the Schmidt's deodorant in jar form.  I was curious about their ingredients because I've tried some of the Lush paste deodorants and the baking soda resulted in 'pits of fire' after prolonged use.  I would like to formulate something with arrowroot powder but ditch the baking soda to see what happens.  Hmmm, maybe my brother can help me get some hops extract . . .


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## DeeAnna

I know baking soda works well for some people, but I'm not one of them. That's was a strike against the Schmidt's formulations for me too.

I also wonder what happens over time with the buildup of shea butter, cocoa butter, wax, etc. on a person's clothes? I know coconut oil is supposed to wash out of fabric fairly easily, but I'm not so sure about the others. I think that's what is appealing to me about sodium stearate as a base -- it is a soap and should wash out of fabric easier than fats and waxes.

I guess I'm just going to have to try it, huh?


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## The Efficacious Gentleman

I am getting a build up from mine, so will be going at them with a bar of CO soap to get the worst out.  One also needs to keep an eye on the armpits themselves to make sure that it is fully washed away each day or one can get build up there.


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## DeeAnna

Very good point, Gent. I imagine buildup on the skin is even more of a problem for the people who don't shave their armpits vs. those who do -- sort of related to the wax and silicone film that can accumulate on the scalp and hair from shampoos and hair conditioners.


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## cmzaha

DeeAnna said:


> I know baking soda works well for some people, but I'm not one of them. That's was a strike against the Schmidt's formulations for me too.
> 
> I also wonder what happens over time with the buildup of shea butter, cocoa butter, wax, etc. on a person's clothes? I know coconut oil is supposed to wash out of fabric fairly easily, but I'm not so sure about the others. I think that's what is appealing to me about sodium stearate as a base -- it is a soap and should wash out of fabric easier than fats and waxes.
> 
> I guess I'm just going to have to try it, huh?


I received my 1lb sample of Sodium Stearate just to try a deodorant stick with it, as I have mentioned before, after several months my deodorant with 1% Baking Soda starting causing severe irritation, which is why I am going to try a different direction. Coconut oil in deodorant can cause yellowing on fabric under the arms, pko is less apt to cause the yellowing.


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## lsg

You might try a mild clay instead of baking soda.


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## The Efficacious Gentleman

I'm wondering what form the sodium stearate is in - powder, pellets, liquid? I could make it, using my stearic acid, but I fear the result would be tricky to use further


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## DeeAnna

Carolyn -- would you mind sharing the name of your supplier, if they sell to the general public? That's the one ingredient I, like The Gent, was thinking I'd have to make myself, because I'm not having much luck finding a supplier.

I did find a US-based source for pure CO2 extracted hops that's not out-of-this-world outrageously priced for a minuscule amount. Yakima Valley Hops: http://www.yakimavalleyhops.com/CO2HOPExtractCan_p/extractco2cans.htm 100 grams for about $22 plus shipping. (Not yet sure what shipping is because I need to complete the order to find out, and I have yet to fully commit to a deodorant making project.) So brewing suppliers may be a resource for this product.

They also sell cleaning and sanitizing products for brewery and food use -- using a food-industry sanitizer is a great idea if you are making lotions and want to sanitize your containers.


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## IrishLass

DeeAnna said:


> Carolyn -- would you mind sharing the name of your supplier, if they sell to the general public? That's the one ingredient I, like The Gent, was thinking I'd have to make myself, because I'm not having much luck finding a supplier.


 
Not Carolyn, but I did find a vendor in Georgia called Soap Goods that sells Sodium Stearate. I've never heard of them before, but here is a link: 

https://www.soapgoods.com/product_info.php?products_id=689

I'd love to order some from them, but am wondering if anybody knows of them? They sell a _ton_ of different soap ingredients and chemicals that other vendors don't offer.


IrishLass


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## doriettefarm

Thanks for the Soap Goods link IrishLass!  I'm only a state away so hopefully shipping would be quick and inexpensive.  I would probably only buy 1lb of the sodium stearate for personal experimenting but if anyone else is interested in a group purchase shipping the 4lb quantity is only $2 more than the 1lb quantity.  

TEG - I would be willing to snag some for you & ship it across the pond if you can't find a UK supplier.

DeeAnna - My brother works part-time at a brewery so I'm going to ask about the CO2 extracted hops and check my local brewing supply store.  If I can't find it locally, I may ask my bro to add some to their big brewery order and save on shipping.


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## IrishLass

I was just doing some Googling on Soap Goods to find out more about them, and I actually ran into an older post from right here on the forum talking about them (cool beans!). It turns out that some of our members whose opinions I greatly respect have used them and were quite satisfied with them, so I do believe I'm going to order a pound of sodium stearate from them! Here's the post: http://www.soapmakingforum.com/showthread.php?t=29466


IrishLass


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## cmzaha

IrishLass said:


> Not Carolyn, but I did find a vendor in Georgia called Soap Goods that sells Sodium Stearate. I've never heard of them before, but here is a link:
> 
> https://www.soapgoods.com/product_info.php?products_id=689
> 
> I'd love to order some from them, but am wondering if anybody knows of them? They sell a _ton_ of different soap ingredients and chemicals that other vendors don't offer.
> 
> 
> IrishLass


Sent you a pm. I have purchased from Soapgoods


----------



## IrishLass

I'm bumping this because I'm curious to know how is everyone coming along with formulating a deodorant out of sodium stearate?

I received my sodium stearate from SoapGoods weeks ago, but in the meantime I've done absolutely nothing with it except to drive myself batty researching all the ingredients for sodium stearate-based deodorant formulas on Swiftcraftymonkey's blog, as well as gaining wisdom from Chemistry Corner, other forums, and all the sites that list deodorant patents, etc....

After all my reading, I've learned a few interesting things that I really want to try (besides making sticks with my waiting sodium stearate, of course)

1) According to Chemistry Corner, as well as several patents that have been filed or granted, and also cosmetic formulation books I found on Google, one can make deodorant sticks with stearic acid and NaOH mixed 'in situ', instead of using sodium stearate. From what I read, it's actually easier to do than using sodium stearate. So...I will be trying this as well.

2) One can also make non-oil/butter deodorant sticks without using any stearic or sodium stearate at all......by using a combo of sodium behenoyl lactylate and cetyl alcohol (in place of the stearic/stearate). Yep- I'm going to try this too.

Right now, I'm working on my shopping list. So far, I have Brambleberry's deodorant additive on the way, but I need to order several other things to conduct all the experiments I have up my sleeve:

Propanediol (Ingredients To Die For sells it under the name NatureSilk)
Dipropylene Alcohol
Propylene Alcohol
Zinc Ricinolate
Sodium behenoyl lactylate
AquaEm from the Herbarie
Lichen extract
hydrolyzed oat flour
Liquid Germall Plus

I'll let y'all know how things go once I actually get going on this!


IrishLass


----------



## doriettefarm

I've been following this thread but you're way ahead of me in the supplies dept IL!  The only thing I have on your list is the Liquid Germall Plus.  I think I stumbled across similar info to your bullet #1 over the weekend about making sodium stearate from NaOH + stearic acid.  I kinda got the impression nobody wanted to try it for fear of instant soap-on-a-stick.  What kind of method do you have in mind to be feeling so brave?  I've only recently started to study the swiftcraftymonkey blog because I ordered some ewax for making lotions, emulsified scrubs, etc.  That site is truly a wealth of information and I could get lost for hours just researching a single product.  Please keep us posted on your experiments!


----------



## Arimara

Irish, I never though about making deodorant with sodium stearate. I applaud all who have but I am honestly happy using coconut oil at the least, even with some EO.


----------



## DeeAnna

Anyone who has made shave soap with added stearic acid won't flinch from making sodium stearate. That is what I'm planning. 

I'm starting to get deeper into my "crazy season" with my little business, however, so this project will have to wait until after the holidays. AND I am also entered into the November challenge, and I'm not giving myself any excuses to weasel out of it!!!!

The advantage of using something like sodium stearate is that it's a soap and more water soluble. The trouble with a fat-based preparation is that it is harder to wash out of clothing, and people complain about underarm stains.


----------



## IrishLass

DeeAnna said:


> Anyone who has made shave soap with added stearic acid won't flinch from making sodium stearate.


 
Hear, hear! 





DeeAnna said:


> The advantage of using something like sodium stearate is that it's a soap and more water soluble. The trouble with a fat-based preparation is that it is harder to wash out of clothing, and people complain about underarm stains.


 
That's exactly what made me set out on this quest.....unsightly, oily underarm stains from an oil-based deodorant I bought at Wholefoods.....even after only one use. I finally got the oil stains out of my clothing, but not until they had gone through about 3 different spot-scrubbings with an oil-stain remover and 3 trips through the wash machine. Never again, no thanks! 

The following formula is the first recipe I think I shall try. It's a tweak of this one here: http://www.duponttateandlyle.com/pdf/08/09/deodorant_stick.pdf :

Propanadiol 60%
Water 26.5%
Sodium Stearate 6.5%
Caprol Micro Express 3% (from LotionCrafter's)
Saccharomyces Ferment 2.5% (from Brambleberry)
Fragrance 1%
Liquid Germall Plus .5%

I am going to follow the procedural protocols for working with Propanediol listed out here: http://www.duponttateandlyle.com/si...rant_GelStick_TechnicalBulletin_Zemea_CPC.pdf

But first, I need to order my ingredients!


IrishLass


----------



## DeeAnna

Theoretically, coconut oil is supposed to wash out of fabric fairly well, but I've not tried it personally. I do know my massage therapist friend who uses a CO based massage cream uses HOT water to wash her massage table sheets, and she does fine. But her sheets are a sturdy cotton or cotton blend in a medium to dark color, not a blouse made of delicate fabric.

So I can see a CO-based deodorant working well for some folks, but I can't wrap my mind around using a butter (shea, cocoa, etc.) in a deodorant formulation. The stearic, palmitic, and oleic fats are just not going to wash out as easily.


----------



## IrishLass

The deodorant from Wholefoods that stained my blouses so bad lists coconut oil as the first ingredient, followed by beeswax, corn starch, cocoa butter, shea butter, saccharomyces ferment, fragrance. If coconut oil is as easy to wash out as you say, then it must have been the butters that were the biggest culprits in contributing to the stubbornness of the stains.


IrishLass


----------



## The Efficacious Gentleman

I used CO with some cornflour and once it was baking powder, next time it was zinc oxide - both left my clothes a little crunchy in the arm pits, mainly if I used too much or reapplied later in the day, sometimes even just with normal use!


----------



## Aline

Hi Irish Lass!

I am about to start working on a deodorant stick based on Susan's formulas & Bramble Berry's deodorant base (which really works for me but it's not particularly cheap) and am wondering how your recipe went? 

Aloha,
Aline



IrishLass said:


> Hear, hear!
> 
> 
> 
> That's exactly what made me set out on this quest.....unsightly, oily underarm stains from an oil-based deodorant I bought at Wholefoods.....even after only one use. I finally got the oil stains out of my clothing, but not until they had gone through about 3 different spot-scrubbings with an oil-stain remover and 3 trips through the wash machine. Never again, no thanks!
> 
> The following formula is the first recipe I think I shall try. It's a tweak of this one here: http://www.duponttateandlyle.com/pdf/08/09/deodorant_stick.pdf :
> 
> Propanadiol 60%
> Water 26.5%
> Sodium Stearate 6.5%
> Caprol Micro Express 3% (from LotionCrafter's)
> Saccharomyces Ferment 2.5% (from Brambleberry)
> Fragrance 1%
> Liquid Germall Plus .5%
> 
> I am going to follow the procedural protocols for working with Propanediol listed out here: http://www.duponttateandlyle.com/si...rant_GelStick_TechnicalBulletin_Zemea_CPC.pdf
> 
> But first, I need to order my ingredients!
> 
> 
> IrishLass


----------



## IrishLass

Aline said:


> Hi Irish Lass!
> 
> I am about to start working on a deodorant stick based on Susan's formulas & Bramble Berry's deodorant base (which really works for me but it's not particularly cheap) and am wondering how your recipe went?
> 
> Aloha,
> Aline


 
Aloha, Aline!

I'm very sorry to have to inform you that I have actually not made it yet, wouldn't you know it.  I got distracted along the way with the magnesium hydroxide powder/babassu oil deodorant that everyone has been making with excellent results, and it's been working so well for me that I haven't even thought about making the above recipe you posted. 

Have you by any chance seen TeresaT's "de-funk de pits' thread? Starting on page 9 of the thread is where we started experimenting with making deodorant with just powdered magnesium hydroxide & babassu oil (starting at post 89): http://www.soapmakingforum.com/showthread.php?t=60682&page=9


IrishLass


----------



## Aline

IrishLass said:


> Aloha, Aline!
> 
> I'm very sorry to have to inform you that I have actually not made it yet, wouldn't you know it.  I got distracted along the way with the magnesium hydroxide powder/babassu oil deodorant that everyone has been making with excellent results, and it's been working so well for me that I haven't even thought about making the above recipe you posted.
> 
> Have you by any chance seen TeresaT's "de-funk de pits' thread? Starting on page 9 of the thread is where we started experimenting with making deodorant with just powdered magnesium hydroxide & babassu oil (starting at post 89): http://www.soapmakingforum.com/showthread.php?t=60682&page=9
> 
> 
> IrishLass



LOL, I know how that goes! I did start reading that post but did not get to that bit! Thanks, I will check it out  I do already have the ingredients to make a stick deo though so will try that first...


----------



## BattleGnome

Aline said:


> LOL, I know how that goes! I did start reading that post but did not get to that bit! Thanks, I will check it out  I do already have the ingredients to make a stick deo though so will try that first...



I'll add here that I recently got BB's deodorant base to try. Unscented it workes reasonably well, I can expect 12 hours before I start smelling too bad. I mixed some with Spearmint EO and got the redness/rash people complained about in reviews. My EO may not have been of questionable quality or it could have reacted weird. Just figured I'd note it since they say they use the additive as the active ingredient


----------



## Aline

BattleGnome said:


> I'll add here that I recently got BB's deodorant base to try. Unscented it workes reasonably well, I can expect 12 hours before I start smelling too bad. I mixed some with Spearmint EO and got the redness/rash people complained about in reviews. My EO may not have been of questionable quality or it could have reacted weird. Just figured I'd note it since they say they use the additive as the active ingredient



Spearmint can be irritating to the skin. I added lavender to mine and it's not at all irritating...


----------



## Soaps_and_more

*Zinc oxide*

Hi,
I have now been experimenting for three years.

I cannot stand baking soda, in any form, nor any kind of fragrance.

Luckily I don't have a lot of body odor. I now make a solid stick, with a little beeswax to give hardness, some butters, what ever I have at the moment, love shea butter, some oils, and zinc oxide.
That's all.

Works really good.
Doesn't stain and keeps me non smelling the whole day.

I also find that the butters do me good under the arms. What ever that means, I just love applying it, never had a day of red or irritated arm pits since.


----------



## DeeAnna

Aline said:


> LOL, I know how that goes! I did start reading that post but did not get to that bit! Thanks, I will check it out  I do already have the ingredients to make a stick deo though so will try that first...



The "de-funk da pits" deodorant using magnesium hydroxide powder and babassu oil can be a stick deodorant. This thread is worth reading in full. It works and is much less likely to cause skin irritation and fabric staining than the baking soda versions using butters.


----------



## mmills

I tried several recipes I found on line, but the oil to corn starch ratio was too high and contained too much baking soda which caused rashes. Now, I don't even bother with a recipe. I just melt the coconut oil - any amount - then keep stirring in corn starch, with a very small amt of baking soda, until the mixture is stiff and difficult to turn.  I then press it into an empty deodorant applicator.  It works quite well and washes out of clothing easily because of the lower oil content.


----------



## Jburch

I have made a liquid deodorant, it's base is witchhazel and cider vinegar, very effective and I also make a deodorant powder with cornstarch. Both of these are effective for me!


----------



## cmzaha

PKO has less tendency to stain clothing versus coconut oil. I dabbled for awhile with trying to make one and even 0.5% baking soda caused a painful rash after a few months. Haven't played with them since.


----------



## redhead1226

IrishLass said:


> I'm bumping this because I'm curious to know how is everyone coming along with formulating a deodorant out of sodium stearate?
> 
> I received my sodium stearate from SoapGoods weeks ago, but in the meantime I've done absolutely nothing with it except to drive myself batty researching all the ingredients for sodium stearate-based deodorant formulas on Swiftcraftymonkey's blog, as well as gaining wisdom from Chemistry Corner, other forums, and all the sites that list deodorant patents, etc....
> 
> After all my reading, I've learned a few interesting things that I really want to try (besides making sticks with my waiting sodium stearate, of course)
> 
> 1) According to Chemistry Corner, as well as several patents that have been filed or granted, and also cosmetic formulation books I found on Google, one can make deodorant sticks with stearic acid and NaOH mixed 'in situ', instead of using sodium stearate. From what I read, it's actually easier to do than using sodium stearate. So...I will be trying this as well.
> 
> 2) One can also make non-oil/butter deodorant sticks without using any stearic or sodium stearate at all......by using a combo of sodium behenoyl lactylate and cetyl alcohol (in place of the stearic/stearate). Yep- I'm going to try this too.
> 
> Right now, I'm working on my shopping list. So far, I have Brambleberry's deodorant additive on the way, but I need to order several other things to conduct all the experiments I have up my sleeve:
> 
> Propanediol (Ingredients To Die For sells it under the name NatureSilk)
> Dipropylene Alcohol
> Propylene Alcohol
> Zinc Ricinolate
> Sodium behenoyl lactylate
> AquaEm from the Herbarie
> Lichen extract
> hydrolyzed oat flour
> Liquid Germall Plus
> 
> I'll let y'all know how things go once I actually get going on this!
> 
> 
> IrishLass




I know this is an old post - But I know you are still here. 
Can I get an update on this post and if you ever made this? My son is driving me crazy to make a deodorant stick without the plastic container. I think if I make it with Sodium Stearate it might work and be hard enough to hold up 

Thank!


----------



## IrishLass

redhead1226 said:


> I know this is an old post - But I know you are still here.
> Can I get an update on this post and if you ever made this? My son is driving me crazy to make a deodorant stick without the plastic container. I think if I make it with Sodium Stearate it might work and be hard enough to hold up
> 
> Thank!



Hello Redhead! No, I never did make the deodorant sticks. I got waylaid by a more simple deodorant formula that I tried out and has been working very well for me for the past few years, which is just a simple combination of magnesium hydroxide powder mixed with babassu oil.

What type of deodorant are you currently making?


IrishLass


----------



## redhead1226

IrishLass said:


> Hello Redhead! No, I never did make the deodorant sticks. I got waylaid by a more simple deodorant formula that I tried out and has been working very well for me for the past few years, which is just a simple combination of magnesium hydroxide powder mixed with babassu oil.
> 
> What type of deodorant are you currently making?
> 
> 
> IrishLass



I make the same but have tweaked it somewhat to be able to use in a twist up deodorant container. Now my son doesn't even
want the container!  He is a minimalist and lives a lifestyle where he doesn't use or buy plastic of any kind or anything that cannot be recycled.  Now to top it all off, he is 6 months living the Vegan lifestyle. So I use candellia wax and no animal products. With all of that being said - He totally betrayed me and went to LUSH! LMAO!!  He bought the deodorant that needs no container. He says my deodorant works better, but could I make it without the packaging.  So.......

I was reading the same things that you were reading in you post here about Sodium Stearate and then I said ok Ill make it as I have Stearic acid . But Im not really sure how. I also have Propylene Glycol and the Witch Hazel.  I can make their recipe but I do not really know how to make the Sodium Stearate to use. It is a little pricey to buy just for an experiment. 

And clarity would be appreciated.  I even looked for a post from our resident scientist/genius DeeAnna LMAO!!!! <3
https://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/substances/toxsubstance.asp?toxid=240


----------



## DeeAnna

Sodium stearate is just soap made with stearic acid and NaOH. Run it through soapcalc just like any other soap recipe. It'll saponify fast and hard with NaOH, so be prepared.


----------



## redhead1226

DeeAnna said:


> Sodium stearate is just soap made with stearic acid and NaOH. Run it through soapcalc just like any other soap recipe. It'll saponify fast and hard with NaOH, so be prepared.



Thank you DeeAnna - How would I be able to incorporate that into my deodorant experiment. Not using babassu so that it would be able to be hard enough not to use the deodorant container as LUSH has done. I understand the concept but Im not sure how to incorporate it into the recipe. Not in my knowledge base unfortunately.


----------



## DeeAnna

redhead1226 said:


> ....How would I be able to incorporate that into my deodorant experiment....



I apologize -- I don't have grand ideas about your son's challenge to make a "no packaging" deo. I was just taking pity on you when I read your plaintive cry: "_...I do not really know how to make the Sodium Stearate to use. It is a little pricey to buy just for an experiment..._" I know how I'd do that part, but I'm not at all certain how I'd approach the rest of your project.


----------



## redhead1226

DeeAnna said:


> I apologize -- I don't have grand ideas about your son's challenge to make a "no packaging" deo. I was just taking pity on you when I read your plaintive cry: "_...I do not really know how to make the Sodium Stearate to use. It is a little pricey to buy just for an experiment..._" I know how I'd do that part, but I'm not at all certain how I'd approach the rest of your project.



He went to LUSH and bought theirs. This is their ingredient list. 

Water (Aqua) Propylene Glycol Sodium Stearate Witch Hazel Extract (Hamamelis Virginiana) Chamomile Vinegar (Matricaria Chamomilla) Sodium Bicarbonate Patchouli Oil (Pogostemon Cablin) *Citral *Limonene Fragrance 

So.... If I'm going to make Sodium Stearate how would I incorporate it after I make my own as it is not going to be in powder form like I can purchase.  I can guess more or less at the amounts of the other ingredients. Ill let you know after I make it.


----------



## SoaperForLife

Looks like sodium stearate isn't the active ingredient in deodorants...at least from the Tom's website: _Given its consistency, sodium stearate is a major constituent of most vegetable-based soaps. In a deodorant, like the ones we make, it has the unique ability to form a structure with other materials like vegetable propylene glycol, glycerin, and propanediol to form a solid stick shape.  _It also may be added as a pH neutralizing agent.


----------



## SoaperForLife

redhead1226 said:


> So.... If I'm going to make Sodium Stearate how would I incorporate it after I make my own as it is not going to be in powder form like I can purchase. I can guess more or less at the amounts of the other ingredients. Ill let you know after I make it.


Try reading this...http://chemistscorner.com/cosmeticsciencetalk/discussion/947/making-deodarant


----------



## redhead1226

SoaperForLife said:


> Try reading this...http://chemistscorner.com/cosmeticsciencetalk/discussion/947/making-deodarant


I’ve already read all of these articles. I’ve reached the end of the internet researching this. I’ll ask here only after I really am stumped. But thank you so much. I’m working on it. I’m really just looking for a way to make the deodorant not need a container.


----------



## DeeAnna

Commercial sodium stearate is a powder for ease of processing, but I suspect the powder form isn't a strict necessity. I'd try grating home-made sodium stearate into fine flakes/shreds.

There's a hint on formulating the deo base in this file: http://www.duponttateandlyle.com/sites/default/files/Water Based Deodorant_GelStick_TechnicalBulletin_Zemea_CPC.pdf

Here's a paraphrase of the key info -- "...Sodium stearate is dissolved in propylene glycol [and water] at 75-80 C, followed by the addition of any remaining ingredients...."

Here are 2 generic formulations from the same PDF --
51% water and 40% propylene glycol and 6.5% sodium stearate and solubilizing agent (PEG 400 monolaurate) and active ingredients
OR
31% water and 64.5% propylene glycol and 2% sodium stearate and solubilizing agent and active ingredients

A higher % of stearic soap is going to increase the melt temperature and add hardness to the mixture. If I'm looking at the correct lush deo, I see it's more of a flattish shape like a soap bar rather than an upright stick like a lip-balm style. The flatter shape will be helpful -- you won't have to make the product so firm that it's hard to apply.

There's more hits that look productive, but I'm going to let you check them out. Search google using this keyword phrase: water, propylene glycol, sodium stearate


----------



## redhead1226

DeeAnna said:


> Commercial sodium stearate is a powder for ease of processing, but I suspect the powder form isn't a strict necessity. I'd try grating home-made sodium stearate into fine flakes/shreds.
> 
> There's a hint on formulating the deo base in this file: http://www.duponttateandlyle.com/sites/default/files/Water Based Deodorant_GelStick_TechnicalBulletin_Zemea_CPC.pdf
> 
> Here's a paraphrase of the key info -- "...Sodium stearate is dissolved in propylene glycol [and water] at 75-80 C, followed by the addition of any remaining ingredients...."
> 
> Here are 2 generic formulations from the same PDF --
> 51% water and 40% propylene glycol and 6.5% sodium stearate and solubilizing agent (PEG 400 monolaurate) and active ingredients
> OR
> 31% water and 64.5% propylene glycol and 2% sodium stearate and solubilizing agent and active ingredients
> 
> A higher % of stearic soap is going to increase the melt temperature and add hardness to the mixture. If I'm looking at the correct lush deo, I see it's more of a flattish shape like a soap bar rather than an upright stick like a lip-balm style. The flatter shape will be helpful -- you won't have to make the product so firm that it's hard to apply.
> 
> There's more hits that look productive, but I'm going to let you check them out. Search google using this keyword phrase: water, propylene glycol, sodium stearate



Thank you DeeAnna. With all of my reasearch this makes perfect sense to me. Thank you for the info on how to make make the SS and how to use it in this product. Your the best as always. Your knowledge is always invaluable. With continued reading and experimentation hopefully I’ll have a better idea of how best to utilize the ingredients.


----------



## SoaperForLife

redhead1226 said:


> I’m really just looking for a way to make the deodorant not need a container


That's easy enough to do. For my deodorant trials I don't use containers - I pour into dixie cups and then peel the cup away when they've cooled.  Why don't you just alter your solid lotion bar recipe to include your active?


----------



## redhead1226

SoaperForLife said:


> View attachment 35405
> 
> That's easy enough to do. For my deodorant trials I don't use containers - I pour into dixie cups and then peel the cup away when they've cooled.  Why don't you just alter your solid lotion bar recipe to include your active?



A solid lotion bar doesn’t really do what I want it to do. The consistency is wrong. You need to be able to hold it in your hand and not have it melt. Which will be what happens with a lotion bar. But Thankyou for the suggestion.


----------



## cmzaha

I thought I posted the Hallstar links, but I could not find the post. So I apologize if this is a duplicate
https://www.hallstar.com/formula/clear-glycerin-based-deodorant-stick/
https://www.hallstar.com/formula/clear-deodorant-stick-base/
https://www.hallstar.com/formula/hydroglycolic-based-deodorant-stick-base/ There are several formulas listed under the Sodium Sterate 100V


----------



## SoaperForLife

redhead1226 said:


> A solid lotion bar doesn’t really do what I want it to do. The consistency is wrong. You need to be able to hold it in your hand and not have it melt. Which will be what happens with a lotion bar. But Thankyou for the suggestion


Sorry I was using that as an example of a jumping off point.  You definitely don't want it so hard that it is difficult to apply.  Incorporating a powder into whatever recipe you use will change the consistency as will your choice of ingredients.  The trial bars in my photo don't melt in my hand and I tend to rub them on my palm to get them softened up before application.  I actually want them to be just a tad softer which I think will happen with the addition of the essential oil blend and being packaged in a push up tube.


----------



## redhead1226

SoaperForLife said:


> Sorry I was using that as an example of a jumping off point.  You definitely don't want it so hard that it is difficult to apply.  Incorporating a powder into whatever recipe you use will change the consistency as will your choice of ingredients.  The trial bars in my photo don't melt in my hand and I tend to rub them on my palm to get them softened up before application.  I actually want them to be just a tad softer which I think will happen with the addition of the essential oil blend and being packaged in a push up tube.



Im knee deep in this at this point. I have a very successful deodorant formula already in a stick and works beautifully.  I have done a minimum 15-20 different formulas already on this container - free concept and wanted to get a better understanding of the sodium stearate before wasting anymore product. 

I don't do lotion bars at all.  I'm in sunny Miami, Florida and its 102 in the shade. So when I'm formulating something like this I have to take into consideration the weather here. This is for my son and he lives here too. All of the formulas were too soft to actually hold. Ill get it - I always do. Just might take a while. But thank you so much for your help. With my 12 years making bath and body products I have only a fraction of the knowledge and experience as some of the others here who have been doing it way longer.  This is frankly the best place to come when your stumped. Well at least for me it is.


----------



## steffamarie

I know it's been a while since anyone added anything - but I'm looking into making my own deo without baking soda (too irritating) and did read the de-funk de pits. I'm intrigued by zinc ricinoleate and have some on the way from WSP. Did anyone's experiments amount to anything? I'd love to hear about successes, failures, and any helpful feedback on ingredients. 

I've ordered babassu oil, zinc ricinoleate, arrowroot powder, Mg(OH)2, magnesium stearate, emulsifying wax soft & silky, and cocoa butter. Currently I'm thinking to do a base of mostly babassu/Mg(OH)2 since that worked so well for so many people.


----------



## Dahila

zinc will leave a residue on clothes I believe


----------



## SoaperForLife

Dahila said:


> zinc will leave a residue on clothes I believe


Zinc ricinoleate is sold as pastilles and won't leave any residue.  I tried it many years ago and wasn't able to make it work for me.  I think Tom's of Maine had it in their recipe at one time but I don't think they use it now which would indicate to me that it didn't work out for them either.  Zinc oxide - although it might go on white but quickly turns clear and doesn't leave any residue.  Zinc oxide might be a better bet for you steffamarie.


----------



## IrishLass

steffamarie said:


> I know it's been a while since anyone added anything - but I'm looking into making my own deo without baking soda (too irritating) and did read the de-funk de pits. I'm intrigued by zinc ricinoleate and have some on the way from WSP. Did anyone's experiments amount to anything? I'd love to hear about successes, failures, and any helpful feedback on ingredients.



I can't speak for anyone else, but- yes- the magnesium hydroxide and babassu combo has been a huge success for me! And not only for me, but also family members. What a coincidence that you just posted your question, because I just found out today that the newest convert to it is my SIL, who had been previously using the Native-brand deodorant. Sometime last month we were talking and the subject of deodorant came up, and she told me about the irritation issues she'd been experiencing with the Native-brand, so I mixed up a batch of my mag hydroxide/babassu combo for her to try, and after a month of using it, she calls me up today to ask me where she could buy the ingredients so she could make it herself and not have to keep bugging me to make more for her, because it works so well for her that she doesn't want to use anything else! No body odor and no irritation _at all_! 


IrishLass


----------



## earlene

Me, too.  I am pretty sure many of us who were posting on that thread that had success reported on our success.  But it is a very long thread and finding those reports sprinkled throughout can be a challenge.

I still use mine and make more as needed, which incidentally is on my agenda later this week.


----------



## cmzaha

I cannot keep may mag, babassu deodorants in stock. They have proven to be a big seller for me with most being return customers. Dragon's blood is the largest seller although I have to use unfragranced. 

BTW, my 10 year old granddaughter would tell me her feet were stinky from her Doc boots, so I gave her one for just her feet. She called me and informed me she no longer has stinky feet.  She has to wear boots most of the time because of a foot problem, which of course the Doctors would not do anything about when she was little.


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## Mushroom Hunter

steffamarie said:


> I know it's been a while since anyone added anything - but I'm looking into making my own deo without baking soda (too irritating) and did read the de-funk de pits. I'm intrigued by zinc ricinoleate and have some on the way from WSP. Did anyone's experiments amount to anything? I'd love to hear about successes, failures, and any helpful feedback on ingredients.
> 
> I've ordered babassu oil, zinc ricinoleate, arrowroot powder, Mg(OH)2, magnesium stearate, emulsifying wax soft & silky, and cocoa butter. Currently I'm thinking to do a base of mostly babassu/Mg(OH)2 since that worked so well for so many people.


Hi Steffamarie. I just made a batch if deodorant yesterday and have been testing batches with my friends.  My best batch so far is yesterday’s.  

I would encourage you to check about wax.  I am not using soy because of the estrogen it produces.  My quest for producing a good product is for my Mom who is a 4 week breast cancer survivor.  Her tumor was estrogen fed.  So no soy for Ma!  .   The non-nano zinc oxide did the trick!  I also used beeswax and frankincense, which is believed to kill cancer cells.


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## Fiona Robertson

I am a convert to the magnesium and babassu recipe too. I can do a 2 hr gym session (TRX and spin) and come out with non stinky pits


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## Gaisy59

IrishLass said:


> I can't speak for anyone else, but- yes- the magnesium hydroxide and babassu combo has been a huge success for me! And not only for me, but also family members. What a coincidence that you just posted your question, because I just found out today that the newest convert to it is my SIL, who had been previously using the Native-brand deodorant. Sometime last month we were talking and the subject of deodorant came up, and she told me about the irritation issues she'd been experiencing with the Native-brand, so I mixed up a batch of my mag hydroxide/babassu combo for her to try, and after a month of using it, she calls me up today to ask me where she could buy the ingredients so she could make it herself and not have to keep bugging me to make more for her, because it works so well for her that she doesn't want to use anything else! No body odor and no irritation _at all_!
> 
> 
> IrishLass



I have been making the babassu/mag deo since the thread started and i made some for my son. Unfortunately he said it did not work for him and it irritated his underarms big time. Any thoughts on why this happened to him?


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## earlene

Gaisy59 said:


> I have been making the babassu/mag deo since the thread started and i made some for my son. Unfortunately he said it did not work for him and it irritated his underarms big time. Any thoughts on why this happened to him?


 
Did you use a fragrance oil?

I had irritation when I added too much (spilled some while pouring, ruined my mini scale, unsure of exact amount) FO the first time I used fragrance in it.  My skin turned bright red.  The redness & swelling lasted about a week or so after I stopped using it.  After that cleared up, I made up another small batch without fragrance & re-melted the old stuff into the new batch to dilute the percentage of FO and have never had a problem since.  I keep the FO on the light side after this experience.

Without FO I do not get any reaction at all.


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## cmzaha

I also have a problem with some fragrances in my deo stick so only use unfragranced for me. I fragrance no higher than 1% and 0.5% for strong fragrances such as my DB. So far I have been fortunate enough to not have complaints about irritation, but we can all be allergic to something.


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## Gaisy59

cmzaha said:


> I also have a problem with some fragrances in my deo stick so only use unfragranced for me. I fragrance no higher than 1% and 0.5% for strong fragrances such as my DB. So far I have been fortunate enough to not have complaints about irritation, but we can all be allergic to something.


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## Gaisy59

Aarrgh sorry i hit too many buttons.
I used very little FO because my daughter wanted scent. I could hardly smell it and i have a good sniffer. But maybe it was enough to irritate him. I will make unscented for him and do another trial. But he also said it didnt work for smell but maybe he reacted to FO and thats why??


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## Gaisy59

Earlene it seems you still get a little bit of reaction even with the little bit of FO that you use.

It seems that all deos make my pits burn a little even babassu/mag but no way can i go without deo!


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## earlene

Gaisy59 said:


> Earlene it seems you still get a little bit of reaction even with the little bit of FO that you use.
> 
> It seems that all deos make my pits burn a little even babassu/mag but no way can i go without deo!



I don't get any negative reactions any more, since I became extremely cautious not to use more than 1% of FO .  I am sure some folks do because of fragrance sensitivities, but when I stick with the 1% upper limit, I do not.  I have used 3 or 4 different FO's in different batches and the only reaction I have is "mm-mm!  I really love that my pits smell like ___ (fill in the blank)"   So far Dragon's Blood is my favorite scent for my pits.  LOL

Of course I always check safe usage rates for category 2 (reference link) before even using 1% in case it is lower for a particular fragrance.


*Gaisy59*, do you have any negative reaction when you use unfragranced  Mg-Babassu deodorant?  The first time I made it, I did not use fragrance because my goal was to test it for efficacy (to prevent smelly armpit odors).  It works just as well without any added fragrance.


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## Gaisy59

earlene said:


> *Gaisy59*, do you have any negative reaction when you use unfragranced  Mg-Babassu deodorant?  The first time I made it, I did not use fragrance because my goal was to test it for efficacy (to prevent smelly armpit odors).  It works just as well without any added fragrance.



Hi Earlene ya i only use unscented on my pits, and i always seem to have this very little (very little) burning sensation. Its almost like when i started with a baking soda deo but definitely not as bad. I have just been using Toms of Maine as i was away and ran out of bab/mag and it has a little burn too. It all started with the baking soda deo. I hope it didnt mess up my pits.


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## earlene

That sounds horribly uncomfortable, *Gaisy*.  I know the time I had the excess spilled rose FO in my deo, the discomfort was just about unbearable for days/weeks after I stopped using it.  I would hate to have that continue like that.

Have you tried to isolate which ingredient is causing this burning sensation?  If you are only using the two base ingredients, perhaps you can just apply babassu oil and leave your pits alone for a day and see what it feels like.  Or the MgOH only for a day and see how it feels.  You may be sensitive to one specific ingredient.  

Also do you apply after shaving your underarms or not?  My underarms used to be quite sensitive right after shaving because of minor cuts, but this is no longer an issue since I changed to the shaving soap with lanolin.


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## Gaisy59

earlene said:


> That sounds horribly uncomfortable, *Gaisy*.  I know the time I had the excess spilled rose FO in my deo, the discomfort was just about unbearable for days/weeks after I stopped using it.  I would hate to have that continue like that.
> 
> Have you tried to isolate which ingredient is causing this burning sensation?  If you are only using the two base ingredients, perhaps you can just apply babassu oil and leave your pits alone for a day and see what it feels like.  Or the MgOH only for a day and see how it feels.  You may be sensitive to one specific ingredient.
> 
> Also do you apply after shaving your underarms or not?  My underarms used to be quite sensitive right after shaving because of minor cuts, but this is no longer an issue since I changed to the shaving soap with lanolin.



Its not that bad actually. For the most part i forget about it, but every now and then i feel it. I will try your suggestion and start by using just babassu then the mag.  As for shaving da pits i dont often have to do that anymore. Age does have some benefits lol


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## SoaperForLife

I only use essential oil blends to scent my bars and they are very light.  Some how the thought of using something artificial like an FO with a product that is supposed to be better than the commercial stuff turns me off, but that's just me... sweat has a salty sort of smell and you will still get that when you sweat enough ... but I've noticed that when your sweat dries, the salty aroma goes away.  I also don't use babassu in my recipe so if you want to finagle with it you can sub something else.


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## Gaisy59

SoaperForLife said:


> I only use essential oil blends to scent my bars and they are very light.  Some how the thought of using something artificial like an FO with a product that is supposed to be better than the commercial stuff turns me off, but that's just me... sweat has a salty sort of smell and you will still get that when you sweat enough ... but I've noticed that when your sweat dries, the salty aroma goes away.  I also don't use babassu in my recipe so if you want to finagle with it you can sub something else.



I agree but it was my daughter who uses the scent and i use unscented. However, babassu is the oil that doesnt stain my clothes as was the discussion in the  “defunk de pits” thread. I would like to stick with it and hopefully it will not be the ingredient that is irritating.


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## cmzaha

It just may not work for him. What percentage of Mag/babassu do you use?

@SoapForLife,  Not everyone can use Essential oils. For me I am much better off using synthetic. Anyone with allergies to plants can have problems with Essential Oils. There just is no one answer for everyone


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## Gaisy59

cmzaha said:


> It just may not work for him. What percentage of Mag/babassu do you use?



I use 50/50 by weight...so 50 gms babassu and 50 gms magnesium


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## Mushroom Hunter

Gaisy59 said:


> I have been making the babassu/mag deo since the thread started and i made some for my son. Unfortunately he said it did not work for him and it irritated his underarms big time. Any thoughts on why this happened to him?


Did you happen to use baking soda in your recipe?  I find that was very irritating.  I had to use zinc oxide to clear up the mess I made of myself from the baking soda.   Just a thought.


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## Gaisy59

Mushroom Hunter said:


> Did you happen to use baking soda in your recipe?  I find that was very irritating.  I had to use zinc oxide to clear up the mess I made of myself from the baking soda.   Just a thought.


Nope just those two ingredients. My first try at DIY deo had coconut oil, half a tsp b. soda, and arrowroot powder. That little bit of b. soda burned and thats when i found the defunk da pits thread.


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## freesia792

I prefer a spray on deodorant. I use magnesium chloride flakes dissolved in witch hazel, and a bit (just a bit) of alcohol, and essential oil. Works WONDERFULLY! No odor for 24 hours (at least), slight sting after shaving - no rashes, I sleep better too. I know it helps sleep because when I make solid deodorants upon request, I always test before giving them to the  person who asked for it, and trust me, it makes a difference. Not to mention it's easier to make and virtually no mess to clean up after making it.


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## Gaisy59

freesia792 said:


> I prefer a spray on deodorant. I use magnesium chloride flakes dissolved in witch hazel, and a bit (just a bit) of alcohol, and essential oil. Works WONDERFULLY! No odor for 24 hours (at least), slight sting after shaving - no rashes, I sleep better too. I know it helps sleep because when I make solid deodorants upon request, I always test before giving them to the  person who asked for it, and trust me, it makes a difference. Not to mention it's easier to make and virtually no mess to clean up after making it.



Gmorning Freesia this sounds intriguing. So other than a sting after shaving this does not irritate at all? Have you tried it on someone like my son (the electrician) who does physical labor all day? He says the babassu/mag did not work for him and it really irritated his pits.


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## freesia792

Gaisy59 said:


> Gmorning Freesia this sounds intriguing. So other than a sting after shaving this does not irritate at all? Have you tried it on someone like my son (the electrician) who does physical labor all day? He says the babassu/mag did not work for him and it really irritated his pits.


I haven't tried it on a construction worker ( I had one but we're divorced for many years  ) My brother tried it though. He's an office person, but does do small construction projects around the house on weekends and of course the usual yard work. He just calls and says "I'm out. Can I come this weekend to pick up more?" He's never said it doesn't work when he does physical work. What I do know is homemade deodorant is said not to work so well for wetness, but this DOES work to a large degree for wetness for me. Children are grown now so I'm not as physical working as I used to be. Bro never said either way. I took that to mean it worked for him too - to some degree. It's just a battle to get some people to give up dangerous chemicals in their daily products so I consider him a "WIN". Since the discovery that aluminum is linked to Alzheimer's disease, the deodorant was an easy sell.  If you decide to have your son try it and he's sensitive to some things...make him a small batch that isn't really super strong with magnesium chloride to start. If it works for him, gradually increase the magnesium level??? Just a suggestion.


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## Gaisy59

freesia792 said:


> I haven't tried it on a construction worker ( I had one but we're divorced for many years  ) My brother tried it though. He's an office person, but does do small construction projects around the house on weekends and of course the usual yard work. He just calls and says "I'm out. Can I come this weekend to pick up more?" He's never said it doesn't work when he does physical work. What I do know is homemade deodorant is said not to work so well for wetness, but this DOES work to a large degree for wetness for me. Children are grown now so I'm not as physical working as I used to be. Bro never said either way. I took that to mean it worked for him too - to some degree. It's just a battle to get some people to give up dangerous chemicals in their daily products so I consider him a "WIN". Since the discovery that aluminum is linked to Alzheimer's disease, the deodorant was an easy sell.  If you decide to have your son try it and he's sensitive to some things...make him a small batch that isn't really super strong with magnesium chloride to start. If it works for him, gradually increase the magnesium level??? Just a suggestion.


I think i would like to try it as well first. Any chance you would like to share your recipe? Im not concerned about wetness im more concerned about odor. Since turning 60 my hormones must have changed again and whooo boy my pits can smell. My 50:50 babassu/magnesium controls my odor bu not my sons, and as stated it still has a little burn.


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## PattyB

Consuela said:


> Totally, that's my thinking about it too... However.... the average person doesn't want to DIY, they want it already done for them. They don't have time, they're not crafty, they'd rather drink wine.... lol.


I make my own homemade wine...as well as canning jams/jellies, soups.  At Christmastime, my siblings and grown nieces, nephews and friends all get a care package consisting of wine, soap and food from Auntie Pat.  It's so much fun....especially taste testing the wine.


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## freesia792

Gaisy59 said:


> I think i would like to try it as well first. Any chance you would like to share your recipe? Im not concerned about wetness im more concerned about odor. Since turning 60 my hormones must have changed again and whooo boy my pits can smell. My 50:50 babassu/magnesium controls my odor bu not my sons, and as stated it still has a little burn.


I am happy to share my method, but I don't really have a "recipe". I simply dissolve the magnesium chloride flakes in witch hazel. I add enough magnesium chloride to the point it simply can't dissolve anymore of the flakes. The amounts are equal  to   3/4 of the spray bottle  I put it in. I fill up the bottle nearly to the top with standard rubbing alcohol and add a few drops of essential oil (tea tree oil is useful for this application). If you decide to give this a try, I'd LOVE to know what you think of it as in does it work as well for you as it does me, and if you notice any wetness control at all? With just the two of us using this, I'd like more input how it works for others. Thanks!


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## Gaisy59

freesia792 said:


> I am happy to share my method, but I don't really have a "recipe". I simply dissolve the magnesium chloride flakes in witch hazel. I add enough magnesium chloride to the point it simply can't dissolve anymore of the flakes. The amounts are equal  to   3/4 of the spray bottle  I put it in. I fill up the bottle nearly to the top with standard rubbing alcohol and add a few drops of essential oil (tea tree oil is useful for this application). If you decide to give this a try, I'd LOVE to know what you think of it as in does it work as well for you as it does me, and if you notice any wetness control at all? With just the two of us using this, I'd like more input how it works for others. Thanks!



I will definitely give it a try and forward my thoughts. Will have to order magnesium flakes tho.


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## freesia792

Gaisy59 said:


> I will definitely give it a try and forward my thoughts. Will have to order magnesium flakes tho.



I NEED to amend my instructions to say that the particular method I gave is for VERY STRONG deodorant. I graduated to this strength. I'm SO sorry for not saying that in the first place. I was just thinking to write down how I make it. I didn't start out with that strength. It's something you'll need to play with to figure out what is the correct strength for you. You're son's needed strength may be different than yours. Now, I just keep adding the magnesium chloride until it begins to show signs of taking a longer time to dissolve. When I first made this (best I can remember - I've been using this for years) I added about 1/4 of the container with the flakes, added the witch hazel, let it sit for a while, then shook it to see it was totally dissolved. If it doesn't totally dissolve, just strain it, though I've never had to do this. BUT, if you have to strain it, you've got some pretty powerful product.


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## Gaisy59

freesia792 said:


> I NEED to amend my instructions to say that the particular method I gave is for VERY STRONG deodorant. I graduated to this strength. I'm SO sorry for not saying that in the first place. I was just thinking to write down how I make it. I didn't start out with that strength. It's something you'll need to play with to figure out what is the correct strength for you. You're son's needed strength may be different than yours. Now, I just keep adding the magnesium chloride until it begins to show signs of taking a longer time to dissolve. When I first made this (best I can remember - I've been using this for years) I added about 1/4 of the container with the flakes, added the witch hazel, let it sit for a while, then shook it to see it was totally dissolved. If it doesn't totally dissolve, just strain it, though I've never had to do this. BUT, if you have to strain it, you've got some pretty powerful product.



Any idea if I can use magnesium hydroxide instead of magnesium chloride? The hydroxide is what I have been using in my solid deo and I have a supply of hydroxide. Also, what do you think the witch-hazel adds to the recipe?


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## freesia792

Gaisy59 said:


> Any idea if I can use magnesium hydroxide instead of magnesium chloride? The hydroxide is what I have been using in my solid deo and I have a supply of hydroxide. Also, what do you think the witch-hazel adds to the recipe?



I use the witch hazel as a base because alcohol is very drying to my skin. I add a bit of alcohol to my recipe because I've read it helps keep the essential oil from separating. It seems to be true , because that's how I keep my air freshener scent mixed w/o having to shake it before spraying. I can't answer to the magnesium hydroxide because I've never tried it. Give it a shot and see what you think? If you already have it, and it turns out that it works - problem solved! Not to mention it would be one less thing to have to buy. I used the magnesium chloride because of the health benefits, and it's one of those minerals that our bodies get the most benefit from through absorption, rather than by supplement. If you try magnesium hydroxide and it works, please let us know. I bought a HUGE container of the mag chloride  (the only size I found) that may last me a life time, but who knows, the hydroxide might be milder, or work better than magnesium chloride in deodorant. I'd like to know too.


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## BattleGnome

We talk about the differences between chloride and hydroxide (somewhere) in the de-funk thread. If I remember right the hydroxide is considered a purer form of magnesium and comes in a finer powder (or mine did). Both should work but you may get better results with hydroxide.


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## Gaisy59

BattleGnome said:


> We talk about the differences between chloride and hydroxide (somewhere) in the de-funk thread. If I remember right the hydroxide is considered a purer form of magnesium and comes in a finer powder (or mine did). Both should work but you may get better results with hydroxide.



Thank you BattleGnome! That thread became so big i totally forgot about that discussion.


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## freesia792

BattleGnome said:


> We talk about the differences between chloride and hydroxide (somewhere) in the de-funk thread. If I remember right the hydroxide is considered a purer form of magnesium and comes in a finer powder (or mine did). Both should work but you may get better results with hydroxide.


Yep! I preferred the chloride because it was my understanding that it's absorbed better (used as a topical) than the oxide. When I bought the magnesium chloride, I wanted to make magnesium oil. I did, I used it, and I hated it. So, there it sat until the spray on deodorant flash I got while laying awake - yet again. I was informed it can assist with better sleeping. I was desperate enough that if I had read on a reasonably reliable source that puppy chow would help me sleep, I can't say I wouldn't have given it a try. For me, it's working and it makes an obvious difference when I don't. For the purposes of deodorant, I don't know if it would make a difference or not since I've not tried it. I know in oxide form, it's the least absorbed form of mg, I've used mg oxide in a bath, or even as a laxative. My total experience with mg oxide. I'm excited for someone to try it and report back on it's effectiveness in deodorant.  I beat a path on google and found this: http://peoplesrx.com/the-best-kind-of-magnesium-for-you/


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## Gaisy59

freesia792 said:


> Yep! I preferred the chloride because it was my understanding that it's absorbed better (used as a topical) than the oxide. When I bought the magnesium chloride, I wanted to make magnesium oil. I did, I used it, and I hated it. So, there it sat until the spray on deodorant flash I got while laying awake - yet again. I was informed it can assist with better sleeping. I was desperate enough that if I had read on a reasonably reliable source that puppy chow would help me sleep, I can't say I wouldn't have given it a try. For me, it's working and it makes an obvious difference when I don't. For the purposes of deodorant, I don't know if it would make a difference or not since I've not tried it. I know in oxide form, it's the least absorbed form of mg, I've used mg oxide in a bath, or even as a laxative. My total experience with mg oxide. I'm excited for someone to try it and report back on it's effectiveness in deodorant.  I beat a path on google and found this: http://peoplesrx.com/the-best-kind-of-magnesium-for-you/



WOW! I am very impressed at the amount of reading you have done on the magnesium tooic!


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## freesia792

Gaisy59 said:


> WOW! I am very impressed at the amount of reading you have done on the magnesium tooic!



Desperate people do desperate things. I appreciate a decent nights sleep. I'm not personally on any medication, but I was curious to know about drug interaction and if this was suitable for people that do take any. I didn't see anything that stood out.


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## MGM

@freesia792 , did you use the mag oil in your deodorant? I find mag oil makes me SO ITCHY. I only do oral supplements since then because of that, but of course using mag for deodorant purposes is totally different. Would love to find a way to use it up....but the ITCHING!


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## freesia792

MGM said:


> @freesia792 , did you use the mag oil in your deodorant? I find mag oil makes me SO ITCHY. I only do oral supplements since then because of that, but of course using mag for deodorant purposes is totally different. Would love to find a way to use it up....but the ITCHING!


Then I highly recommend you not try this. It is possible to make it to strong. I try to be careful not to make it SUPER strong, when I have mixed to strong, I just add more witch hazel and it's fine. I suppose it is considered (or could be) a mag oil. I use witch hazel and alcohol to make this. No water added though so I don't need to add a preservative. mag doesn't make me itch, but it dries out my skin something fierce! I think that's another reason I like to use in deodorant.  It seems to keep me drier than other homemade recipes. Since we don't use aluminum chloride (aluminium trichloride) in our deodorant, they don't usually keep us dry, and this actually does a decent job of that for me, 10 months out of the year. FYI: My pits are pretty!  No discoloration, no itching, and if I didn't over mix, my skin is not overly dried out.


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## Hayla58

tjturner said:


> I have a customer wanting me to make some deodorant in a deodorant tube and just wondering if anyone has made a deodorant before and how did it turn out



Try this:
Handmade deodorant:

3 tablespoons baking soda

3 tablespoons arrowroot powder

3 tablespoons melted coconut oil (I used virgin, because it smells nice with lemongrass)

1 tablespoon witch hazel

10 (give or take) drops lemongrass oil

Mix everything together. I used a fork to make sure everything got incorporated.

You do need to keep it in the fridge so it stays hard (the coconut oil is what makes it solid), but imagine how nice it will feel in the hot hot summer! **Update** I haven’t kept in the fridge and it’s been fine. If it gets super hot in the area it’s in, that’s not a good idea, but I’ve kept it in the bathroom closet and no problems with it melting at all!) If you have yours in a bowl, you’d simply dab it on your fingertips and rub your underarms. **Update** I’ve noticed that on days that I sweat profusely, which this will not help with, as it’s a deodorant and not an antiperspirant (which aren’t good for you!), the baking powder will sometimes leave marks on my clothes. They wash off, but just be wary on a really hot day if you’re wearing something that can easily get marked, you may not want to wear this deodorant! It’s really only happened twice for me though, and I can realllly sweat like a man sometimes! lol. Look at how cute it looks in my tube all dolled up

You could always add Shea butter or mango butter to harden it up. Mango butter is harder than Shea and it should Keep it solid even in the hot heat. I have a tub of it and it’s keep solid (although a little soft) in my condo when it got to 35 degrees in here! 

Try using melting coconut butter that will solidify at room temp and can keep in the bathroom not the fridge


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## Gaisy59

Hayla58 said:


> Try this:
> Handmade deodorant:
> 
> 3 tablespoons baking soda
> 
> 3 tablespoons arrowroot powder
> 
> 3 tablespoons melted coconut oil (I used virgin, because it smells nice with lemongrass)
> 
> 1 tablespoon witch hazel
> 
> 10 (give or take) drops lemongrass oil
> 
> Mix everything together. I used a fork to make sure everything got incorporated.
> 
> You do need to keep it in the fridge so it stays hard (the coconut oil is what makes it solid), but imagine how nice it will feel in the hot hot summer! **Update** I haven’t kept in the fridge and it’s been fine. If it gets super hot in the area it’s in, that’s not a good idea, but I’ve kept it in the bathroom closet and no problems with it melting at all!) If you have yours in a bowl, you’d simply dab it on your fingertips and rub your underarms. **Update** I’ve noticed that on days that I sweat profusely, which this will not help with, as it’s a deodorant and not an antiperspirant (which aren’t good for you!), the baking powder will sometimes leave marks on my



Just to jump in here a bit and not take anything away from all the baking soda/coconut oil recipes...the magnesium/babassu for me was to avoid the pit burn from the baking soda and staining on my tops from coconut oil. So when the ladies discovered mg/babassu it was a redefining moment for me and my underarms.


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## cmzaha

Coconut oil can yellow clothing and Baking Soda can cause severe rashes. I have been using my mag/babassu for at least a year and love it. It is also a very good seller with many return customers.


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## glendam

cmzaha said:


> Coconut oil can yellow clothing and Baking Soda can cause severe rashes. I have been using my mag/babassu for at least a year and love it. It is also a very good seller with many return customers.


That is good to know about coconut oil and babassu.  I made deodorant this past weekend and used both, next time I will use only babassu.


----------

