Deodorant Help

[The Efficacious Gentleman]

Hello all

A while back I took part in this thread here (Need to make a switch... | Soapmaking Forum - Soap & Candle Forums ) and made a batch of deo. It worked, but I had issues with the product ruining some of my clothes. I am not sure if it was the recipe itself though, as I was visiting a buddy of mine who uses such a product and he has to shave his armpits - otherwise you can't smear it very well and/or have to use so much that you end up ruining your clothes.

Now, I am not going to start shaving my armpits to be able to use a product. But The Admirable Lady does use some and it would sort of make sense that I make some, but I don't want to ruin her clothes (she would murder me a little bit).

Alas I can't seem to find the actual recipe I used, but here is the recipe from the product my wife uses:

Shea butter
baking powder
coconut oil
corn flour
mango butter
zinc
jojoba
almond oil

This is a product in Europe and so the list is in order of % (although at 5% and under they can be mixed up) - with that in mind, what do we think would be a good mix of those to get an efficacious product without staining? The packaging says to use a fingertip.

Thanking you in advance

 

[ResolvableOwl]

zinc

Not quite as scary as sodium, but still I wouldn't enjoy smearing metal powder onto my skin. Do you rather mean zinc oxide/carbonate/chloride/gluconate/stearate/ricinoleate?

 

[The Efficacious Gentleman]

Not quite as scary as sodium, but still I wouldn't enjoy smearing metal powder onto my skin. Do you rather mean zinc oxide/carbonate/chloride/gluconate/stearate/ricinoleate?

Good point, sorry - zinc oxide (CI 77947)

 

[earlene]

Did you ever try the babassu based deo many of us have made & still use as discussed in this thread? It does not stain the clothing.

 

[The Efficacious Gentleman]

Did you ever try the babassu based deo many of us have made & still use as discussed in this thread? It does not stain the clothing.

The link isn't working for me I'm afraid. But no, I haven't. I'd have to order it from a supplier and I would only really need it for that one thing, which makes me a little hesitant

 

[AliOop]

Here are some suggested ratios and ingredients:

40% arrowroot powder
20% coconut oil
11% cocoa butter
10%s shea butter
9% tapioca powder
4% magnesium hydroxide
4% zinc ricineolate
1% Vitamin E
1% essential oils

 

[cmzaha]

Coconut Oil will stain white shirts, Babassu does not. Just a little FYI

I use Babassu at 42% and Magnesium Hydroxide at 30.3% 2% zinc ricinoleate, small percentage of illipe butter, varying amounts of carnauba wax dependent on winter or summer, BTMS25 and Cetyl Alcohol, and 1.6% sifted twice nano zinc oxide. Sorry not quite ready to give up my recipe completely since I do still sell my deodorants.

 

[AliOop]

Carolyn, you know I love your deodorant recipe better than all the others I've tried. It doesn't stain and works very well to control odor. The tube recipes that I've tried are pretty similar to yours.

The recipe I suggested above is quite different because @The Efficacious Gentleman is trying to dupe a paste recipe that his wife likes. It worked ok for me, but I dislike pastes due to having to clean my fingers after applying. But I wanted to offer that so he could get some ideas of percentages.

If TEG wanted to use your suggested ingredients in a paste-type formula, would you recommend that he leave out the wax, maybe the cetyl?

 

[earlene]

The link isn't working for me I'm afraid. But no, I haven't. I'd have to order it from a supplier and I would only really need it for that one thing, which makes me a little hesitant

Fixed the link.

 

[The Efficacious Gentleman]

Fixed the link.

Hmmmm, having read the first few pages of that thread, I might just have to order some babassu while I read the other 33 pages!

 

[AliOop]

Hmmmm, having read the first few pages of that thread, I might just have to order some babassu while I read the other 33 pages!

I highly recommend it. It is soooo much nicer than CO!

 

[dibbles]

I'd order the babassu, Gent. I think your wife will like it and the formula in the thread earlene linked has worked well for many.

 

[IrishLass]

Hello Gent! Babassu is awesome in deodorant. My deodorant contains only 2 ingredients- babassu oil and magnesium hydroxide powder, which I make into a creamy paste that easily rubs in. It works wonderfully, and does not stain my clothes.

Ingredients such as butters and coconut oil stain my clothes, but thankfully, I found 2 different things that work wonders to completely remove such oily stains:

1) A simple mixture of one part 3% hydrogen peroxide to 2 parts Dawn Ultra Dishwashing Liquid. I make this one up fresh/on the go, only as much as needed at a time since it does not keep for very long.

2) A simple mixture of 75 mLs (1/3 US cup) vinegar and 250 (1 US cup) mLs Dawn Ultra Dishwashing Liquid. I mix the 2 together, pour into a spray bottle and store it under my kitchen sink (it stores indefinitely for me). It works great for oil stains on clothing, as well as for cleaning up my soap-making equipment, and also for removing soap scum on shower doors.

The directions for either one are the same: To use, I apply liberally to the stains, rubbing in well with an old toothbrush, and then I let them sit and stew about 30 minutes before washing in the washer as normal.

If using the hydrogen peroxide concoction on colored clothing, first make sure the clothes are colorfast (i.e. the colors are set and don't bleed when washed), or else you might get some bleaching going on. I've personally never had that happen to me when using it on my colored clothing, but I've heard of it happening to others.

My personal success story- I have 2 blouses that I once thought were ruined a few years ago by a natural deodorant I was using at the time that contained coconut oil and shea butter- a ruby red blouse and a royal purple blouse. The deodorant in question produced dark, unsightly oil slick stains in the underarm area that would not come out with my usual washing detergent in my washing machine. I was quite upset about it, because these are two of my most favorite blouses. Anyway, even though the blouses had been washed and dried in the dryer, those 'set-in' oil stains came completely out after applying either one of the 2 concoctions above. You could have knocked me over with a feather!

For what it's worth, I've found that the hydrogen peroxide concoction is more powerful in that it works in a single wash for me, while the vinegar one can sometimes take a few extra tries before getting all the oil stain out, depending on how bad the stain is.

Re: magnesium hydroxide.....it has another use besides deodorant: there are several folks that use it to make their own 'Milk of Magnesia' antacid. I have not ever done so myself, but I've read of others that buy it for only that purpose.


IrishLass

 

[Gaisy59]

Hello All. I have been experimenting with cera bellina wax mixed in with the babassu and magnesium. I have it down to 5% in the mix and left it in my car at 30 C and so far no melting and it stays in stick form and no prob with my tops that i can tell. I will be trying it in lower amounts but unfortunately we are heading in fall here and i cannot get the hot hot weather until next year. The spread it a little difficult at 5% but i am hoping to get it down low without getting melt.

 

[user 49910]

Try this one...

Easy Homemade Essential Oil Deodorant
This homemade deodorant takes only minutes to make, and it lasts a LONG time since only a tiny amount is needed each day. Plus, it works!

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon baking soda
3 tablespoons arrowroot powder or non-GMO corn starch works well, too.
3 tablespoons vegetable glycerin
12 drops essential oils of your choice

Instructions:
Combine the baking soda and arrowroot in a glass jar.
Add enough glycerin to create a smooth consistency.
Add in essential oils and stir.

Keep a popsicle stick or other small stirring stick in the jar and stir as needed before applying.
Over time, if it seems dry, simply stir in a little more glycerin or water.
To use, swipe a small amount down the center of each armpit.

There are many essential oils appropriate for deodorant.

Lemon, Pink Grapefruit, Geranium, Key Lime, Cypress, Lavender, Clove Bud, Coriander, Peppermint, and Oregano.

All 9 are full of antibacterial, antimicrobial, antiseptic, astringent, and anti-inflammatory properties.

In addition:

• cypress and geranium are both supposed to be good deodorizers
• clove bud is reported to be an antioxidant and has anti-aging properties
• pink grapefruit tones the skin and helps to remove toxins from the body.

 

[Gaisy59]

Try this one...

Easy Homemade Essential Oil Deodorant
This homemade deodorant takes only minutes to make, and it lasts a LONG time since only a tiny amount is needed each day. Plus, it works!

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon baking soda
3 tablespoons arrowroot powder or non-GMO corn starch works well, too.
3 tablespoons vegetable glycerin
12 drops essential oils of your choice

Instructions:
Combine the baking soda and arrowroot in a glass jar.
Add enough glycerin to create a smooth consistency.
Add in essential oils and stir.

Keep a popsicle stick or other small stirring stick in the jar and stir as needed before applying.
Over time, if it seems dry, simply stir in a little more glycerin or water.
To use, swipe a small amount down the center of each armpit.

There are many essential oils appropriate for deodorant.

Lemon, Pink Grapefruit, Geranium, Key Lime, Cypress, Lavender, Clove Bud, Coriander, Peppermint, and Oregano.

All 9 are full of antibacterial, antimicrobial, antiseptic, astringent, and anti-inflammatory properties.

In addition:

• cypress and geranium are both supposed to be good deodorizers
• clove bud is reported to be an antioxidant and has anti-aging properties
• pink grapefruit tones the skin and helps to remove toxins from the body.

This is just me but i tried the baking soda formula and ended up with red burning underarms. I gave heard the same from others. Not to say it affects everyone the same.

 

[Megan]

Coconut Oil will stain white shirts, Babassu does not. Just a little FYI

I use Babassu at 42% and Magnesium Hydroxide at 30.3% 2% zinc ricinoleate, small percentage of illipe butter, varying amounts of carnauba wax dependent on winter or summer, BTMS25 and Cetyl Alcohol, and 1.6% sifted twice nano zinc oxide. Sorry not quite ready to give up my recipe completely since I do still sell my deodorants.

I was thinking yesterday about a deodorant with an emulsifier as it makes sense for reducing staining and I haven't seen it a lot around... was wondering if others were doing something similar.

 

[DeeAnna]

This is just me but i tried the baking soda formula and ended up with red burning underarms. I gave heard the same from others. Not to say it affects everyone the same.

Ditto. I won't use any amount of baking soda in a deodorant for my personal use (and I wouldn't sell it either). I know baking soda is an irritant, due to its alkaline pH.

Also the "12 drops of EOs" in the recipe given might not be skin safe if a person chose something like clove, cinnamon, or other EO that's not GRAS (generally recognized as safe). I'd want to see the percentage EO in the product based on weight AND the specific type of EO before I'd be comfortable using that amount of EO.

edit: Clove (bud or stem) and cinnamon leaf are recommended at a maximum of 0.6% by weight. Cinnamon bark at a max of 0.07%. Oregano at 1.1% max, and Mexican oregano at 1.2% max. Percentages given for dermal (skin) use. Source: Tisserand and Young, Essential Oil Safety, 2nd ed.

 

[user 49910]

Well, baking soda works for some folks, not so much for others. My skin has traditionally had a low pH for decades. Destroyed countless wristwatches until I switched to titanium watches.
Selling baking soda based deodorant I guess is a personal decision, but Arm & Hammer has been doing if for decades. Same for body powder too. No lawsuits that I know of or heard of.
Glycerin has been known to cause some people to break out on the skin.
I was merely offering some help and a suggestion. Essential oils are widely varying too, we're assuming the person choosing the oils has common sense, but that has been shown to be a rare commodity these days since the destruction of our education system thanks to the NEA and the overall dumbing down of America in general.

 

[Gaisy59]

Well, baking soda works for some folks, not so much for others. My skin has traditionally had a low pH for decades. Destroyed countless wristwatches until I switched to titanium watches.
Selling baking soda based deodorant I guess is a personal decision, but Arm & Hammer has been doing if for decades. Same for body powder too. No lawsuits that I know of or heard of.
Glycerin has been known to cause some people to break out on the skin.
I was merely offering some help and a suggestion. Essential oils are widely varying too, we're assuming the person choosing the oils has common sense, but that has been shown to be a rare commodity these days since the destruction of our education system thanks to the NEA and the overall dumbing down of America in general.

I know, it’s so hard trying to find something that works. I kept using the baking soda one because it does work, but I couldn’t figure out why my underarms burned until i delved into the baking soda issue further. Those recipes should definitely come with a warning.

Having said that…so far I haven’t heard any complaints from the babassu/magnesium crowd and the deo definitely works.