Making Deodorant

[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

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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

....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]

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]

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]

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.