MaryJanes Farm: My Fair Farmgirl Merit Badge - Handmade Deodorant

Thank you, The Graphics Fairy  for the vintage image.

You can find a lot of reasonable buys at Wal-Mart.  But one key to making it on a budget is by donating your time and labor to the project.  Do-it-yourself projects will always help you save. Nate Berkus

If you read the post yesterday, you are joining today expecting to find my recipe for laundry soap.  I thought I had found a recipe and process I was happy with but am not quite there yet.  So, I'll continue working on the intermediate level of the Cleaning Up:  Going Green merit badge until I get it better.  I'll be sure to share it then.  

I usually have more than one merit badge in progress so today, I will share the work I'm doing on the beginner level of MaryJane's Farm Sisterhood Merit Badges: Cleaning Up - My Fair Farmgirl. One of the tasks is to make a simple health or beauty product using natural ingredients.  I chose to make deodorant since I was almost out anyway.  

The process took less than 5 minutes!  I was so surprised.  Now, I want to remind you that this is a deodorant recipe - not an antiperspirant recipe.  It will not stop you from sweating.  But, it certainly does work on odor.  There is some convincing evidence that the use of aluminum in commercial antiperspirant may not be that good for you.  At the very least, it keeps your body from performing a function it was designed to do.  

Here are the instructions:  

Handmade Deodorant

Ingredients:

1/4 cup baking soda

1/4 cup cornstarch

4 tablespoons coconut oil

Optional:  10-20 drops of essential oils (according to your preference; I use 8 drops of lemon and 10 drops of lavender)

1 container for the finished product 

Instructions: 

• Mix baking soda and cornstarch thoroughly in a bowl. 
• Using a pastry cutter, cut in coconut oil until completely mixed. 
• Add essential oils if you are using them.
• Pack the mixture into the container.  I packed mine into a small glass jar. 
• The mixture will become firmer overnight.
• To use, apply a small amount to underarm in the same way you would apply lotion. 

Pretty simple really...the cost may not be markedly less than commercial brands if you were getting them for nearly free with coupons like I was.  I really like the fact that I know every ingredient that went into the finished product and that it is safe to use.  

The intermediate level will have me delving into even more handmade health and beauty products.  As soon as I find recipes that I like, I will be sure to share them.  What health and beauty products are you interested in making yourself?  Let me know in the comments.  

Tomorrow is Skills Saturday and the topic for the first Saturday of January is Bread Baking.  This is a topic we will be covering over the next three Saturdays.  The first post will be on making breads with baking powder and baking soda.  I hope to see you then :) 

Peace be with you, 

Star Schipp 

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