Who doesn’t love discussing the state of their armpits? Or reading about someone else’s in their favourite local newspaper?
Well, it may not be a pretty topic, but everybody sweats, and everybody is prone to a little odour when that sweat hits the bacteria on your skin, hence the invention of deodorant. In fact, the first trademarked deodorant was the Mum brand in 1888!
Thankfully these days most of us have abundant access to soap and water and are overall far less pongy than they were in the 1800’s. This hasn’t stopped savvy marketers from trying to convince us that the slightest hint of body odour will render you a social pariah. I have left the house on occasion forgetting to apply any deodorant at all and surprisingly nobody recoiled in horror.
If you have ever looked at the ingredients on a can of deodorant you will see quite a complex list of chemicals, fragrances, preservatives etc in the concoction that we apply directly to our skin. Now you can fall into an internet rabbit hole finding articles imploring you to avoid these items, as well as others stating they are perfectly fine, and I will leave you to make up your own judgement on that. For me, I like erring on the side of caution and that is why I use a natural deodorant. After using a commercial brand for a while, I was given a sample of this homemade version by my sister-in-law and loved it. Instantly comparable to the commercial version! I have now made my own batch and unless I have the politest friends on the planet (I don’t!), can say with certainty that it works well.
Recipe is from The Inspired Little Pot.
Makes: 250g
INGREDIENTS
65g coconut oil
65g shea butter
10g beeswax pellets
40g arrowroot flour 70g sodium bicarbonate (bicarb)
40 drops of essential oils (I would recommend tea tree for its anti-bacterial properties)
METHOD
1. Add coconut oil, shea butter and beeswax to a glass bowl and heat until completely melted.
Double boiler method – place bowl on a pot of gently simmering water and stir frequently.
Microwave method – heat in short bursts on low, stopping and stirring frequently.
2. Add arrowroot flour, sodium bicarbonate, and essential oils and whisk until well combined and no lumps remain.
3. Pour into a jar or container.
TO USE
• Using clean fingers or a paddle, scoop a fingernail-sized amount of balm and apply to each armpit, gently rubbing in (see image below).
• Best not applied directly after hair removal.
• Store away from direct sunlight.
You can find the ingredients for this locally at Stock Your Pantry in Moora, and they also sell online. You can have a look at their products, and also The Inspired Little Book and The Inspired Little Gift Book in our Christmas Gift Guide.
