one step closer
by willeya
to a toxin free home.
i FINALLY ran out of my death by aluminum deodorant stick. actually, i ran out three days ago and just went without. wow. i have no business e.v.e.r. doing that again.
so after calling trader joe’s to double check that their baking soda doesn’t have aluminum [because that would definitely defeat the purpose] i combined:
1/4 cup baking soda [trader joe’s] 1/4 cup arrowroot flour [wegmans] 5 tablespoons coconut oil [nutiva ordered online]
it took me two minutes to pour, mix, store. they say it will last me three months for two people and since ben is not a believer, that means i’m set for the next six months. and if i did the math, i’m pretty sure i would find the ingredients to be under $5.
do i dare say it works better than the death stick? i’ve been out of the shower for 7 hours and there is no trace of body odor. only subtle coconut. usually by now it’s a solid combination of good and bad.
2 minutes, 5 dollars, 6 months. 0 toxins. and it works.
oh. the satisfaction.
[ http://www.passionatehomemaking.com/2008/03/update-homemade-deoderant.html]
every common bush 
i made this a few weeks ago too! and it works SOOOO much better than the death stick. EVEN on my Ben. he warily tried it and was so surprised at how well it worked. Tell Ben that Cassandra told him to at least try it!
P.s. I’ve been meaning to ask you how your shampoo/conditioning is going? I’ve been using the recipes you linked with mixed results. I really want it to work and it’s okay, but i’m not as in love as i am with the deodorant. For one, i hate the smell of ACV. I made a new batch today and added some essential oils, but i haven’t tried it yet. Have you tried the coconut oil as a leave-in conditioner/de-frizzer? it’s too much oil for my hair. maybe if i blow dried it, but normally i just let it air dry. I’ve found that my scalp is a little dandruffy, which it never has been before. Again i played with the oil levels in my shampoo/conditioner, but haven’t tried it yet. Just curious what your longer term results have been!
P.p.s. i stumbled upon this blog and mascara recipe today. you might be interested.
http://www.passionatehomemaking.com/2010/11/natural-homemade-mascara.html
emily, it is funny that you bring up the shampoo/conditioner. i was just talking to ben about it today. it has pros and cons. yes, i am still using it. yes, it does work very well for me. i think it’s because i have course, curly hair that tends toward frizzy rather than oily. i think my hair can take more oil than the average caucasians [maybe it’s because i am not ;)] without becoming nappy. so i love it. mandi and another girl i know – who both have typical white girl hair – talk about the same things you are. the other girl pushed through the nappy stage and said it got way better and her body’s oils naturally evened out with the shampoo/conditioners. i have heard that if you’re struggling with too many oils to cut way back on the acv and essential oils, using just a couple squirts and maybe even only ever other time. the con is ben. he HATES the smell of the acv. i don’t even notice it but he does. this is what we were talking about today. i think he tires of my “hobby”. haven’t quite come up with a solution, cause i’m not about to go back. any suggestions? and thanks for the link btw. i’ll take a look.
i think you will love this! i make mine with cornstarch instead of arrowroot and haven’t looked back in a year.
i wanna try the no-poo thing, too, but i’m suspicious at this point. and i don’t know why i haven’t bitten the bullet and tried the oil cleanse method, either. baby steps, huh?
hm, i’ve never heard of the cleanse method. what is that? and yes, baby steps are the only way. what i’m not posting are all the things still left to do :)
So…do you pour it on…spoon it on…can you lick the spoon afterwards?
Love you!
And can’t wait to “smell you” soon!
you’re funny. lick it, ha!. and even funnier is that you COULD!!! all these things i use in baking too and that’s somehow very weirdly satisfying to me. i’d describe the method for applying as “scoop and smear”. and the day i visited you was totally the first day i ran out of deodorant and didn’t have this concocted yet. next time i’ll smell like coconut, i promise :)
i actually scooped mine into my old deodorant container (cleaned out and whatnot) and just apply it as usual!
Maybe I’m just not getting the visual . . . but how do you apply it? Because I would think it’s a little bit pasty.
Great idea!
deb, for me, the coconut oil keeps it from being too pasty or dry. maybe i used too much coconut oil but i like a wetter texture over dry. because mine is on the softer side (the thickness of creamy peanut butter), i put the combination in a small glass mason jar (pictured above). i simply put a little on the end of my fingertips and rub it in. some people would probably not prefer touching their armpits everyday, but i don’t mind :)
oh i just remembered something about texture/consistency. coconut oil is a liquid above 70 degrees and a solid below. got home and my deodorant was a solid mass – no more peanut butter. not a prob though – i’ll just take a bit and it will melt once it hits my skin. so putting it into an empty deo stick will prob work for winter but for summer…maybe not!
thanks for passing along the recipe. i’ve still got a lot of my crystal left, but i think i’ll try your recipe when i finish. i found a friend who started making her own castile soap and selling. that’s what i’ve been using on my hair and it works great!
Mandi, can you share your recipe! Nice to “see” you on here :) How are you guys doing? I think i saw on FB that you moved out of the city??