My pits have a hint of mint!

While I am not ultra-crunchy, I am often willing to try new things that will improve our health.  Recently, I read a few articles connecting the products found in deodorant to breast/other cancers.  This made me step back and think a bit about my current deodorant situation.

Now, BO... it stinks.  The wetness from sweating is also no fun.  I have horrible memories of teaching my first year of high school math, and overhearing my brattiest student comment about how waterfalls were gushing from my arm pits.  I also remember walking away from my interview for that job with rings around my armpits and on my back... and they hired me.  So, sweat has always been a sensitivity of mine, and BO is something I try to avoid.  I am very smell-oriented.  I like the reassuring smell of flowers as my deodorant is working.

Over the course of the years I have found that certain things are effective for me in the smell and wetness category. I have experimented with different applicators, perfume instead of deodorant, and recently with homemade stuff.

I began my experiment with simply wearing nothing.  After a few days I was excited because the BO was at bay.  I just didn't smell.  The first few days I sweated more than normal, but the sweating actually slowed down.  Then came the week mark.. and the return of BO.

So, I quickly looked up a recipe, and went to it.

Now this is a really easy recipe, and can be tailored to your needs:

1/4 C Baking Soda
1/4 C Cornstarch
1/4 C Coconut Oil
Just a little pure oil (I used peppermint from the fields of Oregon!)

If you have worked with coconut oil - which is amazing in so many ways! - you have discovered how quickly a somewhat warm temp can melt it.  When it solidifies it is hard.  I have heard of many people who refrigerate their deodorant.  I refuse.

So, my idea when making this was to melt the coconut oil, and add the powders until the consistency was satisfactory.  My thought is that if the consistency is somewhat solidified when the coconut oil is liquefied, then when it gets hot, my deodorant will warm and soften, but not melt!

I took an old deodorant container, twisted the container until the base was at the bottom, and filled it with my homemade deodorant.

So, it has been almost 3 weeks.  I love the smell of my pits.  If you find me with my nose close to my pit, you know I am smelling to take in the reassuring light scent of mint emanating from my pits.  If you are brave, you are welcome to take a whiff too :)  Poor Jon, I forced him to take a whiff until his sense of smell came back and he could affirm my BO-less wonder :)

Now, I must comment on something I have noticed when applying the deodorant.  Right now it is cold.  So, my deodorant is more solidified.  I simply hold the stick against my armpit for a few seconds.  My skin will soften the coconut oil just enough for it to smooth on nicely.

Good luck and happy sniffing! ;)