How to Make Your Own Deodorant at Home (2 Easy Recipes)
How We ReviewRecipes checked against Wellness Mama, Cadry's Kitchen, Zero-Waste Chef and Gundersen Health System, plus dermatology-adjacent sourcing on skin pH and magnesium hydroxide as a genuine sensitive-skin alternative to baking soda.
Almost every homemade deodorant recipe online is the same baking soda formula, with a one-line "if it irritates you, just use less" tacked on for sensitive skin. Here are two full recipes: the classic version, and a genuine baking-soda-free alternative built for skin that reacts to it — plus the actual reason that reaction happens in the first place.
Quick Answer
Classic recipe: coconut oil, baking soda, arrowroot powder, and optional essential oil, melted and set in a jar. Sensitive-skin recipe: the same base with magnesium hydroxide (or extra arrowroot) instead of baking soda, plus shea butter and beeswax for a firmer, gentler texture.
1Why Baking Soda Irritates Some Skin
This is the part most DIY guides skip, treating baking soda sensitivity as a minor footnote rather than explaining the actual mechanism.
Baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) has a pH of around 8–9. Your skin's natural pH sits much lower, typically 4.5–5.5, maintained by what's known as the acid mantle — a slightly acidic layer that helps protect against bacteria and irritation. Applying something as alkaline as baking soda directly onto the thin, sensitive skin of the underarm, daily, over time, disrupts that acid mantle for many people. That's the actual cause of the redness, dryness and rash that "baking soda deodorant" is well known for — not a random allergy, but a genuine pH conflict.
2Recipe 1: Classic Baking Soda Deodorant
🧴 Classic Coconut Oil & Baking Soda Deodorant
Makes roughly one small jar · Sets in 15–20 minutes
- Coconut oil (melted) 1/3 cup
- Baking soda 1/4 cup
- Arrowroot powder (or cornstarch) 1/4 cup
- Essential oil (tea tree or lavender, optional) 8–10 drops
- Melt the coconut oil gently — 10-second bursts in the microwave, or over a double boiler.
- Stir the baking soda and arrowroot powder into the melted oil until smooth and lump-free.
- Add essential oil if using, and mix well.
- Pour into a clean glass jar or empty deodorant tube. Leave at room temperature, or chill for 15–20 minutes to set faster.
3★ Recipe 2: Baking-Soda-Free Deodorant (Sensitive Skin)
This is the recipe most guides don't give you as a proper alternative — a full, standalone formula rather than "the same recipe, minus one ingredient."
🌿 Magnesium Hydroxide & Shea Butter Deodorant
Makes roughly one small jar · Sets in 20–30 minutes (firmer texture)
- Coconut oil 3 tbsp
- Shea butter 2 tbsp
- Beeswax (pellets or grated) 1 tbsp
- Magnesium hydroxide powder 2–3 tbsp
- Arrowroot powder 2 tbsp
- Vitamin E oil (optional, extends shelf life) 1/4 tsp
- Melt the coconut oil, shea butter and beeswax together over a double boiler until fully liquid.
- Remove from heat and stir in the magnesium hydroxide and arrowroot powder until smooth.
- Stir in vitamin E oil if using.
- Pour into a jar and leave to set — the beeswax makes this version firmer and slower to melt in warm weather than the classic recipe.
Simply double the arrowroot powder in Recipe 2 and skip the magnesium hydroxide entirely. It won't control odour quite as effectively for everyone, but it's genuinely gentler than baking soda and a reasonable starting point while you source magnesium hydroxide from a health store or online.
4Patch Test Before Full Use
Whichever recipe you make, apply a small amount to a patch of skin — the inner elbow works well — and wait 24 hours before using it on your underarms. This applies to both recipes, but especially the classic baking soda version given how commonly it causes a reaction.
5Shelf Life & Storage
Homemade deodorant has no preservatives, so it doesn't behave like a shop-bought product.
- Both recipes here are oil-based, not water-based, which significantly lowers contamination risk — water activity is what mould and bacteria need to establish, and there's very little of it in either formula
- Store in a clean, dry, airtight container and use clean fingers or a spatula rather than wet hands
- Expect 2–3 months of shelf life at room temperature; vitamin E oil can extend this slightly
- Discard if you notice any change in smell, colour, or texture
6Troubleshooting
| Problem | Fix |
|---|---|
| Too soft / melts in warm weather | Add a little more beeswax (Recipe 2) or arrowroot (Recipe 1) |
| Too hard to apply | Add a touch more coconut oil and re-melt |
| Skin irritation | Switch from Recipe 1 to Recipe 2, or the budget arrowroot-only option |
| Faint marks on light clothing | Apply a thinner layer and let it absorb fully before dressing |
7UK Ingredient Sourcing
- Holland & Barrett — coconut oil, shea butter, arrowroot powder, essential oils, magnesium hydroxide
- Wilko — bicarbonate of soda, small glass jars, empty deodorant tubes
Prefer to skip the DIY altogether?
Browse Our Best Natural Deodorant Picks8Our Verdict
The classic baking soda recipe is simple and works well for most people, but if you've ever had a reaction to natural deodorant before, start with Recipe 2 rather than assuming natural deodorant "just isn't for you." The pH mismatch is a real, well-documented mechanism, not a vague sensitivity — and magnesium hydroxide sidesteps it entirely.
9Frequently Asked Questions
QWhy does baking soda deodorant irritate some people's skin?+
Baking soda has a pH of around 8-9, while skin's natural pH sits closer to 4.5-5.5. That mismatch can disrupt the skin's protective barrier, especially with daily use on the sensitive underarm area, which is why baking soda is one of the most commonly reported causes of rashes and irritation in homemade deodorant.
QWhat can I use instead of baking soda in homemade deodorant?+
Magnesium hydroxide is the most effective substitute, since it neutralises odour-causing bacteria without the same alkalinity issue. A budget alternative is to simply double the arrowroot powder and skip baking soda entirely, which is gentler though slightly less effective at odour control for some people.
QHow long does homemade deodorant last before it goes off?+
Without preservatives, an oil-based homemade deodorant typically lasts 2-3 months at room temperature if kept dry and clean. Adding vitamin E oil can help extend this slightly. Discard it if you notice any change in smell, texture, or colour.
QIs it safe to make your own deodorant without preservatives?+
Yes, provided you keep water out of the mixture and store it in a clean, dry container. These recipes are oil-based rather than water-based, which significantly reduces the contamination risk that comes from water activity supporting bacterial or mould growth. Always use clean hands or a spatula rather than dipping wet fingers into the jar.
QWhy is my homemade deodorant too soft or too hard?+
Texture usually comes down to temperature and ratios. In warm weather or a hot house, add a little more beeswax or arrowroot to firm it up. In colder conditions, a touch more coconut oil will soften a mixture that's become too hard to apply smoothly.
QDoes homemade deodorant stop sweating like antiperspirant?+
No. Both recipes here are deodorants, not antiperspirants — they work by controlling the bacteria that cause odour, not by blocking sweat glands. If you want to actually reduce sweat volume, you'd need a store-bought antiperspirant containing aluminium compounds instead.
QCan homemade deodorant stain clothing?+
The coconut oil base can leave faint marks on light-coloured fabric if overapplied, similar to any oil-based product. Applying a thin layer and letting it absorb fully before dressing minimises this, and any marks generally wash out with normal laundering.