The Rub: DIY Natural Deodorant

It's important to be in tune with our bodies and to be advocates for our health. Making our own deodorant and knowing what the ingredients are gives us greater control over our health and how we take care of our bodies.

In a previous post I introduced a new recipe for a natural deodorant.  It works, it's inexpensive, but here's the rub.....for some people the baking soda can cause irritation.   

Seriously?  Just when I thought I had actually found the answer to years of trying so many natural, store bought and homemade products....My kids still laugh at me, by the way, for suggesting they use vinegar under their arms...."yeah, right, mom, guess again!" hahaha...

It's a dilemma, isn't it? There must be a way to smell fresh and use natural products at the same time...

So, I went back to the drawing board, and here are a couple of new recipes including a liquid deo.


DIY Natural Deodorant Cream
1 Tablespoon Extra Virgin Coconut Oil
1/2 Teaspoon *Shea Butter 
1 Tablespoon plus 2 Teaspoons Cornstarch or Arrowroot Powder
1 Teaspoons Baking Soda

This is the new recipe with less baking soda, more cornstarch and a touch of shea butter.  The little bit of shea butter feels really nice under the arms. Overall the recipe is mild and still works wonders.  *You can substitute with more coconut oil or some cocoa butter if you don't have shea.  If irritation occurs, you can omit the baking soda all together and use only the cornstarch or arrowroot.

DIY Natural Deodorant Spray
1/4 - 1/2 Cups Water
1/2 Teaspoon Himalayan Salt
1 Teaspoon Baking Soda

Combine ingredients, shake well and apply.  It's nice to have an option for a liquid deodorant.  This recipes works great too and is useful when wearing more delicate fabrics.  Just wait a bit after shaving, since the salt can sting any cuts or irritated skin.

Other tips, recommendations and considerations:

~ Our skin is our largest organ.  We absorb everything through this protective layer.  It's important that we remember: what we put on our skin is as important as what we put into our bodies.

~ Try out the recipes before adding any essential oils.  If there isn't any irritation, go ahead and add 3 - 5 drops essential oil if you like.  Essential oils are extremely powerful and  I would use them sparingly as the under arms are a sensitive and delicate area.  A nice blend would be 1 drop Tea Tree and 3 - 4 drops Lavender for their anti-fungal, anti-bacterial and sweet smelling properties.  

~ Less is more....A pea size to a touch larger, is all you need of the cream deodorant split between both arms.  A little goes a long way at inhibiting odor.  Let it warm in the hands and lightly rub it in under your arms.

~ Vinegar actually does work....It lowers the pH levels on the skin which inhibits bacteria from growing....and the vinegar smell fades pretty quickly..There are many different ratios, but 1/4 cup water to 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar should be sufficient.  It's best to wait a while after shaving or if there is irritated skin as the vinegar can sting.... 

~ Eating healthy helps too.  Following a healthy diet does wonders for our overall health and for our body's chemistry.  And so it goes that what we eat can affect our body odor as well....
  
So, as there is no one size fits all product for all of us,  we do have options so that we can find what works best for each one of us.  Have fun experimenting and trying out these recipes. Feel free to adapt them to your own needs....

Be Well,
Alyssa




copyright 2013

Inspring Women: Judith Avers

Judith Avers

Hooray! Judith Avers is in the house.  We are so pleased that she'll be starting off our new series.  Each month we will be highlighting a woman who inspires us and makes a difference just by being who she is.  

Judith Avers, the singer/ songwriter who is originally from the west, has been writing songs since she was 6 years old.  Music comes naturally to her, as does her optimistic attitude for life.   It’s easy to see why people are drawn to her.  Her gorgeous lilting voice and the soft rhythms of her guitar draw you into her songs and lyrics. The stories she tells through her music are written with a keen observation and with an openness towards life and people.  She gives voice to the human condition in its most authentic, and tender forms, provoking music that shares both strength and vulnerability.   Through her willingness to tell the story like it is, in all its shades of gray: love, loss, triumph and failings;  we feel the great spirit of humanity in her songs.  And with it comes a larger sense of redemption and forgiveness that lies within each of us.   It’s this unfailing honesty coupled with her compassionate voice that makes her music so moving and strong.

Judith has collaborated with many artists along the way as well as performing solo.  These days she is in a band called The Early Mays with fellow musicians, Ellen Gozion and Emily Pinkerton.  They’ve released one CD with another in the works and will be performing March 8, 12:00 pm at Cup & Chaucer, Ground Floor of the Hillman Library on Forbes and Schenley Dr. (Oakland) and March 9 at Club Cafe opening for Brooke Annibale's EP release show.  

Besides performing with The Early Mays, you can catch Judith on YouTube for a year long weekly series called Real Women Real Songs.  Each week Judith posts a new song written from the prompt she received the week before.  14 women are participating in this project. Some examples of the prompts are: patience, apologetic, distasteful and lovestruck.  Judith has this to say about Real Women Real Songs:  "I think it is good for me to let go of the idea of making sure things are 'perfect' and just let the lyrics and melody chips fall where they may.  Some of the songs are messy and incomplete, but they are more real and free than most songs I whittle away at." 

Judith shares these gifts with all of us and also with the hundreds of teenagers she has mentored through programs like SongSchools 101 which is run through High Rocks, a leadership and empowerment program in West Virginia.  Mentoring is an important part of what Judith does as a musician.   She says: "I see songwriting and music mentoring as a kind-of similar thing to my musician friends who have children and 'pass the songs' down from generation to generation.  I think it is very important to teach young people skills and trades.  Music making and art making are skills and if I can have one tiny part of that teaching, that is a success in my opinion. " 

To experience Judith’s music and stories visit:

www.judithavers.com

Real Women Real Songs

The Early Mays 

copyright 2013