Homemade Deodorant with Lavender and Sage (2024)

This homemade deodorant stick is a simple recipe that actually works! Using DIY deodorant is a great way to support your health, reduce waste and chemicals, and smell good!

When I first began delving into making herbal bath and beauty products myself many years ago, it all started with homemade herbal deodorant. It’s the perfect beginner recipe for DIY beauty products.

This recipe is simple to make, is good for your health and the environment. The best part is that this homemade deodorant recipe really works!

Why Make Your Own Deodorant?

You might wonder why you’d want to make your own deodorant when there are so many on the market to choose from. First of all, in my experience, none of the natural deodorants sold in stores work very well and they’re ridiculously expensive.

They might smell good going on, but give it a day’s work, a stressful meeting, or your daily workout, and you might as well not wear deodorant at all. That’s just not my jam!

Then, regular store bought deodorant is full very questionable ingredients, to say the least. If you haven’t looked at the ingredient list, I suggest checking it out. I don’t know what half of it even is!

I know you’re not eating it, but all those chemicals can get into your body through your skin. One of the main benefits of DIY beauty products is that you have control over exactly what is going into it.

Plus, homemade deodorant is so much easier on the environment. It reduces plastic container waste, and any other production waste too.

I prefer to use the cardboard containers shown in the photos, but silicone molds work just as well.

What Goes in Homemade Deodorant?

Homemade deodorant is a common recipe, generally using coconut oil, baking soda, arrowroot or cornstarch, and essential oils. It works well as deodorant, but is too soft for a mold or tube, and melts in warm weather making it unusable.

This is why I created a homemade deodorant recipe that is a little bit different. Using beeswax and shea butter creates a thicker consistency that will hold up in a deodorant container or a mold.

This makes applying it much easier no matter the weather! Plus, you get the benefits of a natural deodorant stick, and your fingers don’t get messy applying it either way.

Ingredients

Beeswax is beneficial in homemade deodorant recipes because it’s naturally antiseptic, antibacterial, emollient, and hydrating to the skin.

Shea butter is odorless (if you used refined), moisturizing, and works to help with a perfect natural deodorant stick consistency.

Substitute: It works to use carnauba wax instead of beeswax, if preferred. Use less than called for, as it’s a harder wax.

Baking soda and arrowroot powder work perfectly for their natural deodorizing effect. If you are sensitive to baking soda, it’s okay to omit it and replace with more arrowroot powder.

Essential oils make the deodorant smell good while also adding some antimicrobial, antibacterial, and anti-fungal properties.

Infused oil: An herbal infused blend of coconut oil and sweet almond oil works best for this deodorant recipe. Coconut oil is antimicrobial and anti-fungal, and sweet almond oil is light and absorbs easily into the skin, leaving minimal oil residue left after application.

Dried lavender and sage are the best choices for making herbal deodorant.

Note: Lavender is wonderful for skin care products due to germ fighting benefits and its beautifully calming scent. Sage is perfect because it has some natural antiperspirant properties.

There are many other herbs you could choose depending on your preferences. Some good options are rosemary, mint, calendula, oregano, marshmallow root, yarrow, rose, chamomile, and lemon balm.

My favorite place to get high quality, organic dried herbs is Mountain Rose Herbs.

Homemade Deodorant Recipe with Lavender and Sage

The first step in this recipe is to make an infused herbal oil with lavender and sage, or any other herbs of your choice.

For the Infused Herbal Oil

First, place the dried lavender and sage, or other herbs of your choice in a pint mason jar.

Then, melt the coconut oil over low heat. This should only take a few minutes.

Pour the melted coconut oil into the jar over the herbs, and then fill the jar up the rest of the way with sweet almond oil.

Now, cover the jar and put it in a cool and dark place like a pantry or a kitchen corner without sunlight. Let it infuse for 1-2 weeks.

Once infused, strain the spent herbs out with a fine mesh sieve. Now it is ready to use in homemade deodorant!

Make the Deodorant

Now that the infused oil is ready, put it and the beeswax into the top container of a double boiler. Stir continuously as the beeswax melts.

Note: You can use a makeshift double boiler using a smaller pot, bowl, or a glass Pyrex measuring cup over an inch or so of water simmering in a pot.

Once the beeswax has completely melted, add the shea butter and stir until it dissolves.

Remove the mixture from the double boiler and stir in the essential oils, then stir in the arrowroot powder and baking soda.

Keep stirring for a minute or two to thoroughly combine. The mixture will begin to thicken slightly.

Pour the mixture into empty deodorant containers or half circle silicone molds.

Let the deodorant set up for a few hours until it is solidly formed before using.

Using Herbal DIY Deodorant

Use your herbal homemade deodorant just as you would any other deodorant, it’s that easy. It’s amazing how well this deodorant works, the lavender and sage combination are highly effective and smell good.

Even if you’ve had trouble with homemade deodorants in the past, I recommend you try this one. It is absolutely the best natural deodorant, and I’m so happy to be ditching the store bought stuff for good!

Keep in mind that if you are new to natural deodorant without antiperspirant, many people notice increased sweating as their body adjusts. Don’t worry though, it will balance out over time.

Once you make the switch to this homemade deodorant, you, your budget, and the earth will be healthier for it!

More DIY Body Care

• Lavender Salve
• Calendula Lip Balm
• Rosemary Pine Beard Balm
• Rosemary Mint Shampoo Bars
• Rose Lotion Bars
• Rose Hip Facial Oil