I still shudder thinking about it.  I played volleyball all through junior high and high school and spent most of my days at tournaments.  There was nothing that made me happier. Play volleyball, eat with friends, run around in the sun, put on deodorant before every game…

Wait a second.

Yes, that’s exactly what my weekends looked like.  Who wants to smell all day, right? My pick was Secret.  Spring Fresh to be exact. Man, I felt awesome. What I didn’t know is that I was literally putting aluminum and cancer causing ingredients like fragrance on an area that is actually DESIGNED to help you sweat and keep your lymph moving.  The fact that anti-perspirant was ever a thing gets me all kinds of fired up. I was a high school kid wanting to smell good. I had no idea I was keeping my body from doing what it was designed to do, messing up my hormones and increasing my risk for cancer in the process.  

Shoot, that’s awful to write down.  

Let’s look at a few facts before I throw down the incredible recipe that not only keeps you from being “ripe” but even soaks up the smell when it does happen!  

• **3.1 million women have been impacted by breast cancer, and that’s not including the families that are impacted around them
• **Aluminum-based compounds are the active ingredients in antiperspirants. They block the sweat glands to keep sweat from getting to the skin’s surface.
• Source Anytime you interfere with what the body does to naturally get rid of toxins (i.e. sweat), you’re going to get yourself into trouble.  I don’t buy for a second that we are not impacted by this as certain authorities would claim.
• ** In one study conducted at the University of Reading in the United Kingdom, 99% of study participants with breast cancer had paraben accumulation in their tumors.  Even women who didn’t regularly use products known to contain parabens presented with parabens in their tumor tissue. Parabens are a known issue in deodorants and anti-perspirants alike.

Ok, so now that we know that keeping your body from sweating should never be an option, let’s talk about what you CAN do!  While I historically have enjoyed companies like Schmidt and Native, I started to react to them after some time. And since there was fragrance in their products, I had to turn somewhere else!   

Let’s talk about the ingredients.  As you can tell, all the ingredients are 100% safe, but I want to tell you a little more about the magic bottle of Purification.  This blend is powerful and a staple in our home for many things. We’ve used it to help support immunity, clear out the air from mold and fungus, create a clean and uplifting smell when diffused.  But the thing I love it for most is getting rid of smelly things! A couple of drops in the washing machine when I’ve left the laundry is magic. Diffusing it when something has burned or when the fish got left in the garbage is perfect!  This oil is literally made to soak up the “bad” which is why it’s SO effective in deodorant. This blend of Citronella, Lavandin, Lemongrass, Rosemary, Myrtle, and Tea Tree is perfect.  The vitamin E should help soothe any irritation, and I do recommend letting your body cool down from a shower before applying it.  This is great for teenagers and adults alike. I love knowing that I have safe products for my kids as they get older!

And if you’d like to know more about why our family has essential oils as the #1 go-getter in our house, hop on over HERE.

RECIPE

Ingredients

• I used 1/4c baking soda
• 1/4c arrowroot powder
• 5 Tbsp coconut oil
• 1 teaspoon pure Vitamin E
• 10 drops of Purification

Directions

1. Melt the coconut oil over low heat and then add in the baking soda until dissolved and smooth.  This step is essential as the baking soda can be irritating without being absorbed well.
2. Put the coconut oil and baking soda in a bowl with the rest of the ingredients and mix together well.
3. Pour into an old, empty deodorant container or grab one here.  
4. You’ll probably have to keep this in the fridge during the warmer months.  Don’t worry – it’s a small price to pay for a GREAT and SAFE deodorant for your family!

**I have yet to find a glass roll-on deodorant container that you don’t have to use your fingers for.  Let me know if you ever find one!!