How to Make Plastic Free Deodorant

Looking to give your bathroom basics the zero waste treatment? Here’s our recipe for plastic free deodorant.

It’s not uncommon for bathroom benches and shower recesses to be filled with plastic bottles: bottles for shampoos and conditioners, hair treatments, face washes, toners, moisturisers, deodorants… and that’s just the basic products!

Then there are all the other lotions and potions that promise great things and claim to have unique properties that will keep your face looking younger, your skin supple and your hair shiny.

The amount of waste produced by these products is becoming an increasing problem as they end up in landfill and, sometimes, in our oceans. With recycling systems falling apart, even our attempts to do the right thing by recycling are falling short.

Store-bought products are also full of all sorts of ingredients that may have damaging effects on our health and wellbeing. By making your own products, you know exactly what is in them and you don’t need Google to decipher what you’re putting on your body.

By making your own you also save a lot of money. With a few simple ingredients that you can find in your kitchen and garden, you can take care of all your bathroom needs.

plastic free deodorant

Deodorant regularly comes in single-use, non-recyclable, hard plastic bottles or roll-ons. The element that causes body odour is bacteria, so using antibacterial ingredients is helpful in preventing odour. Here are a couple of recipes that work well for us, using simple ingredients known to have antibacterial qualities.

Deodorant Spray

This recipe is handy if you prefer a lighter deodorant spray, or for less active days.

What you’ll need:

  • 1 tsp bicarb soda
  • 100ml warm water
  • 10-20 drops essential oil – lemongrass, tea tree, thyme, rosemary, lavender or geranium
  • Spray bottle

To make:

1. Place all the ingredients in a spray bottle. We use and refill an old deodorant bottle.

2. Shake well until combined.

3. Use a few squirts each day.

Bicarb-free Deodorant Spray

What you’ll need:

  • Spray bottle
  • 1 part apple cider vinegar
  • 1 part water
plastic free toothpaste

Deodorant Paste

This is actually very similar to the toothpaste recipe, which makes for compact travelling. This recipe works well for day-to-day use and more active days.

What you’ll need:

  • 2 heaped tbsp of coconut oil
  • 1 tsp of bicarb soda
  • 10-20 drops of essential oil – we love rosemary, lemongrass, lavender, thyme, tea tree or geranium
  • some people like to add other ingredients, such as clay or arrowroot powder. Try experimenting with a blend that works for you.
  • 1 clean jar

To make:

1. Place all ingredients in a small bowl.

2. Mix with a fork until well combined.

3. Place in a clean jar for use.

4. To use, spread evenly on fingers or palm and apply.

Want more plastic free recipes? In Issue #15 of Pip Magazine, we show you how to make your own plastic free toothpaste, moisturiser, and face and body coffee scrub. Grab your copy today for all these recipes and more!

Extract from â€˜A Family Guide to Waste-free Living’ by Lauren and Oberon Carter, (Pan Macmillan, RRP $34.95). 

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Pin It on Pinterest

Share This