Homemade Deodorant

My husband and I are trying to turn our clocks "back" to a simpler more natural way of living without chemicals on or in our bodies. Last fall, I began experimenting with making homemade toothpaste, lotion, lip balm, shampoo, and deodorant. I tried using store bought natural deodorants such as Toms and Arm and Hammer, but they broke me out. I've also tried several different recipes I found online, but they broke us out in rashes after a few days. Obviously all bodies all react differently, but these are two recipes that I finally came up with that my husband and I are able to use daily. These deodorants don't stop our bodies completely from sweating like potentially harmful antiperspirants do, but they keep us fairly dry and do a  great job in naturally preventing body odor. I alternate these two deodorants every other day, while my husband uses the cream version (deodorant #2 daily). Our teenagers still use antiperspirants that are full of chemicals and perfumes - We haven't been successful in getting them to try out our all natural deodorants yet.

DEODORANT #1
Ingredients:

• raw apple cider organic vinegar (such as Bragg's)
• arrowroot powder
• non-aluminum baking soda (I use Bob's Red Mill) 
• Optional: a few drops of essential oil such as orange or lavender

Directions:
Mix 3 parts arrowroot powder with 1 part baking soda. You can add a few drops of essential oil to the powder mixture, but I don't.  Store in a sealed container/jar. Swab clean underarms with raw apple cider vinegar with a cloth or cotton ball (the vinegar smell dissipates). Then pat on the powder mixture.

DEODORANT#2 

This deodorant makes a cream that should be stored in a sealed container or jar.
Ingredients:

• 3 Tablespoons shea butter
• 1 Tablespoon Bob's Red Mill aluminum free baking soda (I've read that Arm and Hammer is processed with aluminum - not sure if that's accurate, but I don't want to take the chance.)
• 4 Tablespoons organic arrowroot powder (or cornstarch)
• 1 Tablespoon unrefined organic cocoa butter (I buy the 4 oz. containers  online at Mountain Rose Herbs)
• 1 teaspoon organic extra virgin coconut oil
• 1 capsule vitamin E
• Optional: a couple drops of essential oil such as orange

Directions:

Melt the butters and oil in a Pyrex measuring cup or glass set inside of a pot of water until the oils are  clear (or a double boiler).

Take off of the heat. Snip the end off of a vitamin E capsule, and squeeze the liquid into the melted oils. Stir in the baking soda and arrowroot powder.  If you add a few drops of essential oil such as lavender, orange, etc. then stir it in last, and pour into a jar. My husband is 6" 2" - 230 lbs. and loves this recipe (he always smells great to me.)

***Please note that diets high in plants and low in processed foods, meats, caffeine, and alcohol have also been shown to reduce body odor.