home made deodorant

i really like this recipe, and have been using it for about a year now. i have always been really skeptical of natural deodorants, because in my experience they don't work as well. i have to say this recipe changed my mind about that. i really find it works. it also doesn't leave white marks on my clothes which is an added bonus.

keep in mind this is deodorant - it won't stop you from sweating, just smelling!

ingredients:

4 tablespoons shea butter
1 1/2 T cornstarch
5 t baking soda
1/4 teaspoon olive oil
1/4 teaspoon vegetable glycerin or 2 vitamin e capsules, squeeze out the oil
5-10 drops tea tree oil (important)
5-15 drops essential oil of your choice (i like cedarwood, patchouli... but whatever you enjoy, or none at all if you prefer "unscented")

to make:

melt shea butter in a wax melter, or in a bowl in the microwave. make sure not to boil it!

add cornstarch and baking soda and mix well. i use a whisk to make sure it's really well mixed.

add olive oil, glycerin/vitamin e, and essential oils. tea tree is important because it gets rid of odor-causing bacteria. the smellier you are, the more you want to use. i use 5-7 drops.

make sure everything is mixed up well, and immediately pour into cleaned deodorant tube.

put in the freezer to cool - it's important to cool this in the freezer, because if it doesn't cool fast enough the baking soda and cornstarch will settle, and you want it to stay well mixed.

voila!