Selfsufficientish.com

Did anyone in the UK see a programe on the TV last night about two people who decided to stop washing for six weeks?

Well... one of the products they discussed was deoderant.

I'm not a fan of using lots of chemically products anyway but I do use a commercial deoderant. Does anyone know of a recipie I can make at home? It doesn't have to be industrial strengh because unlike the people on the programe I do wash regularly

Thanks.

Don't know about making anything but I have heard that crystals are good, I have yet to invest in one but I hear that they last a good few years before having to replace them, plus they don't contain the same chemicals that are found in your usual deoderants/antiperspirants. - look in an online ethical store for them. I dare say some one else here uses one.

Or... you could attempt a tea tree oil based mixture, I'd reckon it would be the best thing to stop the smells???

it may be from the dreaded "Lush", but 'er indoors gets me a block of stuff that whiffs nicely of patchouli, lasts well, and really works (even when encased in a suit in a hot hotel)....called "aromaco" (usual disclaimers)

My mother swears by one of the crystal ones bought from one of the chain wholefood shops. If I can think of the name of it I'll edit this post.

Zoe

I thought I'd replied already but my post selfdestructed

I like the weleda citrus... but it stings like mad after you've shaved (only applicable to women and fuzz free men!)

I like the pitrok crystal too, but mine dropped and shattered on the tiled bathroom floor. It also works well when wetted and smoothed onto an insect bite - stop the itch almost immediately.

When you say 'crystal', do you mean a lump of quartz? If so, what does one do with it and how on earth does it work? It can't really work can it? I don't shave under my arms so I don't have a stingy arm pits problem.

Thanks for the suggestions guys.

The cystal isn't stone crystal, but salts (various types, apparently) crystal. If you search for crystal deodorant on the internet, you'll find some more info.
I haven't used it, but I'm going to.

The Weleda, nor any other health shop deo I've tried so far, doesn't last me through the day. So I'm still on parabens, chemical perfumes, phtalates yummmm

Jandra

Thanks for the idea of the crystal deoderants.

I found this on Wikipedia:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ammonium_alum

i've had a travel sized version of one of the alum crystals for well over a year now and i've barely made a dent in it. be careful though because if you drop it it'll smash and the edges can be really sharp - i've cut my armpits before on a sharp edge!

Has anyone ever tried the stainless steel gadget that I've seen advertised here?

I would very much like to know.

Apparently it's a "simple disk of high grade stainless steel, when it comes into contact with moisture (sweat or water), odour molecules are destroyed at source and not simply covered-up with synthetic fragrances."

hmm... anything that sounds too good to be true usually is...

well.. I don't know... but if you've chopped an onion and your hands smell of onion... try rubbing them on a steel spoon and the smell goes... not sure how long the effect would be though...

It should be easy to test with a (bent) spoon. The trick is to find a stainless steel object that will reach all skin in your arm pit. And because it needs to toch the skin I think people with shaved arm pits will have better results, but that's a guess.

Jandra

I've got one of those stainless steel disk things. I've nt used it yet. I#m off work this weekend, so i'll report back!

I usually use aromaco from Lush too, i used to use their aromacreme, but then it started to sting.

I'd like to know what their recipe was onthat programme actually, she said it was ancient egyptian, and it had something to do with lavender and beeswax.

I'll have to have a dig about and see if i can make some myself.

I've been using a crystal stick since last January and really recommend it - it's still going strong and looks like it will last well over a year. My sister brought it over for me having bought it at Holland and Barrett for £3.50 - seems expensive, but when you consider that it will last over a year...maybe not.

A pointer for those thinking of going crystal you have to make sure that you are completely clean (and I mean completely clean ) under arm for it to work properly. Unlike regular deoderants that cover smells crystal sticks work differently - sorry can't explain the science just know from experience.

Oh and they don't sting on freshly shaved skin.