Selfsufficientish.com

Hi

MOH and I have been using a deodorant crystal now for about 6 months or so. For me its fine but its just not strong enough for my hubby and because such its causing me a lot more in the way of washing each week.

We refuse to use a commercial one full of nasties but I know its pretty impossible to get a non-chemical "anti-perspirant" so wondered if anyone could recommend an eco-friendly deodorant which is better / stronger that the deodorant crystal we currently use.

Thanks
MEW

I used cider vinegar for a while. Just apply it with a cotton pad. I don't know how it worked, but it seemed to!

I use the Weleda one - smells nice (I think they have two varieties).

Hamster: didnt you just honk of chips?!

I have a recipe for one.... somewhere

The main ingredients are 'distilled witch-hazel' and 'grapefruit seed extract' the latter of which I am unable to source at a reasonable price.

I'll post the recipe if you like

mrsflibble wrote:Hamster: didnt you just honk of chips?!

Nope! I was really scared I would reek of vinegar and made sure to try it first on a day when I wasn't seeing anyone. It smelt when I first put it on (and made the bathroom smell), but once it had dried, nothing!

So why did you stop?

Because I went on holiday and it was easier to take a little roll-on than a bottle of cider vinegar!

When I've used it up I'm going back, though.

Edited to add: I also didn't like how it made the bathroom smell. Must think of a way to get round that.

Liquid deoderant

1 part cider vinegar to 8 parts water. Add perfume or scented oil.
Oil of lavender is most effective 2 teaspoons of oil to 200 - 250 ml of the mixture.
Put it into a roll on bottle

Cream deoderant (very good on hot days or if you need extra oomph)

2 tablespoons of bi carb
2 tablespoons petroleum jelly
2 tablespoons talcum powder or corn flour
2 tablespoons of light olive oil

Stir over low heat until a smooth cream forms. Place into the sterile jar.

you can add perfume if you wish but it's a nice non smelling natural deoderant.

On the "sweaty betty" thread, someone mentioned bicarb of soda, possibly mixed with tea tree (though there's a question mark over how saft tea tree is to use on the underarm area)

Two things really. Do you want a deoderant or an anti-perspirant? I've found the crystal deoderant doesn't stop you sweating but does stop the smell. To be fair, the only way to prevent sweating is to create an imbalance in the body to prevent it, which isn't great, or to block the pores, which isn't great either.

The other one is grapefruit seed extract. You can get it from a company called Higher Nature under the name Citricidal. It is quite expensive (£4.90 for a 25ml bottle) but it's extremely concentrated and you use very little. Like a drop or two at a time. It also makes a fantastic anti-bacterial cleaner, although I use vinegar water for that :)

Anyway, their website is at http://www.highernature.co.uk

Lynne

I use Tom's of Maine unscented deodorant

they do one for the male of the species, it smells lovely, all their deodorants smell nice :)

aluminium free, no chemicals and not tested on animals

www.tomsofmaine.com

While reading this thread my daughter has informed me that lush do good ones and their tubs are recyclable etc. They aren't the cheapest but her friend has been using a tub of the powdered one for 12 months. He never smells even after using the gym.

http://www.lush.co.uk/

I use Green People's Rosemary Deodorant and that works fine for me. They do a bunch of other scented and unscented deodorants too, but I haven't tried them.

http://www.greenpeople.co.uk/organicdeodorants.aspx