No Sweat - About Baking Soda Deodorant
Post Updated September 12, 2018
Welcome to the fourth in this mini series about deodorants and what makes them tick. I have received several questions from you about DIY deodorants which brings us to the ingredient we will be examining today.
In recent years, it has become popular as the sole active in many DIY deodorants and artisan-made 'natural' deodorants.
It also goes by a few names:
- sodium bicarbonate
- bicarbonate of soda
- baking soda
- 'bicarb'
Baking Soda Deodorant: an Easy Peasy DIY
Baking soda deodorant is a fairly simple melt and mix 'recipe' widely available on forums, DIY blogs, video channels and other how-to sites.In broad strokes, baking soda is mixed with coconut oil and/or shea butter, cornstarch and/or arrowroot and optional essential oils.
Proportions vary slightly, but the basic idea is the same.
Baking Soda is Good For a Slew of Things
Sodium bicarbonate is a pretty versatile ingredient. Because it is amphoteric (reacts with both acids and bases), it has numerous uses.
It's also widely available and inexpensive.
Aloe Vera – which is so skin friendly it is even recommended for toddlers – has a pH of about 4.5.
Baking soda has an average pH of 8.3.
So, even though 'bicarb' is an effective deodoriser, it is unfortunately on the harsher side of skin friendly.
Over the years, I have had the privilege of creating numerous different types of custom deodorants for some very lovely clients. Some of them jokingly refer to me as 'Queen of the Pits' – a title I have now come to accept and am even a little proud of.
One of my main requirements for any deodorant (apart from the obvious deodorizing one) is that it can be applied directly after shaving with no irritation or sensitivity.
Because there is a fairly wide range of ingredients to choose from (even for folks with super sensitive skin and who require all-natural), I am quite happy to abstain from applying any concentration of baking soda to my own armpits.
I must admit to a certain admiration for the ladies and gents able to use baking soda deodorant without experiencing any sensitivity. What hardy stuff they must be made of!
Are you experiencing a skin reaction from baking soda deodorant? Please visit this post for tips and help.
Are you interested in making your own baking-soda-free deodorant? Please visit this post
You'll find it everywhere from cosmetics laboratories to household kitchens.
Taken internally, it functions as an antiacid. Mixed with water and applied as a paste, it helps reduce itchiness from insect bites or poison ivy. This same paste functions as an effective cleaning and scrubbing agent for kitchen and bathroom surfaces.
It's a useful pH adjuster and baking ingredient.
Bicarbonate of soda helps control fungus growth and is a known absorbent of musty smells (as many a used-book salesperson might reveal if asked).
It is quite an effective deodoriser.
It's understandable that it would be an obvious choice as the active in a DIY deodorant.
It's a useful pH adjuster and baking ingredient.
Bicarbonate of soda helps control fungus growth and is a known absorbent of musty smells (as many a used-book salesperson might reveal if asked).
It is quite an effective deodoriser.
It's understandable that it would be an obvious choice as the active in a DIY deodorant.
But There's a Problem When You Leave it On the Skin
Because it is alkaline, baking soda causes some level of increased sensitivity in the skin of most users after a short period of time.
Accounts of 'burning sensation', rash, flaking and 'leathery skin' are common reactions with prolonged skin contact.
Sodium bicarbonate's MSDS (Material Safety Data Sheet) states that 'continuous contact may cause skin irritation (red, dry, cracked skin).' (See one MSDS example here.)
To be fair, not everyone gets an immediate skin reaction. Some can use baking soda deodorant without issue. I've seen accounts of people that were thrilled with how well their baking soda deodorant worked and had no complaints. Over the years, It has become a habit for me to ask how long they had been using it every time I came across a positive comment. Almost everyone had just begun using it (within 1-2 weeks).
To be fair, not everyone gets an immediate skin reaction. Some can use baking soda deodorant without issue. I've seen accounts of people that were thrilled with how well their baking soda deodorant worked and had no complaints. Over the years, It has become a habit for me to ask how long they had been using it every time I came across a positive comment. Almost everyone had just begun using it (within 1-2 weeks).
I wish I knew for sure if they continued to use the deodorant without issue.
Although I haven't been able to find any studies on how many people get a skin reaction to baking soda deodorant, I will (based on my experience) hazard a guess that the folks who can use it continuously without issue probably belong to a minority.
There's a link to an 'almost poll' below that is as close as I have been able to get to a 'study'.
Meantime, there are additional reasons I don't use this ingredient in my own deodorants.
Apply After Shaving? No Thanks!
Application of a baking soda deodorant directly after shaving is a no go. I haven't come across a single person who can do this without discomfort, so if you are able to, please leave a comment below!Why it's a No-go
If you check the label of any skin care product that advertises being 'tolerated by even the most sensitive skins', you will find a pH between 5.0 and 5.5. If you check the pH of many deodorants, you will find it commonly lies somewhere between 4.5 and 5.0.Aloe Vera – which is so skin friendly it is even recommended for toddlers – has a pH of about 4.5.
Baking soda has an average pH of 8.3.
So, even though 'bicarb' is an effective deodoriser, it is unfortunately on the harsher side of skin friendly.
LisaLise Deodorant Requirements
It's been quite a few years since I started developing and making deodorants (in part due to my ridiculously sensitive skin and inability to find a commercial product that fulfilled my requirements).Over the years, I have had the privilege of creating numerous different types of custom deodorants for some very lovely clients. Some of them jokingly refer to me as 'Queen of the Pits' – a title I have now come to accept and am even a little proud of.
One of my main requirements for any deodorant (apart from the obvious deodorizing one) is that it can be applied directly after shaving with no irritation or sensitivity.
Because there is a fairly wide range of ingredients to choose from (even for folks with super sensitive skin and who require all-natural), I am quite happy to abstain from applying any concentration of baking soda to my own armpits.
I must admit to a certain admiration for the ladies and gents able to use baking soda deodorant without experiencing any sensitivity. What hardy stuff they must be made of!
Are you experiencing a skin reaction from baking soda deodorant? Please visit this post for tips and help.
Are you interested in making your own baking-soda-free deodorant? Please visit this post
Do Tell
Do you make your own deodorant? Which ingredients are your preferred actives?
Comments
1-1/2 Tbsp grated beeswax or beeswax beads
4 Tbsp coconut oil
1 Tbsp shea butter
4 tsp clay (bentonite or other)
20-25 drops essential oil (tea tree, rosemary, lavender, lemon, bergamot, or a mixture of any listed)
Empty, clean, sterilized deodorant container
Melt the beeswax and coconut oil on very low heat, whisking often. Once melted, add in the shea butter and whisk a few times, then remove from the heat and continue melting. After that’s melted and you have a liquid, sprinkle in the clay and continue to whisk well until everything is combined. Drop in the essential oil, whisking still. Place the pan into a cool water bath, and leave for 5 minutes or until it just begins to set up. Spoon the mixture into your deodorant container and place it in the freezer for 20-30 minutes (or until completely hard). If, for some reason, it starts to get too soft on a hot day, just put it back in the freezer for a while.
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Note: I haven't tried this recipe, but it may very well work. There are no ingredients that should irritate the skin other than some essential oils. I would probably use lavender and/or tea tree if I were making this for myself to be as 'sensitive skin friendly' as possible.
@ Debbie - wow! It sounds like you are getting a bit of a raw deal from the baking soda. I'm totally impressed that you can apply right after shaving - also that you are pain free, although I must admit I don't envy you the discoloration and leathery-ness. Perhaps Crunchy Bettys recipe above is worth a whirl...
I've been using it for a year now (!!!). For the first three weeks, I had nasty, leathery skin, and it hurt when I applied right after shaving.
After those three weeks, though, things were fine! I can use my deodorant right after shaving, and I haven't had bumps/rashes/pain ever since. I attributed the leathery skin as detoxing from the superhighpowered antiperspirant that I was using before!
I've been using it for a year now (!!!). For the first three weeks, I had nasty, leathery skin, and it hurt when I applied right after shaving.
After those three weeks, though, things were fine! I can use my deodorant right after shaving, and I haven't had bumps/rashes/pain ever since. I attributed the leathery skin as detoxing from the superhighpowered antiperspirant that I was using before!
I'm would imagine the reaction you had in the beginning was not a detox effect, but a reaction to the baking soda, although I understand your wanting to blame the antiperspirant. Some can have some pretty 'serious' actives-- I've got a post upcoming on antiperspirants in this mini-series.
If you switch to a baking-soda-free deodorant, I'm guessing you will see the discoloration fade.
Check the DIY deodorant recipe a few comments up. I'd love to hear how it goes for you if you decide to try it.
Good luck!
Jamie
I like the baking soda one. I do have a faint odor by morning but nothing a shower can't fix. I did have some read bumps but when I cut back the tea tree oil they went away. I also use less baking soda than recommended in any recipe I have seen b/c of the comments of a rash. I just play with the recipe until it works for me.
I have a Panasonic rechargeable razor (almost 8 yrs. old), and yes, the pits must be dry so I try to shave first thing in the morning BEFORE I start running around and cleaning but if you have damp pits a little cornstarch works great and no drag. Just make sure to clean the razor afterwards or you end up with little white clumps stuck in the razor. Eww! Honestly, it works great and it's a pretty darn clean shave...and I have no more red bumps. :D
I have to shave pretty much daily. That's why I decided to give this electric razor thing a shot and so far it's working perfectly.
Jamie
If you are experiencing a burning sensation I'm willing to bet it is the baking soda that is doing the damage. Have you ever tried those 'natural crystal deodorants'? It looks like a piece of 'rock' that is semi-see through. There is no added scent and you just wet it to apply. Might be worth giving a try? (Or maybe those are the ones you've tried and are calling natural deodorant). If so, then this wasn't much of a suggestion...
Normal deodorant of any brand would work for a few weeks, then quit. I decided I'd had it with the aluminum in deodorant as it never did anything for sweat on me anyway, and I moved onto men's deodorant. They worked for a lot longer (except I smelled manly), but then they quit, too.
I've tried the salt crystal which NEVER worked at all, lots of natural retail deodorants (A&H, Tom's, Hugo, Desert Essense, Nature's Gate) with limited or no effect, several combinations of EO's (no), straight coconut oil (made stank worse!), witch hazel (instantaneous rash), lemon juice (serious rash after a few weeks), alcohol in a spray bottle (worked for a few weeks, then it stopped working), the crunchy betty deodorant with clay that was mentioned above (did not work at all, and the material cost was steep)...
So more recently (2 weeks ago?) I mixed up a corn starch/baking soda and coconut oil concoction. I added a little bit of aloe vera and jasmine essence for more liquid and less oil usage. It definitely keeps me from reeking! I had some white mess clumps, but I decided it was better than smelling like a big bag of rotting onions in the sun. Then a couple days ago it happened: my skin got dark, bumpy, and leathery. It doesn't hurt, but it's really ugly and obvious :/ I don't know, it's a bummer no matter how you look at it. I will probably try making a new batch with a lot less baking soda and see what happens. Why can't just one of these natural deodorants work so I can spend this significant chunk of my life worrying about something else?
I'm trying to think if there is anything I can suggest that you haven't tried, but it really sounds like you have been the 'whole route'. There seems to be some indication that you 'work best with variety' though, so maybe it would be possible to make a selection of workable solutions for yourself by concentrating on the ingredients that seem to work the longest for you and combining them in various ways, then switching every week or so.
One thing you do have to be very mindful of is bacterial growth with anything you mix together that contains liquids (this includes aloe vera). If you don't want to use preservatives, be sure and use your mixture within a very few days and store it in the fridge. It would be disasterous to add insult to injury by introducing unwanted bacteria to this already sensitive area.
I wish you the very best of luck with your endeavours.
and this one about potassium alum
(also part of this series) http://www.lisaliseblog.com/2012/02/no-sweat-potassium-alum.html
Feel free to drop another comment if you have additional questions. :)
It is no wonder the industry does not offer an effective over the counter deodorant because the only effective way is to kill the bacteria that produces BO, and the result is that fungi and other infections can spread in the absence of this bacteria. So the industry only offers neutral solutions, like aluminum-based deodorants, which are marginally effective at controlling wetness but do nothing to kill the BO-causing bacteria; and they offer strong-scented products to mask the smell, which we all know is ineffective as well, and offensive in its own way.
Candida albicans is usually occuring in moister environs such as the oral or genital regions. I've never heard of this in the underarm area. Find more info on this here: http://m.netdoctor.co.uk/diseases/facts/candidaalbicans.htm
As to your comments on whether or not the industry offers useful and functioning deodorants to stop body odor, I'm not sure I can agree with you here either. I think the main complaint people have with industry made deodorants is their content of certain specific ingredients (like aluminum) that have been targeted by scaremongers. Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying industry made deodorants are perfect (if I thought that, I wouldn't have spent so many years developing my own), but I'm pretty sure they are overall effective at deodorizing.
I'm thinking it might be a good idea to try. Check the comment above with a link to a deodorant recipe. This is one that will not irritate, and may very well work. (I haven't tried it myself, but did check out the ingredients). You might also try the deodorant crystal stone (potassium alum). This works very well and doesn't irritate the skin. It is even used for shaving cuts, so won't sting at all. Hope this was of help!
Let me know how it goes, ok?
I do not make any fancy stick with wax or oil, it only causes additional problems with clothes. My recipe is very simple: I mix soda with a few drops of water and a few drops of tea tree oil. Sometimes I just use soda powder alone. It works perfectly, I do not feel any funny smell all day long. I keep my soda mixture (or plain soda) in a roll film container and it never failed me.
I am absolutely happy with soda bicarbona and I feel really sorry for people, who cannot use it instead of those overpriced and above all in some cases very dangerous solutions you find in the shops. Basically, do not use anything that claims that you will not sweat. This is very unhlealthy indeed. Don't be afraid of sweating, just deal with the smell. Your body needs to sweat and by clogging your pores in your armpits you don't do yourselves any good. You mignt end up with a huge lump because of a clogged pore which got inflamed (and believe me, it is very painful and heals for weeks) and of course your body cannot work properly, as it was designed to.
As for shaving, I am amazed at the guys who use ANY product on freshly shaven skin. Do they realize that it is the same as rubbing a product into a wound? Of course it is only rational to wait after shaving for at least twenty minutes (or longer – you must listen to your body and find out for yourselves) to give the body time to close up the micro wounds caused by the sharp blades.
PS: I have a feeling, that every time somebody comes with a simple solution to a problem, the whole world starts to undermine the concept and make people believe it is wrong. I don't say everything simple is OK but don't jump into conclusions, do some serious research and ask people who you can trust. And listen to your body and your heart. Not all people are the same and "made of the same stuff" so if someone says it doesn't work for them, it still can work for you, and vice versa.
Pavla with love
The other ingredients in your recipe (cornstarch, shea, cocoa butter) are not skin irritants, so if you drop the baking soda and try replacing it with kaolin clay and/or powdered potassium alum, you should do better. I hope your pits heal quickly.
Best of luck
You might try using the natural deodorant stone (deodorant crystal - potassium alum). This is quite effective and safe.
It's a good idea to switch between personal care products regularly, so maybe you can switch between the crystal and a DIY baking-soda free deodorant and see how your pits fare..
Best of luck with it.
Roxie
I am a chemist and I need to let you know that potassium alum is an aluminum salt. You actually state this, but that means it contains aluminum. Commercial deodorants containing aluminum are also prepared with aluminum salts (albeit different versions). Aluminum metal (non-salt versions of aluminum) are only rarely found in nature - aluminum (as an element) is very reactive so most aluminum "in the wild" is in salt form. All commercial deodorants containing aluminum contain it in a salt form (not the metal form). The salt form may effect the bio-availability of aluminum ion, but all aluminum salts contain the element aluminum. I think it might be a bit disingenuous to say that the commercial deodorant is not safe because it contains aluminum but the potassium alum IS safe because it is a salt. They are all salts. No need to post this - I just wanted to let you know since I've seen several posts regarding this issue.
Thanks,
Danielle
If you check my post about aluminium and antiperspirants you'll find my position on aluminium content in commercial deodorant.
http://www.lisaliseblog.com/2012/06/no-sweat-about-aluminium-and.html
I've read recently of a high saturation 30% mix of Magnesium Chloride and distilled water as a spray deodorant, also Colloidal Silver. Any experience or info on these? Ann
I knew about the Baking Soda's PH being too alkali, so I added a few drops of lactic acid to drop PH of the finished deodorant to PH4.5 - 5.0.
Is this an acceptable deodorant?
For 12 hours there's no smell, even in heat, covered in sweat - no problem.
The original recipe from wellnessmama without lactic acid which gave me a little red rash and a sting on freshly shaven arm.
3 T Coconut Oil
3 T Baking Soda
2 T Shea Butter
2 T Arrowroot
Essential Oils of tea tree oil
I made a homemade deodorant I think around October and I love it. It's got baking soda and coconut oil Shea butter and some vitamin e. I think I may have put a tad too much baking soda because I was inexperienced in all this still. Anyways I recently noticed my left pit seems a lil darker (which is the pit I put more on because it's the one that will smell more lol) my right doesn't seem as much. I see others say something about darkened pits. Can this happen then? I have bad anxiety and fear the worst so when I looked it up I seen bad things like diabetes and a tumor in the organs! Im 21 and not overweight Pretty sure I don't have diabetes but I'm concerned now but after seeing that baking soda deoderant can cause this my rational mind is saying this is the likely cause. (Hopefully not a tumor in my organs.. ;( )
Be warned, patchouli oil is very strong and musty, I wasn't sure which one was worse, smelling like patchouli oil or smelling like body odour haha. Anyway, maybe give this a try. It was sweltering today and I specifically wanted to see if this worked so on my way home I didn't turn the air con on. I was sweating like mad. My pits were a little damp but no bad odour. :) Anyway, baking soda has been fine with me so far and I did out quite a bit in my mix yesterday *covers eyes* and it worked great, no irritation! Hopefully will remain the same by Gods grace! :)
Hope this helps someone!
PS - it's so unfair, I know people that are so not as hygienic as me and don't sweat one bit!!!!
I have personally been using the deodorant for 4 years. Last week, I shaved under my arms and applied the deodorant. For the first time in 4 years, I broke out. Very first time for me to react to the deodorant in 4 years. Keep in mind, my skin is so sensitive that I break out in hives if I even brush up against most commercial products. Seriously sensitive skin. But in 4 years, 1 breakout, from my baking soda deodorant. Totally healed and able to use my deodorant again now. My deodorant works, sure would hate to live without it.
I admit to using a different process with my baking soda by heating and holding the baking soda in a few of the deodorant ingredients. Seems to make the deodorant much more creamy. Not sure if this makes the difference.
So, I am not sure that you are correct when you say that the minority can use baking soda deodorant. My experience and product show otherwise. In fact, my experience and product tested by thousands of customers show otherwise.
When I write that only a minority can tolerate baking soda deodorant, I am referring to several things: baking soda is not ideal for prolonged skin contact because of its inherent chemical make-up. Baking soda should be buffered before skin contact or it functions as an irritant, because baking soda has a terribly un-skin-friendly pH.
Just a little input: I have heard from people who used homemade baking soda deodorant for up to 10 years before reacting to it, and when they did, reacted quite violently. I'm not saying it will happen to you - everyone is different, but I thought you might be interested.
Not only is it more effective than any commercial eco-label expensive deos that continuously disappointed me but it really is nourishing and moisturising as well, meaning that i don't get any discoloration, flakes, dryness, or dry layers of deo under my arms. I use so very small amount that the butters/oils in the deo don't even stain my clothes.