Since starting Clean, I’ve been thinking about how I can reduce my exposure to toxins on a daily basis. The program is all about lowering our toxic load and reigniting our body’s natural ability to detoxify.
I started making the switch to natural body care after reading Meghan Telpner’s ebook when it came out. She explains that, as our largest organ, what we put on our skin ends up in our bodies. Essentially, if you’re not comfortable eating it, you shouldn’t be using it. And, as we’ve all heard before, the lotions, creams, and cosmetics that so many of us smear all over ourselves everyday are full of some really creepy stuff.
Mainstream deodorants are all kinds of scary. They often include ingredients like formaldehyde, which is a suspected carcinogen; pthalates, which we now know can cause damage to the liver, kidney, lungs, and reproductive system; propelyne glycol, a petroleum derivative that causes kidney and liver damage, inhibits cell growth, damages cell membrane, and leads to rashes; talc, which is linked with infertility and a suspected carcinogen when inhaled; and aluminum, which is associated with nervous system damage and respiratory problems.
However, when I decided to ditch my Dove stick, I was stuck with a major problem: most all-natural deodorants don’t work! It’s no fun worrying that you smell like BO when you’re out on the town. So, when I experimented with making my own and it actually worked, I was pleasantly surprised. This isn’t an antiperspirant. It won’t stop you from sweating. But it will stop you from stinking. And best of all? It’s made from 100% natural ingredients that you could actually eat. Do something nice for your body, and give this recipe a try!
Poison-Free Deodorant
4 tablespoons cocoa butter
3 tablespoons coconut oil
1/4 cup aluminum-free baking soda
1/4 cup organic corn starch
1 tsp Vitamin E oil (I just punctured & emptied 3 capsules)
5-10 drops essential oil
1. Put your cocoa butter and coconut oil in a bowl.
2. Place that bowl on top of a smaller bowl full of hot/boiling water.
3. Meanwhile, mix together your dry ingredients.
4. Once your cocoa butter and coconut oil are melted, mix in dry ingredients in batches until fully combined. Add your Vitamin E and essential oils.
5. Pour into a small jar and allow to set.
Voila! Scoop out a pea sized amount at a time and rub ‘er in!
Let me know if you give this recipe a try, and I’d love to hear any natural skincare tips you have up your sleeves!
xoxo
S.
