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Home » Herbalism » Herbal Bath and Skincare Recipes » Homemade Deodorant Recipe with Lavender and Sage

Homemade Deodorant Recipe with Lavender and Sage

May contain affiliate links or sponsored content. Please see my privacy policy and affiliate disclosure.

Originally published on May 19, 2018. Last updated on February 28, 2022

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Tins of homemade deodorant with fresh sage and lavender.

When I first began delving into making herbal bath and beauty products myself many years ago, it all started with homemade herbal deodorant. It’s the perfect beginner recipe for DIY beauty products, mainly because it’s simple to make, but also because it’s good for your health. The best part is that this homemade deodorant recipe really works!

A tin of homemade deodorant with fresh sage and lavender.

Why Make Your Own Deodorant?

But why make your own deodorant you ask? Because regular store bought deodorant is full of ingredients that are very questionable to say the least. Have you ever looked at the ingredient list? I suggest checking it out and you’ll see what I mean.

I know you’re not eating the stuff, but all those chemicals do get into your body through your skin. There have also been studies that show that aluminum in antiperspirants may cause breast cancer. I don’t know about you, but I don’t want to mess around with that.

What Goes in Homemade Deodorant?

The first homemade deodorant I made is the most common one you’ll find on the internet, with coconut oil, baking soda, arrowroot or cornstarch, and essential oils. It works ok, but needs to be put into a jar and applied with your fingertips as it’s too soft for a normal deodorant container.

The bummer about it is when it’s hot out it turns almost to a complete liquid, with the baking soda and arrowroot/cornstarch settling at the bottom.

That’s where this recipe is different, as it adds beeswax and shea butter to make the whole thing a thicker consistency so that it will hold up in an actual deodorant container or in a half circle mold, making for much easier application.

homemade deodorant in a deodorant tube

Beeswax is beneficial in homemade deodorant recipes because it’s naturally antiseptic, antibacterial, emollient, and hydrating to the skin. Vegans can try using carnauba wax in place of the beeswax to get the same results, but less will be needed as it’s a harder wax.

Arrowroot powder and baking soda are added for their natural deodorizing effect. If you are sensitive to baking soda in your deodorant it can be omitted, just replace with more arrowroot powder.

Essential oils make the deodorant smell good while also adding some antimicrobial, antibacterial, and antifungal properties.

I like to use an herbal infused blend of coconut oil and sweet almond oil for this deodorant recipe. Coconut oil is antimicrobial and antifungal, and sweet almond oil is light and absorbs easily into the skin, so there is minimal oil residue left after applying.

Herbs to Use for Homemade Deodorant

Lavender and sage are excellent for making herbal deodorant. Lavender is often used in skin care products due to germ fighting benefits and its pleasing scent. Sage is amazing in that it has some natural antiperspirant properties.

There are many other herbs you could choose depending on your preferences. Some good options are rosemary, mint, calendula, oregano, marshmallow root, yarrow, rose, chamomile, and lemon balm.

My favorite place to get high quality, organic dried herbs is Mountain Rose Herbs.

Homemade Deodorant Recipe with Lavender and Sage

The first step in this recipe is to make an infused herbal oil with lavender and sage, or any other herbs of your choice.

For the Infused Herbal Oil

Fill a half pint canning jar about ⅔ full of dried lavender and sage leaf. Melt ¼ cup of coconut oil in a saucepan on the stove over low heat, then pour over the dried herbs. Then add sweet almond oil to fill the jar.

Cover the jar and put in a cool and dark place to infuse for 2-6 weeks (the longer the better). Strain out the herbal material with a fine mesh sieve when ready to use.

For the Deodorant

Ingredients

  • ½ cup herb infused oil (see above)
  • 2 ounces beeswax
  • 1 ounce shea butter
  • 20-30 drops essential oils of your choice (I like to use 10 drops each of lavender, sage, and sweet orange)
  • 2 tablespoons arrowroot powder
  • 2 teaspoons baking soda (optional, replace with more arrowroot if you omit)

Instructions

  1. Put the infused oil and beeswax into the top container of a double boiler, and stir as the beeswax melts. (Tip: you can make a double boiler with a smaller pot, bowl, or a glass Pyrex measuring cup over an inch or so of simmering water. If you use glass Pyrex, put something in the bottom of the pot that it can rest on, such as a canning jar lid).
  2. Once the beeswax has completely melted, add the shea butter and stir until it dissolves.
  3. Remove the mixture from the double boiler and stir in the essential oils, then stir in the arrowroot powder and baking soda. Keep stirring for a minute or two to thoroughly combine. The mixture will begin to thicken slightly.
  4. Pour the mixture into empty deodorant containers or half circle molds. Let the deodorant set up for a few hours before using.

This recipe makes about 8 ounces of deodorant in total.

Homemade deodorant is easy to make and good for your health. This herbal deodorant recipe is made with lavender and sage, both herbs that have many beneficial and medicinal skin-soothing properties.

This is what it looks like when everything is stirred together right before pouring it into the deodorant container or mold. It has thickened slightly, but is still pourable.

pour the homemade deodorant into a half circle mold

I really like using the half circle mold for homemade deodorant. (You could also use these molds for making lotion bars.) I keep the finished deodorant in a large tin and it works perfectly!

Homemade deodorant is easy to make and good for your health. This herbal deodorant recipe is made with lavender and sage, both herbs that have many beneficial and medicinal skin-soothing properties.

It’s really amazing how well this herbal deodorant works! I really suggest you give it a try, even if you’ve had trouble with homemade deodorants in the past. The lavender and sage combination are highly effective and smell very nice.

This is absolutely my favorite recipe for deodorant, and I’m so happy to be ditching the store bought stuff for good!

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4.32 from 51 votes

Homemade Deodorant with Sage and Lavender

Homemade deodorant is easy to make and good for your health. This herbal deodorant recipe is made with lavender and sage, both herbs that have many beneficial properties.
Prep Time 5 minutes
Active Time 10 minutes
Infusion Time 21 days
Total Time 20 minutes
Yield 8 ounces
Cost $14.50
Author Colleen @ Grow Forage Cook Ferment

Equipment

  • Small Saucepan
  • Half Pint Mason Jar
  • Fine Mesh Sieve
  • Small Glass Measuring Cup
  • Half Circle Mold
  • or Empty Deodorant Containers

Ingredients

US Customary - Metric

Infused Herbal Oil

  • 1/3 cup sage leaves
  • 1/3 cup dried lavender
  • 1/4 cup coconut oil
  • 2/3 cup sweet almond oil (approximately)

Homemade Deodorant

  • 1/2 cup infused herbal oil
  • 2 ounces beeswax
  • 1 ounce shea butter
  • 20-30 drops essential oil I like to use 10 drops each of lavender, sage, and sweet orange
  • 2 Tablespoons arrowroot powder
  • 2 teaspoons baking soda optional or substitute with more arrowroot powder

Instructions

Infused Herbal Oil

  • Place the herbs in a half pint mason jar. 
  • Melt the coconut oil over low heat. 
  • Add the coconut oil to the jar of herbs and then fill the jar the rest of the way with sweet almond oil. 
  • Cover the jar and put in a cool and dark place to infuse for 2-6 weeks (the longer the better). 
  • Strain out the herbal material with a fine mesh sieve when ready to use.

Homemade Deodorant

  • Put the infused oil and beeswax into the top container of a double boiler, and stir as the beeswax melts. 
  • Once the beeswax has completely melted, add the shea butter and stir until it dissolves.
  • Remove the mixture from the double boiler and stir in the essential oils, then stir in the arrowroot powder and baking soda. Keep stirring for a minute or two to thoroughly combine. The mixture will begin to thicken slightly.
  • Pour the mixture into empty deodorant containers or half circle molds. Let the deodorant set up for a few hours before using.

Notes

Tip: you can make a double boiler with a smaller pot, bowl, or a glass Pyrex measuring cup over an inch or so of simmering water. If you use glass Pyrex, put something in the bottom of the pot that it can rest on, such as a canning jar lid.

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Sarah says

    May 15, 2020 at 1:02 am

    Hi, can’t wait to try this! Could you please tell me what would be better to use white or yellow beeswax? Thanks

    Reply
  2. Jasmin says

    May 13, 2020 at 11:52 pm

    I have a question, do I have to fill the whole mason jar with sweet almond oil since it is a lot of herbs I feel or is it enough with the 2/3? Because when I added the 2/3 it seemed to little for me because the herbs sucked the whole sweet almond oil, I’m not sure if it’s supposed to look like there’s a lot of oil or not

    Reply
  3. Muriel says

    April 9, 2020 at 1:37 pm

    any problem with the beeswax clogging pores, the way commercial antiperspirants work?

    Reply
  4. Jamie says

    December 14, 2019 at 6:39 am

    Hello!

    Could clay also be used?

    Reply
  5. Vanessa says

    December 2, 2019 at 6:22 pm

    Hey do you think I can replace the coconut oil with grapeseed oil? Coconut oil gets hard!

    Reply
    • Vanessa says

      December 2, 2019 at 6:24 pm

      Also did you use any food colorant?

      Reply
  6. Sarah says

    November 12, 2019 at 1:47 pm

    What good combinations in essential oils and infused oils work well for men? My husband has sensitive skin and all the other homemade recipes were a flop. This recipe seems like a winner.

    Reply
  7. Giannis says

    October 4, 2019 at 12:10 pm

    Unfortunately can’t find arrowroot where i come from. Can i replace it with something else? Thank you.

    Reply
    • Maj says

      October 27, 2019 at 5:27 pm

      Cornstarch

      Reply
    • Lisa says

      April 8, 2020 at 8:05 pm

      Tapioca flour(tapioca starch) can be substituted for arrowroot.and yes cornstarch.

      Reply
  8. Faith says

    September 9, 2019 at 8:00 pm

    5 stars
    Love this recipe, thank you for posting it. It’s the first deodorant that I have made that actually last all day, doesn’t stain my shirts, or turn my armpits a dark color. This will be my go to recipe from now on!

    Reply
    • Nicole says

      December 28, 2019 at 6:13 pm

      Hi, did you do the infusion or just add the essential oils? I wonder if this will work as well without doing the infusion

      Reply
  9. Debbie says

    August 16, 2019 at 5:27 pm

    Could you substitute cocoa butter for the shea butter? My skin doesn’t seem to like shea butter.

    Reply
    • Lisa says

      April 8, 2020 at 8:10 pm

      Yes Cocoa butter can be used.

      Reply
  10. Moni says

    August 12, 2019 at 4:24 am

    What about its shelf life?

    Reply
  11. Lea says

    July 18, 2019 at 9:29 am

    I have tried making your dandelion salve several times, with great success! I’m interested in trying this recipe too. But how long does the deodorant work? Do you have to reapply during the day?

    Reply
  12. bonnie laing says

    June 10, 2019 at 3:23 pm

    I have two 1/2 rounds used for making bath balms.. could I use these for the deodorant molds, if so, should I grease them 1st? thanks,

    Reply
    • Grow Forage Cook Ferment says

      June 30, 2019 at 10:37 am

      Hi Bonnie, yes those would probably work. I don’t usually grease them as the deodorants come out easily, but you could try it just to be sure!

      Reply
  13. Shelly says

    April 23, 2019 at 2:40 pm

    Hey, this recipe sounds amazing and I am super excited to try it. I do have a question though, do you use a certain type or kind of Shea butter? Such as refined or unrefined? Thank you!

    Reply
    • Grow Forage Cook Ferment says

      May 15, 2019 at 11:13 am

      I prefer organic refined as it doesn’t impart any scent.

      Reply
  14. Arisha says

    February 15, 2019 at 10:32 am

    Great idea as my long-time favorite store-bought deodorant is suddenly unavailable. I’ve always used unscented as I don’t want to broadcast scent, and I’m wondering how much I could cut back on the essential oils without losing anti-microbial effectiveness. Or, is this actually an issue — other people being able to smell it. Thanks!

    Reply
    • Grow Forage Cook Ferment says

      February 24, 2019 at 1:16 pm

      You can definitely cut down or even leave out the essential oils if you’d like. The lavender and sage in the infused oil will give it a lot of antimicrobial and antiperspirant properties on their own!

      Reply
      • Arisha says

        March 1, 2019 at 2:44 pm

        I went ahead and made it according to instructions. It smells wonderful and doesn’t “broadcast” at all. Best of it, it works!!!

  15. Charlotte Anderson says

    February 5, 2019 at 2:34 pm

    Collen,
    Thank you for this great post. I never cease to be amazed at the wonderful things I can do with my beeswax.

    Reply
  16. Sallie Gentry says

    February 4, 2019 at 8:57 am

    This sounds so easy! Please share what containers you’ve found to stir the finished deodorant in. I’m thinking of gifting them! Thank you!

    Reply
    • Grow Forage Cook Ferment says

      February 4, 2019 at 9:58 am

      They make great gifts! They are the 4oz tins from Mountain Rose Herbs.

      Reply
  17. Cynthia says

    January 3, 2019 at 6:56 am

    This recipe sounds lovely. I’ve been using simple aloe for about a year now. I discovered by accident that it works as a deodorant. I had an inflamed pore in one of my armpits so stopped using regular deodorant and rubbed on aloe after my showers in an attempt to calm the red and sore blocked pore. After a few days I realized that the aloe inhibits odor. I tried going without it but that will never work for me. Having something that smells nice under my arms would be nice though so may try your recipe. What if you just add more essential oil instead of infusing with dry herbs?

    Reply
    • Grow Forage Cook Ferment says

      February 24, 2019 at 1:51 pm

      You could try that, but I’m always a fan of using whole herbs whenever possible!

      Reply
  18. Alicia says

    November 18, 2018 at 1:49 pm

    I cannot wait to try this. Been looking for a good recipe. Thank you so much for posting.

    Reply
  19. Sandi says

    October 29, 2018 at 5:12 pm

    Hi i can not use coconut oil or almond oil due to allergies has anyone made this with other oils? Like grape seed or olive oil? Thanks

    Reply
    • Grow Forage Cook Ferment says

      November 6, 2018 at 3:20 pm

      Any carrier oil that you prefer will work!

      Reply
  20. Diane says

    July 6, 2018 at 11:35 am

    I have developed an allergy to sage (what the heck!) have you tried any other herb with the lavendar? Rosemary maybe? Or Basal? I could maybe use an oil if I am not growing the herb?

    Reply
  21. Raven says

    July 6, 2017 at 10:04 pm

    Instead of baking soda try food grade diatinatious earth, you wont have to reapply so often. Also activated charcoal is an option too. :)

    Reply
    • Wanda WaabMigizikwe Boomhower says

      February 18, 2018 at 5:13 am

      Food grade Diatomaceous Earth can be an irritant as it is very sharp and cuts my fingers when I apply it barehanded on my cat for flea control. Thank you for this recipe!

      Reply
  22. Grow Forage Cook Ferment says

    May 29, 2017 at 3:57 pm

    Adding more beeswax should fix both issues!

    Reply
    • Steph says

      March 24, 2019 at 9:39 pm

      Hello. Great ideas here very inspired to do this. I was wondering with the half rounds how you apply? Do you take them out and apply like a bar of soap in hand? Could be a stupid question. Thanks in advance.

      Reply
      • Krista says

        April 27, 2019 at 5:35 pm

        Same question from me too :)

      • Grow Forage Cook Ferment says

        April 27, 2019 at 9:37 pm

        Yes, to apply using the half rounds simply take it out of the tin and rub the rounded side on your pits. It’s as simple as that :)

  23. Dandelion says

    February 18, 2017 at 11:30 pm

    Many thanks Colleen! Will certainly try this one…

    Reply
  24. Lihi says

    January 10, 2017 at 6:49 am

    Hi, I’ve been making my own deodorant for some time now with a very similar recipe. To make it harder in a warmer climate I exchange some of the coconut oil with cocoa butter – it smells heavenly and keeps the deodorant pretty solid even when it gets warmer.

    Reply
  25. Tanaka says

    February 4, 2015 at 1:10 pm

    I am seriously thinking of doing this but does it stain or leave a residue on your shirts? Does it wash out well? Thanks alot in advance.

    T

    Reply
    • Colleen says

      February 4, 2015 at 3:02 pm

      I have never had a problem with it staining my clothes. Try it, I think you’ll like it :)

      Reply
      • Tanaka says

        February 7, 2015 at 7:57 pm

        Thanks alot. I will.

  26. Colleen says

    February 2, 2015 at 7:31 pm

    That’s definitely the case for me with the non-beeswax version, but I feel like the beeswax one works much better and lasts longer. Maybe add more drops of essential oils? I love Wild Orange oil, sometimes when I don’t have the homemade deodorant made I just rub the Orange oil in my pits and it’s wonderful!

    Reply
  27. Audrey says

    January 24, 2015 at 4:23 pm

    You know, your sister’s technique is just not to sweat….ever…! :)

    Reply
    • Colleen says

      January 26, 2015 at 3:27 pm

      Ha! Yeah, how does she get away with that???

      Reply
  28. Randa Cardwell says

    January 22, 2015 at 11:59 am

    cool!

    Reply
  29. Justin Bilyj says

    January 21, 2015 at 10:14 am

    How bout some honey? A natural antimicrobial, antifungal etc…

    Reply
    • Colleen says

      January 21, 2015 at 10:37 am

      That’s what the beeswax is for… honey might be a little too sticky!

      Reply
  30. Robin Jozovich says

    January 21, 2015 at 7:30 am

    amazing! I did not know you could do this!

    Reply
    • Colleen says

      January 21, 2015 at 10:36 am

      I know, it’s pretty cool, huh? Glad you like it!

      Reply
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