Uh-oh. Do i smell? Nastily? Like i´ve ran a marathon a few days ago and haven´t showered since?
That´s pretty much what was going on in my head when i first decided to step away from "commercial" skincare and make a gradual switch to healthier alternatives. I started with deodorant.
Spoiler alert: i don´t stink. Or, alternatively, my friends love me enough to still hang out with me. Or they are great liars!)
I guess it is safe to say that i used to be a beauty product and fashion addict.
But i´ve also, for as long as i can remember, had food sensivities and skin problems. I´ve never had clear skin, my hair was mostly dry, brittle and dull, i´ve struggled with weight. So i´ve tried out what feels like everything... High-end or drugstore, you name it. Nothing ever worked.

Something really had to change.

I became increasingly aware of what i put in and on my body.
I´ve researched a ton and over the past two years i´ve learned that not only can i save a tremendous amount of money by making most of my skincare etc on my own (more money for travel!), but also save myself from potential carcinogens and hormone disrupting chemicals.
I´ll be sharing some of these projects with you, hoping that maybe one of you might benefit from it. I´ll start with homemade deodorant.

To quote @sjennon - we´re all gonna die one day.

Yes, we will, but i attempt to stay as healthy as possible for as long as possible.

Alright, lets get down to the HUGE deal of not using storebought deodorants anymore. It´s so not of a huge deal, btw. Also, it is super cheap, super easy and super fast. Most of you will have the ingredients in your kitchen cabinet.
Most commercial/storebought deodorants are actually anti-perspirants and contain aluminum.

While it is not absolutely certain, aluminum is linked to potentially causing breast cancer.

Now i know that a potential link is not a safe proof, but i for myself chose to eliminate this particular risk. I´ve had far too many friends and aquaintances my age develop some form of cancer to believe in bad luck.
Even if you buy an aluminum free deodorant, you still have some not-so-nice ingredients such as potential endocrine disrupting chemicals and silicones.
Now, hear me out - i´m not saying they will kill you ;) Just saying there are certainly healthier alternatives around!

When did humanity start to think that in order to be clean we need to use hundreds of different synthetic chemicals?

(Spoiler alert: might be related to the advertising industry).

Let´s get started already.

Note: this is NOT an anti-perspirant. You might still sweat.

But you won´t stink, pinky-promise. That´s because sweat actually doesn´t smell. Bacteria reacting with it cause the smell.

Here is what you´ll need (sorry, labels are in german):

• 2 tablespoons of organic coconut oil, raw and cold-pressed (coconut oil is naturally antibacterial and antifungal)
• 2 teaspoon of organic arrowroot powder ( Arrowroot is moisture absorbant - you can find this either online or in any health food store)
• 2 teaspoons of bicarbonate of soda (a natural deodorizer/smell-eliminator)
• optional: a few drops of essential oils - i chose tea tree oil and lavender oil for the smell and their powerful antibacterial properties.

1. melt coconut oil either by placing it in the sun for a bit, or in a warm water bath - won´t take long.
2. add essential oils, stir
3. pour in arrowroot powder and bicarbonate of soda
4. stir with a teaspoon, until it has a gooey consistency - use more coconut oil or arrowroot powder if needed.

To apply, simply dab your finger in it, just a wee bit is enough, and distribute all over your armpits.

Apart from the essential oils, all of those are actually food. Now you´ve got food under your armpits. Yum, right? It´s working though!
Better actually than any aluminum-free alternative i have tried so far.

Go ahead, give it a shot. It is worth a try!

(In case you care about it, you´re also saving plastic containers and waste. Extra Karmapoints!)