First thoughts on making Deodorant

Made deodorant on right and left. Please note: I do make an attempt to not "pretty up" the products I make, or pictures I take. I want it to be portrayed as "real" as possible. I could have spent more time perfectly arching my mounds of deodorant but that would not have been realistic to how I normally make things (the quickest and easiest way!)

Parts and Price:
(All Purchased at Whole Foods)
1 container Baking Soda= I already owned, but let's call it $2.00
1 jar Virgin Unrefined Coconut Oil= caught a brand on sale for $5.99
Organic Cornstarch= $2.69
Organic Tea Tree Oil= $5.99
2 Deodorant conatiners= $0.00 we had a couple of old ones laying around.
Total Cost: approx $17.00 for all ingredients. 

*One batch easily made 2 deodorant sticks. Also, this recipe did not make a dent in any of the ingredients. Once purchased, all could be used again MANY more times (or for multiple other uses).*

The Process:
Very easy to make. No boiling, no blending, just mix up the ingredients, pack them in an empty deodorant container and you're done! The one thing I learned quickly while making this was: DO NOT USE YOUR HANDS TO MIX OR PAT. The coconut oil immediately turns to liquid upon contact with the warmth of your skin. As I started mixing with my hands, I noticed that were instantly coated in all of the ingredients, and little remained in the bowl. Use a spoon! Also, I was a bit dismayed that mine never turned into a paste. The instructions call for 2+ tablespoons of coconut oil until pasty, and I ended up using about 4-5 tablespoons before I realized mine just wasn't going to change in texture. I wondered if I had put the coconut oil in a heat bath (not actually touching the hot water, but setting in a glass bowl in the bath), if it would have mixed better with the other 3 ingredients? That being said, I decided to see how my sticky powder held up being put into the deodorant container. Again, I would recommended using a spoon to scoop and pack it in there. Surprisingly, it packed quite well, sticking and holding together nicely. It looked exactly like something you would buy at the store.

Complaints:
How hard the coconut oil was to mix in. Also, you would have to pack this deodorant in a cooler if you were planning on taking it with you while traveling (to prevent melting). Lastly, if you don't own any of the ingredients initially, $17 makes for 2 expensive deodorants.

Compliments:
This is a recipe you have to look at more as an investment. If you decide to continue making deodorant with these ingredients, you will clearly end up saving money, specifically by your third batch. (assuming you are buying 2 deodorants at $3 each). You could easily half the recipe if you are only looking to make 1 deodorant at a time. Finally, no aluminum, or hard to pronounce ingredients in this deodorant!

Performance:
No comments yet, as the instructions advise you let it set 1-2 days before use (I am going to be chomping at the bit to try it!) I will take this time though to talk about my first experience with coconut oil. It TOTALLY won me over while making this. Yes, it was a bugger to try and mix in with the other ingredients, but it feels so stinkin luxurious on your skin. I have attempted using a few different oil on my dry skin (and I do mean dry) but I always have a hard time getting them to spread. Coconut oil spreads wonderfully. Depending how much you apply, it can initially feel almost greasy immediately after application. Literally within seconds, however, it dissolves nicely into your skin leaving it baby soft and smooth. I also thought it was cool how it transformed from a solid to liquid. It makes it incredibly easy and nice to rub in.

I got so excited I chased my family members down looking for any visible dry spots. "OK, we get it" my Husband said after being covered without warning in the oil (you have to apply it quickly once in your hand because of the melting). "C'mon, just let me try it on your knuckles or something" I protested. "You could rub it into my feet?" he kindly suggested, at which point I lost interest. I did rub it into my own feet though, then pulled my socks back on to create some insulation. "If this works," I declared to an uninterested audience, "I will never use anything else." Not all of my audience was disinterested, I sat on the couch with my legs bent in a frog-like position attempting to keep my dog from licking my feet as I applied. It was one of those "what would someone think if they walked in now?" moments. I am hoping I am equally as pleased with the deodorant!

Displaying the difference in coconut oil's texture when cool (on spoon) and warm (on finger)