"I like your spa at home recipes -- I make them with my Aunt once a month when we housesit together.  This may be a dumb question, but can you make your own deodorant/antiperspirant at home, too?  We were laughing that it's the only body thing we have not made on our beauty weekend." -- Emily K. 

Emily -- I'm glad we are contributing to a fun way to spend a weekend.  You didn't ask a dumb question at all, and yes, you can make your own hygiene care at home -- however, let's distinguish between the two products you mentioned. Antiperspirants and deodorants are not the same thing. 

Antiperspirants work by clogging, closing, or blocking the pores with powerful astringents -- such as aluminum salts -- so that they cannot release perspiration.  Many natural health care proponents argue against using aluminum because it accumulates in the brain.   You don't stink but  with enough aluminum on the brain you could end up making bad decisions -- marry the wrong guy, invite your unemployed brother in law along on your vacation, pick up hitchhikers in hockey masks -- that kind of thing.

Deodorants, on the other hand, work by neutralizing the smell of the perspiration mixed with "body dust" (skin, hair and other bacterial goodies we carry around on ourselves all day), and by antiseptic action against that bacteria. Deodorants are more healthful because they don’t interfere with perspiration, your body's natural cooling process.

Here are a few simple recipes, which are fun to make because they can customized with your favorite essential oils.  We don't always have to smell "powder fresh" or "sunshine fresh."  I prefer ylang ylang, myself. -- Editor

• Baking Soda:  Baking soda works wonders because it neutralizes the odor of sweat. Just sprinkle a light covering of baking soda onto a damp washcloth. Pat on. Don’t rinse.

• Basic Deodorant Powder:  1/2 cup baking soda, 1/2 cup cornstarch, a few drops essential oils such as lavender or cinnamon, or try cedar and sage for men. Place the ingredients in a glass jar. Shake to blend. Sprinkle a light covering of the powder on a damp washcloth. Pat on. Do not rinse.

• Basic Liquid Deodorant: 1/4 cup each witch hazel extract, aloe vera gel, and mineral water, 1 teaspoon vegetable glycerin, a few drops antibacterial essential oils such as lavender, or tea tree. Combine the ingredients in a spray bottle. Shake to blend. Makes 3/4 cup with an indefinite shelf life.

SpaIndex.com Tip: You've heard the adage "Never cook with wine you wouldn't drink." This holds equally true for home spa remedies. Never use ingredients for your home spa treatments that you wouldn't want to eat. Your skin, the largest organ on your body, breathes and is porous. It will absorb the properties of the ingredients you are using. Don't "clean out the fridge or pantry" to create your home remedies. Use fresh, high quality ingredients for the best results, and do not store the assembled-treatment any longer than the shelf life of the *most* perishable ingredient. In addition, take care to research the properties of all essential oils you plan to use in a recipe. Some are photo-sensitive and can contribute to burning when in the sun, and others are harmful during pregnancy. See our Essential Oils List as a start, but research fully. Finally, insure the containers or jars you will be using are sterile by boiling them in hot water. This will help prevent contamination of your finished product, which could lead to spoilage.

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