Deodorants are used by many people, especially during the summer. How do they work and from which natural ingredients do you make them?

Even when it comes to minimising the unwanted effects of sweating, there is a natural solution. Deodorants can also be made in the comfort of your own home in various forms, whether in sprays or solid sticks and the like. Let's take a closer look at the reasons for body odour, how to suppress it or which ingredients should not be missing in your deodorant.

DEODORANTS AND THEIR IMPORTANCE IN THE CONTROL OF BODY ODOUR

Have you wondered why sweat smells after a while? Many of you may know the answer, microorganisms, especially bacteria found on the surface of the skin, are to blame. When these bacteria come in contact with sweat, they start to break it down. This results in the production of substances with an unpleasant odor.

It is thanks to the knowledge of this phenomenon that deodorants can be actively targeted to suppress body odour. This is thanks to the addition of substances that inhibit the multiplication and growth of micro-organisms. Many such substances are contained in plants, which is why many essential oils or hydrolates have antimicrobial properties. There are also cosmetic raw materials directly intended for use in deodorants, you will learn about their properties later in the article.

DO DEODORANTS SUPPRESS PERSPIRATION?

You might want to target sweating suppression when making a deodorant. Unfortunately, that's not how deodorants work. Their job is only to cover and alleviate body odor. On the contrary, antiperspirants suppress sweating, for example by creating an impermeable barrier on the skin. To achieve this, they often use aluminium-derived salts, so that bacteria cannot reach the sweat and odour is not produced.

The disadvantage of such sweat suppression is that it can cause clogged pores, or the formation of rashes and the like if the skin does not tolerate such substances well.

The use of overly aggressive chemicals, whether in deodorants or antiperspirants, to inhibit bacterial growth can not only lead to skin irritation but also disrupt the skin's natural microflora. And upsetting this balance can also lead to the emergence of other types of microorganisms that are not natural to our skin.

WHAT SHOULD A NATURAL DEODORANT CONTAIN?

There are three basic components that an effective home deodorant should contain to be able to suppress the formation of odour, while covering existing odours and absorbing some of the sweat produced.


1.absorbent for sweat
These are ingredients that absorb the sweat created well, thus making you feel more dry on your skin.


2.antimicrobial
We have already mentioned how the breakdown of sweat by microorganisms contributes to the development of body odor. This is where an antimicrobial substance plays a role to suppress this phenomenon.


3.aromatic substance
You definitely want your deodorant to impart a pleasant scent. This role is provided by the essential or fragrance oils present. In the case of liquid deodorants, these can also be various floral hydrolates.

SWEAT ABSORBERS FOR DEODORANTS

To maintain the feeling of dry skin, the most commonly used raw materials are those that bind sweat well. These are mainly various starches. Corn starch is popularly used because of its good availability, but other types of starch can also be used. The advantage of these substances is that they are usually very well tolerated by the skin and at the same time leave the skin smooth and soft. For this reason, starches often form the basis of baby food.


Another raw material used for its ability to bind sweat is baking soda. It has the advantage that it also helps to prevent the growth of bacteria due in part to its high pH. However, this is also its disadvantage. Therefore, not all deodorants use baking soda because it can irritate the skin.

ANTIMICROBIAL AGENTS FOR DEODORANTS

the role of antimicrobials is to inhibit or slow down the growth of microorganisms that would otherwise cause sweat decomposition and odour. There are a number of cosmetic ingredients to choose from, ranging from essential oils to special substances formulated for use in deodorants.

ESSENTIAL OILS FOR DEODORANTS

As mentioned, this primarily includes various botanical products. Essential oils in particular are rich in antimicrobial substances. A good choice is tea tree oil, which is also generally used to combat acne-prone skin.


Another essential oil for deodorants can be sage essential oil, or other types of essential oils that exhibit antibacterial properties and are well tolerated by your skin.


If essential oils are too concentrated for you, you can also reach for the hydrolates of these herbs. These will then form the basis of liquid spray deodorants.

sPECIAL COSMETIC RAW MATERIALS FOR DEODORANTS

Special cosmetic raw materials have been developed for use in deodorants, many of which have antimicrobial properties or some other property or properties for use in deodorants.

DECALACT DEO DEODORANT

Decalact Deo is a substance developed for deodorants that can be used in both the aqueous and oil phase of the product. It is added to the aqueous phase up to a maximum of 40 °C, to the oil phase at a maximum of 60 °C. Decalact Deo serves primarily against the formation of micro-organisms and thus allows the deodorant to be effective for longer. In addition to inhibiting the growth of micro-organisms, it also has the ability to mask existing odours for up to 24 hours.

DERMOFEEL TEC eco

Dermofeel TEC eco is a lipophilic substance, therefore it is well soluble in oils. It is an ester of citric acid and is often used in deodorants where it serves as an active ingredient. Its advantage is that it can be used in various forms of deodorants from sticks to balms to various emulsions and sprays. It is a colourless, odourless liquid and reduces odour formation by inhibiting the breakdown of sweat.

AROMATICS FOR DEODORANTS

The third category of substances for the manufacture of deodorants are pleasant-smelling aromatic substances that cover existing body odour. These are mainly essential oils that complement well with already added antimicrobial essential oils. In this respect, fresh, especially citrus notes such as grapefruit and the like are most often reached for.


Fresh scents are very popular, but not all plants produce enough essential oils. Therefore, fragrance oils can also be used. Oils with cucumber or other fresh scents are particularly popular. For example, it can be combined with ginger.


As long as there is already enough scented hydrolate or antimicrobial essential oil in your product, you do not necessarily need to add additional fragrances, as long as the scent of the product suits you in this way.

NATURAL DEODORANTS AND CONCLUSION

Have you ever made your own natural deodorant? How did you get on? Did you use any of the ingredients?

Let us know how you got on and offer us your opinion or experience. Feel free to contact us at makreting@handymade.sk

We look forward to hearing from you.

Until the saponification, my friends.