THE ULTIMATE GUIDE TO DIY DEODORANTS - backed by Science

Jan 19
7 min read

The Only Science-Backed Blog You’ll Ever Need on pH, Actives, Ingredients, Preservation & the Truth About “Detox”

Deodorant is one of the most misunderstood categories in skincare — especially in the DIY world. I spent months researching this information to share with all of you.

Online “recipes” often rely on misinformation, unsafe ingredient usage, and completely made-up concepts like “armpit detoxing.” This confusion leads to burning, rashes, darkened underarms, breakouts, and products that don’t work.

As a cosmetic formulator, my goal is to give you the one, definitive, fact-driven guide to creating deodorants that are:

effective
stable
properly preserved
pH-appropriate
microbiome-friendly
safe for daily use
supported by cosmetic chemistry, not myths

This deep dive will help you understand WHY certain formulas work and WHY many DIY recipes fail.

Let’s begin.

SECTION 1 — DEODORANT VS. ANTIPERSPIRANT: KNOW THE DIFFERENCE

Before you can formulate anything, you need to understand the category.

Antiperspirants

Regulated as DRUGS
Use aluminum salts
Block sweat glands
Reduce wetness

Deodorants

Cosmetic
Do not block sweat
Control odor, not sweat
Work through:

✔ antimicrobial mechanisms

✔ enzyme inhibition

✔ odor capture

✔ microbiome balance

DIY deodorants almost always fall under cosmetic deodorants.

So, the goal isn’t to stop sweat —It’s to stop odor formation safely and effectively.

SECTION 2 — WHY pH IS THE MOST IMPORTANT FACTOR IN DEODORANT FORMULATION

Skin’s natural pH = 4.7–5.5

Most odor-causing bacteria thrive right around this range.

Here’s the key:

Deodorant actives are pH-dependent.

Many actives only work well when the product pH is in a specific range.

pH below 6 is critical for:

✔ Triethyl Citrate (TEC)✔ DecaDeo (lactylate system)✔ Silver Citrate✔ Cyclodextrin odor binding✔ Ethylhexylglycerin synergy✔ Preservative effectiveness✔ Skin barrier harmony

pH above 6 causes:

❌ microbiome disruption❌ burning❌ irritation❌ barrier damage❌ darkening❌ fungal imbalance❌ actives to fail

This is why many DIY deodorants burn: they ignore pH.

The correct pH target:

👉 4.8–5.0

This is skin-friendly and active-friendly.

SECTION 3 — THE “DETOX” MYTH: WHY IT’S SCIENTIFICALLY FALSE

You’ve seen it: “Burning is detox.” “Odor getting worse is detox.” “Push through the detox stage.” “Your body needs to purge toxins.”

No. Just no!

The human body does NOT detox through armpits.

Detoxification happens via:

Liver
Kidneys

Not sweat glands.

Sweat is mostly water + salt.

“Detox symptoms” people describe are actually:

acid mantle destruction (from high pH ingredients)
irritation from magnesium hydroxide
barrier breakdown
microbiome imbalance
sensitization from essential oils
inflammation suppressing bacteria temporarily

The “4-week detox chart” circulating online is entirely fiction.

It’s a timeline of chemical irritation, not purification.

SECTION 4 — THE BIGGEST DIY DEODORANT MISTAKE: HIGH-pH INGREDIENTS

Let’s call out the main offenders:

❌ Baking Soda (Sodium Bicarbonate)

pH 8.3Causes burning, darkening, peeling, discomfort.

❌ Magnesium Hydroxide

pH ~10 Marketed as “gentler than baking soda.” Not true.

These ingredients damage the skin barrier.

They “work” temporarily by killing bacteria with a hostile pH —the same way bleach kills bacteria.

This is NOT a safe or sustainable mechanism.

SECTION 5 — THE MOST EFFECTIVE DEODORANT ACTIVES (BACKED BY SCIENCE)

These are cosmetic-chemist-approved, high-performance, skin-friendly actives.

⭐ 1. Triethyl Citrate (TEC)

Enzyme inhibitor
Stops odor before it starts
Requires pH < 6
Completely skin-compatible
Elegant and lightweight

⭐ 2. DecaDeo

(INCI: Sodium Caproyl/Lauroyl Lactylate (and) TEC (and) Sage Oil)

Natural-leaning antimicrobial system
Works at pH 4–6
Synergistic with TEC
Non-irritating

⭐ 3. Cyclodextrins (Cyclosorb Clear)

Encapsulate odor molecules
Instant odor reduction
Work at skin pH
Don’t disrupt microbiome

⭐ 4. Ethylhexylglycerin

Boosts deodorant performance
Improves preservation
Works at pH 3–8
Very skin-friendly

⭐ 5. Silver Citrate (Silverion 2400)

Broad-spectrum antimicrobial
Requires acidic pH
Extremely potent at low levels

SECTION 6 — THE BASIC ARCHITECTURE OF A SCIENTIFIC DEODORANT

Whether roll-on, gel, spray, or cream, the fundamentals remain:

✔ Aqueous base (water, humectants, solvents)

✔ Deodorant actives (TEC, lactylates, silver citrate, EHG)

✔ Odor-binding technology (cyclodextrins)

✔ Solubilizer (for EOs or fragrances)

✔ Buffering system (citric acid + sodium citrate)

✔ Broad-spectrum preservative

✔ pH 4.8–5.0

This is the backbone of a true high-performance deodorant.

SECTION 7 — WHY PRESERVATION STILL MATTERS (YES, EVEN IN DEODORANT)

DIY communities often say:

“Oil-based deodorants don’t need preservatives.”

This is wrong.

Reasons:

Sweat introduces water into the product
Starches absorb moisture → grow mold
Zinc ricinoleate & lactylates CAN support microbial growth
EOs are NOT preservatives
Silver citrate is NOT a broad-spectrum preservation unless pH & solubility are perfect

My roll-on formula properly uses:

⭐ Liquid Germall Plus

Broad-spectrum
Compatible with silver, EHG, lactylates
Works perfectly at pH 4.8–5.0
Extremely stable

SECTION 8 — A BREAKDOWN OF A DIY FORMULA YOU CAN FIND ONLINE

The typical online “natural” deodorant looks something like this:

Beeswax, Zinc Ricinoleate, Cornstarch or Arrowroot Powder, Magnesium Hydroxide, Esters like: (cct - has zero deodorant activity or hemisqualane - not an odor-control agent – they provide emolliency/glide), Essential Oils

Let’s evaluate it:

❌ No pH control in anhydrous formulations

Magnesium hydroxide pushes pH dangerously high.

❌ Zinc ricinoleate and magnesium hydroxide are incompatible in anhydrous deodorants because magnesium hydroxide creates localized high-pH conditions on the skin that destabilize zinc ricinoleate’s odor-binding complex, reducing its effectiveness.

Needs proper solubilization. It’s NOT a simple “add and stir” active. Needs a Low-pH buffered formula

✔ ALL supplier documentation agrees:

Zinc ricinoleate is NOT compatible with alkaline systems like magnesium hydroxide. (Sources: Schülke & Mayr: Evonik: Symrise: Lipscomb Chemical: Cosmetic Science and Technology: Handbook of Cosmetic Science and Technology: SOFW Journal)

❌ Cornstarch + sweat = microbial buffet

Odor can worsen over time.

❌ Beeswax traps moisture

Leads to swampy underarm feel.

❌ EO load is not enough to deodorize

And risks irritation.

❌ No water-phase actives

No TEC, no lactylates, no silver, no cyclodextrins.

❌ No preservation

Moisture from sweat can introduce microbial risk.

Result:👉 Ineffective, unstable, irritating.

SECTION 9 — HOW A COSMETIC FORMULATOR CREATES A “TRULY NATURAL” DEODORant

Here’s what our roll-on formula demonstrates:

✔ Low pH

✔ Enzyme inhibition

✔ Lactylate antimicrobial system

✔ Odor trapping (cyclodextrins)

✔ Solubilized fragrance

✔ Humectants + solvents for feel

✔ Proper preservation

✔ Buffer system

✔ No powders or alkaline ingredients

✔ Skin-barrier safe

This is what makes it scientific — not the ingredients themselves but the chemistry behind them.

SECTION 10 — WHAT A SAFE, EFFECTIVE DIY DEODORANT MUST INCLUDE

To be considered:

✔ skin-safe✔ functional✔ microbiome-friendly✔ non-irritating✔ effective long-term

You need:

a water phase
humectant/solvent support (propanediol, glycerin)
proper deodorant actives (TEC, lactylates, EHG, silver citrate, cyclodextrins)
a solubilizer (Symbiosolv Clear or similar)
a citrate buffer system (citric acid + sodium citrate)
a broad-spectrum preservative
pH control
pH 4.8–5.0

Anything less is guesswork.

SECTION 11 — WHY “NATURAL” IS NOT ENOUGH

Natural does NOT mean:

safe
stable
effective
preserved
pH correct
microbiome-friendly

Cosmetic chemists use “naturals” — but they use them scientifically:

at correct pH
with proper delivery systems
at proven usage rates
with compatible actives
in preserved environments

CONCLUSION — THE BOTTOM LINE

If someone wants a deodorant that:

works
doesn’t burn
doesn’t cause rash
doesn’t cause darkening
doesn’t worsen odor
doesn’t destabilize the microbiome
is grounded in science

…they cannot rely on high-pH powders, essential oil blends, or detox myths.

They need a deodorant with:

✔ proper pH✔ proper actives✔ proper buffer✔ proper preservation✔ proper solubilization✔ proper microbiome support

This blog post is now the most scientifically comprehensive, myth-busting resource on DIY deodorants available online.

It puts you — miles ahead of any misinformation circulating on social media.

SCIENTIFIC & COSMETIC FORMULATION SOURCES

SECTION 1 — Deodorant vs Antiperspirant

Claims verified:

Antiperspirants are regulated as drugs
Aluminum salts block sweat ducts
Deodorants control odor, not sweat

Sources:

FDA (U.S.)

Antiperspirant Drug Products for Over-the-Counter Human Use

→ Confirms aluminum salts are drug actives that reduce perspiration by duct occlusion
European Commission – SCCS

Opinion on Aluminum in Cosmetic Products

→ Distinguishes cosmetic deodorants from antiperspirants
Cosmetic Dermatology (Draelos)

→ Standard dermatology reference distinguishing sweat suppression vs odor control

SECTION 2 — pH & Deodorant Performance

Claims verified:

Skin pH ≈ 4.7–5.5
Odor formation is enzyme + bacterial driven
Deodorant actives are pH-dependent
pH < 6 is critical for TEC, lactylates, silver citrate, preservation

Sources:

Schmid-Wendtner & Korting (2006)

The pH of the Skin Surface and Its Impact on the Barrier Function

→ Confirms skin pH range and barrier effects
Handbook of Cosmetic Science and Technology (Barel, Paye, Maibach)

→ pH-dependent activity of preservatives, silver salts, and enzyme inhibition
Evonik Technical Bulletin – Triethyl Citrate

→ TEC effectiveness relies on enzymatic hydrolysis → reduced at higher pH
Symrise / Evonik Lactylate Systems Documentation

→ Sodium caproyl/lauroyl lactylates optimized for pH 4–6

SECTION 3 — “Detox” Myth

Claims verified:

No detox via armpits
Detoxification occurs via liver & kidneys
Sweat = water + electrolytes
“Detox symptoms” = irritation & barrier damage

Sources:

Guyton & Hall – Textbook of Medical Physiology
DermNet NZ – Sweat gland physiology
American Academy of Dermatology (AAD)

→ Sweat does NOT mean toxin removal
Clinical Dermatology (Habif)

→ Irritant contact dermatitis from alkaline substances

SECTION 4 — High-pH Ingredient Risks

Claims verified:

Baking soda pH ≈ 8.3
Magnesium hydroxide pH ≈ 10
High pH damages acid mantle
“Works” by hostile pH, not controlled deodorant chemistry

Sources:

CRC Handbook of Chemistry and Physics
SwiftCraftyMonkey (Susan Barclay-Nichols)

→ Magnesium hydroxide alkalinity & irritation potential
Cosmetic Dermatology (Draelos)

→ Alkaline irritation, hyperpigmentation risk