The organic deodorant market is growing very quickly (we're talking about $138 million in 2024), and it continues to grow as aluminum-based antiperspirants lose their appeal. The problem is that most DIY recipes still use cornstarch that gets sticky and can irritate sensitive skin. Arrowroot powder has much finer particles, so it spreads more evenly and actually stays put throughout your day.
This tropical tuber extract beats corn-derived powder in every way that you can measure. The starches are structurally different at the molecular level, and this completely changes how they work with the sweat and bacteria on your skin.
Here's why arrowroot powder is the better choice for your homemade deodorant!
How Natural Deodorant Powders Actually Work
Natural deodorant recipes depend heavily on absorbent powders to do the actual work and keep you dry and fresh throughout the day. Most recipes call for either arrowroot powder or cornstarch as the main absorbent ingredient, and while lots of DIYers use them interchangeably, they perform quite differently once you start to use them day after day.
The source of each powder always matters. Arrowroot powder comes from tropical tuber plants, while cornstarch is extracted from corn kernels. Because these plants store their starches in very different ways, the molecular structure of each powder ends up being very different, too. Arrowroot molecules form much smaller clusters, and these clusters break apart more easily when they hit moisture on your skin.
Particle size is another big thing that changes the performance. Arrowroot powder has much finer particles compared to cornstarch, and this really makes a difference in how it feels and performs. Fine sand at the beach fills in all the little gaps between the bigger grains, and the same concept applies to powder on your underarms. Those ultra-fine arrowroot particles give you much better coverage across your skin surface, and they absorb moisture more efficiently because of their increased surface area.
Each powder also works differently with your natural sweat and skin oils. Arrowroot absorbs liquids cleanly without leaving that slightly sticky residue that cornstarch can sometimes create. It also maintains a more favorable pH level, which matters because odor-causing bacteria need very particular conditions to multiply and produce that unwanted smell we're all trying to avoid.
Cornstarch usually measures around pH 7 (neutral). But arrowroot stays closer to pH 6, and it's mildly acidic. This slightly acidic environment makes it much harder for bacteria to grow and multiply. And human skin prefers a mildly acidic environment anyway, so arrowroot actually works in harmony with your body's natural chemistry instead of fighting against it.
All these technical points are quite a bit to take in for something as basic as homemade deodorant. But once you know why some ingredients perform better than others, you'll be able to troubleshoot any problems with your recipe and fine-tune it to work just right for your personal body chemistry and lifestyle needs.
Why Arrowroot Is the Better Choice
Arrowroot and cornstarch might look similar in the jar. But put them under a microscope and you'll see why one works way better than the other. Arrowroot has these very fine particles that create way more surface area for absorbing moisture. The same concept applies to how these powders work on your skin.
All that extra surface area in arrowroot means it can trap far more sweat before any of it gets a chance to reach your clothes. Cornstarch does an okay job at the beginning of the day. But after a couple of hours, it gets saturated and turns into this sticky, uncomfortable paste - it's not exactly what you want at 2 PM in the middle of a meeting. Arrowroot is different, though - it stays in its powder texture for much longer and continues to absorb moisture even after a few hours of wear.
The true test comes if you start exercising or if you live somewhere with high humidity. Textile scientists who study these materials for a living have run all kinds of tests on how different powders handle moisture over extended periods of time. In study after study, arrowroot always beats cornstarch by a few hours. The technical term is "absorption capacity," and arrowroot just has more of it for a longer period of time.
Professional cosmetic formulators figured this out years ago. Any natural beauty lab worth its salt stocks arrowroot as a primary ingredient in its deodorant formulas. After lots of batches and formulations, the consensus is pretty universal - arrowroot handles moisture in a way that cornstarch just can't match.
Even the way the particles arrange themselves matters. Arrowroot creates this breathable layer on your skin that still lets air flow through as it catches sweat droplets. Cornstarch has a tendency to clump up and form more of a barrier, which defeats the whole point. That breathable powder layer prevents that awful, wet, sticky feeling that happens when your deodorant powder gets completely overwhelmed by moisture.
Throughout the day, your body goes through natural cycles where it makes more or less sweat depending on temperature, stress, and activity level. Arrowroot handles these fluctuations much more gracefully because it doesn't break down nearly as fast when it hits the salt and proteins that are present in sweat.
How to Keep Your Skin Happy
When you make natural deodorant at home, you need to pick ingredients that actually work with your body's chemistry - not against it. The safety differences between arrowroot and cornstarch matter more than most DIY makers realize, and once you know what to look for, the choice gets pretty simple. Cornstarch creates serious problems for anyone with corn allergies. Millions of Americans have reactions to corn products, and those reactions usually show up as red, itchy, inflamed skin when they apply cornstarch-based deodorants to their underarms.
The other problem with cornstarch is something most DIY deodorant makers never even think about. Cornstarch actually feeds the yeast that lives on your skin. Your underarms stay warm and slightly damp throughout the day, and this already creates favorable conditions for yeast growth. Add cornstarch into that environment, and you're serving up an all-you-can-eat feast for those microorganisms. Not what you want happening in your armpits all day long.
Arrowroot powder works in a very different way. For starters, it doesn't trigger the same allergic reactions that cornstarch triggers. Anyone with eczema or psoriasis usually finds that arrowroot actually has a calming effect on their skin instead of making existing irritation worse - and it's a massive difference, especially for something you're putting on sensitive underarm skin every day.
Before making a big batch of homemade deodorant, do yourself a favor and run a quick patch test first. Just combine a small amount of your chosen powder with a bit of water and apply it to your inner arm. Give it 24 hours and watch for any redness, itching, or irritation. A test like this lets you discover any sensitivity problems before you've already made a month's worth of deodorant.
What makes arrowroot so effective is that its gentleness on your skin doesn't mean sacrificing effectiveness. You can have a natural deodorant that will treat sensitive skin gently as it keeps you fresh and dry throughout your entire day.
How the Powders Feel on Your Skin
The powder you choose for your homemade natural deodorant completely changes the final product and how it actually feels on your skin throughout the day. Cornstarch is usually the first ingredient most DIYers reach for because everyone already has a box of it that sits in their kitchen cabinet. The problem is that cornstarch doesn't work all that well for this particular use.
Cornstarch has an annoying tendency to form these hard, uncomfortable lumps the second that it comes into contact with any moisture. Anyone who's ever had deodorant ball up under their arms during the day already knows what I'm talking about. With cornstarch-based recipes, you wind up with these little gritty deposits that feel weird and uncomfortable against your skin, and they stay there all day long.
Arrowroot powder works in a very different way. Professional cosmetic formulators like to use it because it stays smooth and stable regardless of how humid your bathroom gets or how much you sweat during the day. The powder maintains its fine, silky texture whether you store your deodorant in a cold bedroom drawer or leave it in a warm medicine cabinet all summer. This difference in texture also makes arrowroot much easier to apply each morning. Arrowroot powder does cost a little bit more at the store than cornstarch does. But that single jar will last considerably longer since you're putting on less of the product with each application.
The way that these two powders behave also directly changes how comfortable your deodorant feels as the hours pass. Nobody wants to have rough, scratchy patches or gross buildup under their arms by the time lunch rolls around. Arrowroot manages to stay soft and invisible against your skin from the early morning all the way through to bedtime.
These texture differences become especially obvious once you start to experiment with your own personal recipes and formulations.
How to Get Your Ratios Right
The amount of coconut oil in your recipe matters quite a bit - it's the key thing that can make or break your final product. Arrowroot powder has different absorption properties than cornstarch (it actually absorbs less oil), which means that you'll need to adjust your measurements a bit. A decent baseline is to use about 3 tablespoons of coconut oil for every 4 tablespoons of your powder blend. The texture might still feel a little dry at the beginning, but that's fine because you can always drizzle in a bit more oil until it feels right.
Plenty of DIY deodorant makers like to get creative and blend in other powders for different effects. Kaolin clay is a popular choice for extra absorption power in your formula. Tapioca starch is another ingredient that works very well with properties that are very similar to those of arrowroot. Natural cosmetic companies combine a few of these powders all the time - it's how they achieve those unique textures that make their products stand out on the shelf.
Fragrance oils are another component that deserves careful consideration with arrowroot-based recipes. One benefit of arrowroot is that it doesn't have the strong starchy smell that cornstarch tends to bring along. Your lavender or tea tree oil is going to come through way better without that background scent. You might find that you actually want to use less fragrance oil than what most recipes call for. The scent won't be competing with anything else.
The #1 mistake that I see is when DIY makers dump all the liquid oil in at once. The ingredients won't blend together at all, and they just separate into these ugly layers. You get a greasy mess instead of the smooth deodorant that you wanted. The fix is actually pretty simple, though - just pour the oils in a little bit at a time and stir everything well after each small addition. Getting the ratios right from the start means that your deodorant will hold its texture and consistency for months instead of breaking down after just a few weeks.
How to Store and Fix Your Deodorant
Arrowroot powder has a definite edge over cornstarch for keeping your deodorant fresh for the long haul. Those who make their own deodorant want it to last for at least a couple of months, and arrowroot powder makes that much easier.
Cornstarch deodorant has a big weakness, and it depends on where you probably store it. Your bathroom cabinet is the worst spot because bathrooms are humidity zones from all the hot showers. Cornstarch absorbs all that moisture from the air, and once it does, bacteria find it the perfect breeding ground. Soon, you have that musty, stale smell that defeats the whole purpose of making deodorant in the first place. Arrowroot powder is much more resistant to humidity, and bacteria don't seem to grow in it nearly as well.
Temperature fluctuations are another challenge for homemade deodorant. When summer rolls around and your bathroom heats up, your homemade deodorant can literally melt into a useless puddle. A small amount of candelilla wax helps it to hold its shape better in warm weather. Plenty of DIY deodorant makers just pop theirs in the refrigerator when the temperature climbs, which works quite well.
After a few months, you might see that your deodorant has separated or developed a grainy texture. The oils and powders have decided they don't want to be friends anymore. You can usually salvage it by melting everything down and mixing it back together. Any strange colors or off-putting odors mean it's time to start over with a new batch.
Your container choice matters. Glass jars beat plastic because plastic can interact poorly with the oils and ruin your formula over time. Metal tins work great too - they block out the light and air that would otherwise break down your deodorant. Whatever you pick, just make sure the lid fits tightly to seal the moisture out.
Keep It All Natural
Arrowroot powder has completely changed the natural deodorant experience for tons of customers who had written off the whole category. The way it treats sensitive skin more gently, how much smoother it goes on, and the fact that it lasts way longer on your shelf - the benefits of this basic ingredient swap actually start to add up. The best part about the whole process is that you don't have to become a chemistry expert or spend your weekends testing different formulas over and over again. You can literally just swap out the cornstarch in whatever recipe you already like with the same amount of arrowroot powder, and those problems you've been having will just seem to disappear. No more grittiness in the container, no more random skin irritation, and definitely no more of that gross sticky feeling that shows up around lunchtime.
So many customers completely give up on homemade deodorant, only to come back to it and find real success once they found out what arrowroot powder could do for them. These are customers who used to put up with uncomfortable rashes or random breakouts whenever they used the cornstarch versions, or whose deodorant would somehow turn into this grainy, separated mess after just a few weeks in their bathroom cabinet. Now these same customers are whipping up batches that stay smooth and work well for months at a time, and many of them say their homemade version actually outperforms anything they used to grab at the store. To try this yourself, just do yourself a favor and run a quick patch test with your new recipe first, and maybe try making a smaller batch as you dial in your exact measurements. Though between you and me, arrowroot powder is so forgiving to work with that almost everyone gets great results right from their very first attempt.
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