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Lemons are possibly the most versatile fruit on the planet! From disinfecting your kitchen countertop to whipping up a fresh batch of lemonade, they’re an all-purpose champ in the world of produce.  But some of you weren’t aware that lemon juice is also one of the best natural deodorants around. Keep reading to learn more about why (and how) I’ve been using lemons to keep my armpits fresh for the past eight years.

 

As I always like to say: Life is simple. Likewise, some of the best cosmetic products on the market contain very few ingredients.

 

The fact of the matter is, what we put on our skin may be absorbed through our bloodstream. And this can affect the entire body. 

 

There are a couple of things we need to keep in mind:

 

 

Therefore, when it comes to choosing the perfect deodorant, consider this: If there’s a more natural (and less controversial) alternative, why not use that instead?

 

How I accidentally realized lemon juice is an effective underarm deodorant

 

In the summer of 2012, I noticed that a dark (almost black) circular patch suddenly appeared on the left side of my abdomen. I had no idea what caused it; all I knew was that it itched. Ultimately, a bacterial or fungal infection came to mind.  And being the DIY troubleshooter that I am, I thought to myself: What do I have around the house that I can use to help me solve this problem.

 

Suddenly, I remembered those lemon-scented cleaning product commercials. In those commercials, lemon juice seemed to be one of the disinfecting agents. And since I had nothing to lose, I decided to see if it could disinfect skin infections as well.

 

Therefore, I sliced a lemon, squeezed a few drops of the juice in my hand, dipped my finger in, and smeared it all over the dark circle on my abdomen.

 

I decided to repeat this step three times per day and monitor the results.  Fast forward two months later: The itching was gone – and so was the dark spot!  You can read more about my hyperpigmentation story here.

 

So, naturally, I started thinking about other ways I could potentially put lemon juice to use.

 

 

At this point, I had undeniable proof that lemon juice contained antibacterial properties and could also help even my skin tone. So, could that be the reason I decided to try it as a deodorant? Technically, I have no idea why that thought came to mind, but I’m glad it did. 

 

I mean – I guess it made sense that, if bacteria help produce underarm odor and lemons have antibacterial properties that are used in cleaning products to kill germs and fight odors, they must help fight underarm odor as well.

 

So once again, I sliced a lemon, squeezed a few drops of juice in my hand, and smeared it into my armpit.  I did this in the morning and proceeded with my daily activities, which included a sweat-drenching workout.  And guess what happened?

 

By the end of the day, there was no underarm odor to be found! (or shall I say smelled)

 

Therefore, my theory was correct, and eight years later, lemon juice is still the only deodorant I use.

 

Also, when I began to rave about my new-found deodorant, a friend of mine decided to try it as well.  And in her case, it did more than just serve as an effective deodorant. After a month of consistent use, she noticed that the hyperpigmented skin underneath her arms had gotten significantly lighter. And that was an unexpected bonus because she had been self-conscious about how her armpits looked when she wore a tank top, and now she had a solution.  Yaaaay 🙂 

 

But, before I go into detail about a simple way you can use lemons as deodorant without having to squeeze the juice in your hand every day, let’s talk about antiperspirant.

 

 

What is antiperspirant?

 

Most deodorants contain antiperspirant, which is an aluminum-based chemical agent that reduces the amount of sweat the body releases. However, blocking the body’s natural cleansing and cooling process is going against what nature intended. How? Because that’s one of the ways the body regulates its temperature and filters toxins through the skin.

 

But what if there was a way you could sweat without the underarm area of your shirt getting all wet and soggy.

 

Well, there is!   

 

More about that later, but first…

 

How lemon juice works as a deodorant

 

Apocrine glands are one of two types of sweat glands found in the skin. Underarm odor occurs when apocrine sweat glands release high-protein substances (sweat) via the hair follicles in your armpits. That sweat then gets broken down by bacteria on the skin. 

 

Lemon juice contains citric acid, which is a proven antibacterial agent.  Therefore, lemon juice neutralizes the odor-causing bacteria on the skin when applied as a deodorant. In other words, neutralized bacteria equals odor prevention.

 

So, as we can see, lemon juice is an effective way to stop underarm odor in its tracks. And in my experience, it even works after the fact – when an odor has already occurred. However, everyone is different, so what has been working for me for the past eight years may not work for you. For example, some people have a condition called hyperhidrosis (excessive sweating), which may be caused by an underlying health issue.  Therefore, please see a doctor if you feel like your sweating is out of control.

 

But still, I’m sharing my story for anyone who would like to try 🙂 

 

Simple Lemon Juice Deodorant Technique

 

 

1. Get a small 2 oz spray bottle. I would recommend either glass or BPA free.  
2. Squeeze the juice of one fresh lemon into the bottle. A convenient (and less messy) way to do this would be to use a lemon juice squeezer and simply pour it in.
3. When you’re ready to use it, spray 3 to 4 squirts in each armpit.
4. Store it in the refrigerator and use it as needed. It should last for about two weeks with daily use.
5. Alternatively, you can simply slice a lemon in half, squeeze about 4 to 5 drops of juice in your hand and rub it into your armpits. Next, store the lemon halves in the refrigerator. You can use them as needed until you squeeze all of the juice out.  Also, I would avoid storing the cut lemon in a plastic sandwich bag because, in my experience, that causes it to mold. Note: Squeezing lemon juice in your hand every day might be considered a little messy. But if you don’t mind, go for it!
6. To stop the armpits of your shirts from getting wet if you start to sweat (hey…that rhymed), you can either use disposable underarm pads or a sweat-proof undershirt to keep you dry. 

 

And that’s it! You now have your very own preservative-free homemade deodorant as well as an antiperspirant alternative 🙂

 

Additional Tips

 

I sometimes use a little bit of coconut oil as a way to “lock things in” although, it’s not necessary. And you don’t need much.  Just enough to create a very thin layer in the palm of your hand so you can spread it under your arms.

 

However, you can also use coconut oil as a deodorant all by itself. Listed below are some of the associated benefits:

 

• Antibacterial – helps prevent odor
• Natural moisturizer 
• Chemical-free
• Anti-inflammatory – helps to calm irritated skin (especially after shaving)

 

So, there you have it! Three different DIY deodorant methods you can try – lemon juice, coconut oil, or both. Feel free to test them out to see which one works best for you.

 

Whichever you decide, I hope you find as much success with them as I have!

 

PS. Leave your results in the comment section below and let me know how it went!