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Monday, July 23, 2012

Using every last bit of deodorant: good to the last drop


Got 10 minutes?  Not the classiest of subjects, but here's what I was up to the other day, while waiting for the laundry to finish.

Getting every last bit out of my stick deodorant.
Tools I used:
pocket knife with tiny screw driver or toothpick and flat head screwdriver accessories
table knives (2) for scraping out container, and cutting a tiny bit off my lip balm
small dish
piece of paper
microwave
rubber spatula

I disassembled the deodorant package into 3 parts, the holder, the lid and the part that goes up and down dispensing the deodorant.

Using my tools I scraped out as much as I could, out of all three parts, into a small, microwaveable bowl. I also, shook the piece of paper into the bowl. As the stuff was dry and flakey in parts (especially inside the main container), I cut off a very tiny smidge of plain lip balm to add to the mix. (This just gives the mixture a bit of moisture to hold it together better. You could also use a drop of mineral oil, or tiny dab of petroleum jelly.) I put the dish in Microwave for 15 seconds, then scraped it all together into a nice neat pile with the rubber spatula. I ended up with a mound the size of a marble, about 10 days worth of deodorant. Sometimes there's even more, quite a bit more, trapped inside the main container, beneath the part that moves up and down.

To apply, I just use my fingers. Sounds kind of gross, but the warmth of my hands helps the mixture to go on more smoothly. I have also tried squares of cotton fabric (like muslin), and tissue, for when not wanting to get any on my hands. And those do work, too. After a few days, my little pot of deodorant will get a bit dry. My remedy is to drop a bit of hand lotion onto it every few days. It seems to add just the right amount of moisture to soften it up for use.

The plastic parts, I also reuse. The holder, dispenser and lid become fresheners either in my sock drawer, or at the bottom of the hamper. I've been toying with the idea of making my own deodorant, so will hang on to a couple of these for applicators. Will keep you posted.




4 comments:

  1. I've seen some blog posts on DIY deodorant making too and it doesn't look beyond the realms of possibility, especially with your creative flair!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Sarah,
      I've been reading reviews to various recipes. Some look like they might actually do the job, and all look incredibly easy to make. I'll price them out, too. It'll be interesting to see just how much we pay for the plastic applicator and marketing!
      Thanks for visiting!

      Delete
  2. Making your own deodrant - wow, I'm impressed!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Sally,
      The recipes for deodorant actually look pretty uncomplicated. I'm just searching fro one that'll actually do the job. Otherwise, it won't be worth it.
      Thanks for commenting!

      Delete

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