Alum deodorant

At the turn of the century, it was once again fashionable: alum deodorant. Alum is somewhat less mild than many other antiperspirants, but is considered more natural by some. It works fine.

Supplies

• 85 ml fresh tap water
• ± 15 g Alum
• A HENRI bottle of 100 ml
• A HENRI atomizer attachment
• Possibly a funnel
• Possibly measuring spoon 2.5 ml

Procedure

Cut the riser to the correct length: when the atomizer attachment is screwed onto the bottle, it should fit loosely into the corner of the bottle. If it is too long, the closure can become loose. If this is too short, you cannot completely empty the bottle.

Put the alum in the bottle, you can do this with a suitable, dry funnel. You can use a scale, but you can also use a measuring spoon. A full, level measuring spoon of alum contains approximately 3 grams of alum. Top up with fresh tap water. Twist the atomizer cap onto the bottle and shake well. When all alum dissolves, add some more, until not all alum dissolves. We can’t make it simpler than this.

Alum deodorant is very acidic and contains nothing that micro-organisms can eat. The atomizer doesn’t get contaminated with junk on the skin like a roller does, so as long as there’s just a little undissolved alum in the bottle, the chance of spoilage is minimal.

This is a deodorant and antiperspirant. The alum solution is acidic and thus creates a nasty environment for micro-organisms. In addition, the aluminum particles react with fatty acids and other substances secreted by the sweat glands, which partially clogs the sweat ducts. As a result, less sweat is excreted.