The Soul and science of beauty blog

A modern take on deo

Deodorant products are experiencing an image-transformation. Nowadays' consumers are examining in detail, which products they apply on their axilla as much as they care about other skin care products. The trend is leading into an obvious direction – however, efficacy and reliability should not suffer from this.

By Jana Bovenschulte

Deodorants at consumers' attention

When it comes to overall skin care, consumers’ awareness is no longer only focused on facial care products, but there is a renewed focus on essential products like deodorant. Today’s conscious consumers are making use of every source of information, he or she can get in order to understand the function, origin and efficacy of every single ingredient. Thus, the answer to the question "which ingredients are serving to avoid malodor under my armpits?" has been heavily demanded by consumers in the last few years.

Most likely, one trigger to this was that aluminum in deodorants used to suppress perspiration was perceived as a criticized ingredient. In addition, people are moving towards a more natural lifestyle and perspiration of the body is a natural and unavoidable process, which should not be artificially suppressed by astringents. But of course, consumers who choose natural and sustainable options, also want to avoid a malodor, so the wish for natural-based products is continuously growing stronger.

Where do we go from here?

Consequently, consumers started looking for natural alternatives to conventional deodorants. They can simply search for claims on the product that obviously document the absence of aluminum. Another strategy for conscious consumers aiming to maintain a natural lifestyle is to look for certified natural products as the certification standards exclude aluminum salts. Deodorants based on natural ingredients, certified or not, put their focus on different modes of action than the one of an astringent. Those products allow for the natural perspiration of the body in order to regulate the body temperature. 

Cost versus consciousness

Traditionally, deodorants have never been considered as luxury goods, but more as mass market products which nearly everyone in the world applies daily. Of course, it should be available in different scents and formats, but at a low price that asks for simple formulations.
Acknowledging that consumers want transparency and traceability and thus a well thought through composition of ingredients, consciousness is surpassing cost nowadays.

Efficacy and understanding

Having mentioned the alternative modes of action of natural deodorants, the question “Is a natural deodorant as effective and reliable as a conventional one?” may arise. That is a comprehensible concern, consumers are seeking to understand. Shifting from simple formulations to incorporating active ingredients to help fight against malodor in a natural way without influencing the perspiration process.

Here is where Evonik Dr. Straetmans is not only providing some educational background to the modes of action, but also delivers appealing ingredient solutions. In our brochure we explain the stages of the formation of body odor and how our deodorant actives can interfere. By visiting our customer online platform intoBeauty®, you will not only find this brochure on Deodorant Actives, but a full range of product information.

As there is currently no comparably effective astringent for natural deodorants than aluminum, perspiration cannot be suppressed by a natural raw material. That's why it is even more crucial to focus on bacteria growth, break down products of the bacteria and odor formation.

dermosoft® decalact deo MB and TEGO® Cosmo P 813 MB are two antimicrobial skin actives, which both have a 24hr proven deodorant efficacy for an immediate or even extended effect.

dermofeel® TEC eco is acting in the next step as enzyme inhibitor, meaning it inhibits the esterase-based metabolism of sweat components, which cause malodor.

Once body odor has occurred, TEGODEO® A30 eco or TEGODEO® PY 88 G are the solutions to absorb the odor by the active component zinc ricinoleate.

By addressing particularly one, two or every of the named stages, formulating deodorant products in a natural and conscious, but still reliable way, is made possible.

Need a proof? Take a look at our Natural Deo Roll-On Emulsion and experience the joint forces of deo actives. Furthermore, this formulation was also part of an in-vivo study recently executed (want more information on the study? Click here).

Jana Bovenschulte

Marketing Manager Product Protection
Jana works as a marketing manager for Evonik's product protection portfolio. If she is not in the drugstore screening the latest deo products, you can find her cooking Asian dishes.