Future Fresh: The Next Decade of Deodorants

In our modern moment, wellness, hygiene, and aroma are more central than ever, which means there’s a big opportunity here for deodorants and antiperspirants to take on a new importance in the marketplace and to meet beauty consumer expectations head on.

That’s how I introduced my remarks at the recent Innovation in Deodorants webinar hosted by The National Biofilms Innovation Centre and Cosmetics Cluster UK. If you missed it, you can access a full PDF version of my talk here.

 And here are some of the highlights:

COVID is impacting consumer expectations

Consumer behavior as well as personal care trends will be shaped by the pandemic for some time to come. So be watching the emerging immunocosmetics movement and consider how it can crossover into deodorant, for instance as Triclosan (which may, in excess, weaken the immune system) falls out of favor. 

Indie beauty brands bring new ides to market early

As is often the case when we are searching for novel approaches to personal care, for next-generation concepts, and for brands that really resonate with consumers, look at what’s happening in the startup and indie beauty space as it includes deodorant products. SmartyPits is a brand that I’ve been watching for some time. Stacia Guzzo founded SmartyPits to meet consumer demand for aluminum-free deodorants. But the brand is just as well-known now for its prebiotic approach to deodorant formulation.

New specialty ingredient innovations

Emerging ingredient technologies will play an important role in the development of next-gen deodorant and antiperspirant product formulations. The Vytrus Biotech ingredient DEOBIOME NONI is based on prebiotic technology and is being referred to as a biological deodorant. While another relatively new deo ingredient is CareMag D from ICL, a specialty ingredient maker based in Israel.

Skin microbiome science is in its infancy

 The easy assumption for casual observers to make is that personal care products, especially those formulated with conventional preservative ingredients, would diminish microbial populations. But some studies suggest otherwise.

 And even though highly accomplished teams at companies from L’Oréal to IFF, for example, have been dedicated to learning about the human skin microbiome for some 10 years (if not longer) and applying that knowledge to skincare, scalp care, body care, I am sure that we have more to learn, that new knowledge will be emerging for decades to come.

Deodorant products come in all shapes and sizes and varieties

Now when it comes to deodorant product format, it can be challenging to find something truly new. There are liquid, gel, and solid-stick deodorants as well as deodorant bars. There are sprays, powers, pastes, creams, crystals, balms, deodorant pads, and deodorant wipes. And there are even deodorant-from-within products, edible or ingestible candies and gums that are often formulated with geraniol from roses.

Packaging materials will impact future deo formulations too

When we look at the spectrum of deodorant packaging, we see plastic, glass, paperboard and even cylindrical tubes made of stainless steel like the ones used by Noniko, a brand that gets its metal packaging from a company called Verity.

To receive a PDF version of my length talk Future Fresh: The Next Decade of Deodorants—complete with links to the brands, companies, and resources mentioned throughout—CLICK HERE!