Careers Deodorant sector heats up with rise in natural and innovative products

Deodorants will always suffer a similar fate to the humble toothpaste – that is to say they fall very firmly in the utilitarian bracket rather than the pampering or luxuriating one.

Just a quick spritz under the arms once or twice a day after showering and back in the cupboard it goes – and that is probably as much thought as the average consumer gives their deodorant.

But this need not be the case – and in the two years since Cosmetics Business last covered the deodorants sector, there has been much innovation to excite, if not work up a sweat about.

Worldwide market growth has been likewise healthy. The global deodorants market reached US$20.98bn in 2017, up 3.5% on the prior year and while the lion's share of deodorant sales was in Latin America ($5.92bn), Eastern Europe accounted for the sharpest rise, increasing a hefty 10.4% to $1.40bn.

Vegan variety
Vegan beauty launches continue apace and a recent example happens to fall in the deodorants sector in the form of Ben & Anna, an attractively packaged line of seven eco-friendly solid deodorants, which hit UK shelves in May this year.

These certified organic, natural and vegan deodorants come in a unique wax-coated cardboard tube pack, which is easy to use and keeps the product in perfect condition.

This not only is a nod to the consumer wanting a more natural deodorant product, but also to the fact that if they care about this, they are also likely to care about the packaging in which said deodorant comes encased.

The inside of the cardboard tube packaging is coated with the natural wax and, to use, one simply presses the bottom of the tube to push the product upwards.

Once the product is finished, the tube can go straight into the recycling bin.

The formula itself is available in seven blends – including Persian Lime, Indian Mandarine and Pure (which is unscented) – and contains baking soda, known for its antibacterial properties; arrowroot, which narrows the pores of the skin under the arms and keeps the skin dry; and shea butter for its softening properties.

It is also free from aluminium, a growing consumer concern, and is vegan-friendly, another hot-button issue in a country where veganism is on the increase across all sectors.