Demanding and more knowledgeable consumers are driving the direction of research into product development in the deodorant market. Consumers are no longer content to buy deodorants that only smell good, and minimize or stops sweating. According to Mintel, a market research company that covers trends in the cosmetics industry, consumers are increasingly demanding toiletries that offer skin care benefits as well. Are manufacturers listening? Yes, they are.  

Apart from including active ingredients that retard underarm hair growth, some deodorant manufacturers are also adding pheromones to their products. Fragrance manufacturers have long been adding pheromones to their scents, but this practice is now entering the deodorant market. Unilever is one company that is taking this new trend seriously. The company’s brands Impulse (a line of body sprays for women) and Lynx (a line of deodorants, roll-ons and body sprays for men) have pheromones. Unilever’s website advertisement says it al, “Once you’ve…applied some LYNX Bodyspray, stand near a female test subject. It will not be long until the LYNX effect is evident…a friendly smile…”

Hair retardant properties are highly desirable in deodorants on the market today as micro-segmentation in the industry grows. Consumers want one product to serve a multitude of purposes in one go, hence the need for deodorants to do more than one thing. In cultures where underarm hair is viewed as being unattractive, hair retardants are a big selling point.

Japanese manufacturer, Mandom has just received approval from the country’s Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare for a new proprietary deodorant formula. Mandom is involved primarily in the manufacturing of hair care and cosmetic products, but is also getting into the deodorant market. The new formula will allow the inclusion of active antibacterial agents in deodorants. The company plans to continue further research and development in the deodorant arena.

With skin care and anti-aging being big in the toiletries industry, some deodorant makers are now ensuring that there are skin care benefits to be derived from using their products. Many current deodorant advertisements, especially those targeting women push this aspect of the product. Nivea and Dove brands are the leaders in cosmetization of deodorants to give smoother, younger-looking underarms. Dove deodorants contain moisturizers that hydrate and smooth underarm skin to reduce irritation and keep the skin looking healthy.

Anti-aging properties are also gaining increased significance in our youth obsessed society. Walgreens is one company that is honing in on this with their Oli Anti-Aging deodorant from the company’s European Beauty Collection.

All manufacturers are also looking at new and better ways to make their products invisible on clothing, that is, no unsightly stains. Long-lasting protection from sweating and odor is also high priority among users as well as manufacturers. Others are catering to those with sensitive by offering products that are mild and or hypoallergenic.

The future holds lots of promise in the battle for supremacy in caring for the underarms of consumers.

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