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Published on: February 14, 2013
The evaluation of underarm deodorants
1Beecham Products Research Department, Randalls Road, Leatherhead, Surrey KT22 7RX.
International Journal of Cosmetic Science
|May 28, 2009
Summary
High-concentration ethanol effectively reduces underarm odor for up to 24 hours. Combining ethanol with antimicrobial agents or zinc ricinoleate further enhances deodorant effects, as confirmed by clinical trials.
Area of Science:
- Cosmetic Science
- Microbiology
- Dermatology
Background:
- Axillary malodor is a common concern, often linked to bacterial activity.
- Deodorant efficacy relies on reducing odor-causing bacteria or absorbing odor molecules.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the efficacy of ethanol and other ingredients in reducing axillary malodor.
- To compare clinical odor assessment with microbiological techniques.
Main Methods:
- Double-blind, cross-over trials with trained assessors evaluating axillary malodor on a 0-10 scale.
- Inclusion of antimicrobial agents (chlorhexidine, Triclosan, aluminium chlorhydrate) and an odor absorber (zinc ricinoleate).
- Correlation analysis between odor scores and axillary bacterial status using the replipad technique.
Main Results:
- Ethanol (60% and 99% w/w) significantly reduced axillary odor for up to 24 hours.
- Antimicrobial agents and zinc ricinoleate enhanced odor reduction.
- A strong correlation was observed between odor scores and bacterial load for biocidal systems.
- Triclosan showed deodorant efficacy despite suboptimal performance in skin flora sampling.
Conclusions:
- Ethanol-based formulations are effective deodorants.
- Clinical odor assessment remains the gold standard for evaluating deodorant efficacy, surpassing predictive microbiological methods.
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