The Big 5 deodorant market has been especially fresh and fragrant in the past year with every single country making gains, which is quite a rare feat in the market these days. There has been continued interest in green and botanical ingredients and the market has reflected this with a slew of NPD.

Fragrant France
The French deodorant market grew 3.6% in value terms to nearly $614 million in the past year. The segment also grew 1.7% in volume terms to reach 134.6 million units. These figures come courtesy of SymphonyIRI France and indicate that the French deodorant market is in its most successful state for five years.

Each individual category saw growth in value terms with unisex, men’s and women’s deodorants seeing growth of 76.6%, 3.6% and 2.3%, respectively, with the first figure seeming massively impressive in the current market environment. Though perhaps this was a sign that couples were economizing on how many deodorants they actually bought and decided to share.

When it came to NPD in France, the country was awash with innovation and natural products again came to the fore. Organic deodorants continued to blossom, with the segment having been revolutionized in the mass market by the introduction of LaScad/L’Oréal’s Ushuaïa Bio range in supermarkets, followed by the launch of the first organic spray deodorants, from the same brand.
Meanwhile organic pharmacy brand Bio Secure, which originally launched its range of Ecocert certified and Cosmebio labeled hygiene and cosmetics products in 2008, added two new roll-on deodorants in the past year. These are based on alum minerals and available in two fragrances, pomegranate and bergamot.

Meanwhile, Bourjois (Chanel) launched Déodorant Minéral +Soin. The product contains 100% mineral actives and is especially adapted for sensitive skin, being free from alcohol, aluminum salts and parabens. Containing mineral alum, it guarantees 24-hour efficacy without leaving any traces on clothes. Scent is always an important characteristic of Bourjois deodorants and this product contains an orange blossom scent, opening with notes of yellow tangerine and plum blossom, leading to a heart of magnolia, white tea and cotton flower and a sandalwood tonka bean base.

Boost to Market
In Germany, it was also good news with value and volume sales again on the up for deodorants. According to Symphony IRI Germany, the value of the German deodorant market grew by 3.6% to nearly $860 million in the past year while volume sales rose by an even better 5.3% to almost 40 million units.

For the region, it was once again Beiersdorf and its flagship brand Nivea that proved a popular pick with consumers and there was a new range launched which combined efficacy and caring benefits in a deodorant formulation for sensitive skin.

According to a recent industry survey, one out of two women suffer from sensitive underarm skin due to irritation through shaving and friction from clothes. Nivea’s new Pure & Sensitive range combines long lasting 48-hour efficacy with a formulation that respects sensitive skin, to leave it feeling comfortable and protected. Free from alcohol, parabens, preservatives and perfumes, the formula includes chamomile and avocado oil to nourish and calm the skin. The range, which launched in April, is available in both spray and roll-on formats.

Sensitive skin is an issue that also affects 50% of men, according to the same survey, so Nivea has also introduced a specific men’s variant Nivea for Men: Sensitive Protect. This also provides 48-hour protection in a formulation that is free from alcohol, but contains extract of camomile, bisabolol and avocado oil to soothe the skin. Sensitive Protect is fragranced with hints of citrus and spice on a musk, amber, wood and sandalwood base.

A Fresh Perspective
According to Italian industry body Unipro, sales of deodorants in the country grew by 1% in value term in the past year to total $554.3 million with the largest volume of sales coming from the rather oddly named ‘other channels’ retail sector at nearly $442 million. The pharmacy channel accounted for a much smaller share at almost $78 million while the smallest portion of sales came from the perfumery channel at more than $34 million.

L’Oréal brand Garnier is always a big seller in Italy and the brand recently released its Mineral 48h deodorant range, which is both alcohol and paraben free and dermatologically tested. The deodorant contains Mineralite, a natural mineral ingredient that is claimed to lock in four times its volume in water and be five times more absorbent than talc. It is hailed as being soft to the touch and providing a second layer to the skin to naturally absorb and evaporate excess moisture for up to 48 hours. Despite forming a layer on top of the skin, it is still able to breathe while fighting humidity and odor. It is also said to ensure anti-white mark protection and provide a sensation of freshness to the skin. Garnier Mineral is available in sprays and roll-ons in six variations: Extreme, Invisible, Fresh, Sensitive, Invisi Calm and Invisi Dry. The men’s version, Garnier Deo Men Extreme 72h, goes even further, claiming to provide 72-hour protection against sweat and odor.

Unilever’s Dominance
The Spanish market for deodorants also had a successful year and according to SymphonyIRI Spain put on 1% in value terms to boost the market nearly $362 million in sales. During the same period volume sales grew by an even more encouraging 3% to make 14.88 million units. Sales of deodorant products in the popular Spanish own label arena have also increased in turn—by 10% in the past year to be worth more than $65 million of the total figure while volume here increased by 9% to account for 4.6 million units.

Consumers demand products that provide protection against wetness and white marks.

A key deodorant brand owner in Spain, as in many other European countries, is Unilever. The company has made launches across a number of its brands in the past year. Rexona Women launched Clear Diamond, which is said to work for 48 hours offering complete protection against sweat. Clear Diamond has a fresh, floral aroma and comes in a black aerosol. The alcohol-free product has also been developed to avoid leaving stains on clothing, which appears to be an increasingly important factor in the deodorant market.

Another Rexona antiperspirant to launch in 2011 was Linen Dry. Part of the Rexona Ultra Dry range, Linen Dry is said to provide two days’ consistent protection against perspiration. By preventing the build up of humidity, it is said to care for the delicate skin in the armpits. It also uses the exclusive Motion Sense technology that consists of microcapsules that break as the user moves to gradually release their fragrance over time, according to the company.

Cool and Dry Britannia
In the UK, the deodorant market was on even better form than most with value sales shooting up by a whopping 6.4% to go from about $804 million at the start of 2011, to swell to $855 million for the same time this year. Volume sales also saw an increase, albeit a more modest gain of 1.4% to nearly 367 million units.

The UK consumer is becoming ever greener and eco-conscious and botanical ingredients are flying high at present—cucumber, aloe vera, lemongrass, and green tea are all being popularized in deodorants to lure these very individuals.

For example, Green People bolstered its large portfolio of natural and organic beauty products with an intensive focus on sensitive skin. Offering a comprehensive range of scent-free products, packed with more than 90% organic active ingredients to nourish, rebalance and restore optimum skin health, the Sensitive Range eschewed essential oils and opted for key plant oils to hydrate and reduce irritation.
Part of the range, the new Neutral Scent Free Deodorant features a complex of witch hazel, aloe vera and olive leaf that is blended with a naturally occurring mineral salt ammonium alum to combat germs, while zinc ricinoleate, derived from castor oil, acts as an effective natural deodorant without inhibiting normal perspiration. Green People insists that delicate complexes, of the kind featured in its new range, taps into the growing demand from those with sensitive skin—a common condition, which can be provoked and exacerbated from exposure to certain fragrances, including perfumes and scented products.

Deodorants in the Big 5 really did have a fantastic year and the results and flood of new products to hit shelves would definitely illustrate this. In particular natural ingredients are stealing a march on conventional ones—and more care is being paid to caring for the skin of the underarm, which has perhaps been neglected in the past. Hopefully the humble underarm will continue to be the focus of both manufacturer and consumer attention for some time to come.


European Cosmetic Markets is published monthly by HPCi Media Limited. It provides in-depth data and analysis of the European cosmetics and toiletries market. For subscription details contact HPCi Media Limited.