Overview of Active Ingredients Used in Deodorants and Antiperspirants Available on EU Market

Deodorants and antiperspirants available on the market are designed to reduce the discomfort associated with sweating. This study examined the types of active substances contained in deodorants and antiperspirants from international cosmetic brands available in Poland (part of the EU market) and the frequency of their use. Product compositions were analysed based on INCI (International Nomenclature of Cosmetic Ingredients) product labels. The investigation included the following 170 cosmetic products: 50 spray deodorants (from 50 different brands); 50 roll-on deodorants (from 50 brands); 20 stick deodorants (from 20 brands); 40 roll-on antiperspirants (from 40 brands); and 10 stick antiperspirants (from 10 brands). The most popular active components were Triethyl Citrate (51/120 formulations; 42.5%), followed by Alcohol (25.8%), Ethylhexylglycerin (25.0%), Caprylyl Glycol (12.5%), and Potassium Alum (10.0%). Antiperspirant products were dominated by aluminium-based compounds, with the most frequently used being the following aluminium-based salts: Aluminium Chlorohydrate (67.5%), Aluminium Sesquichlorohydrate (25.0%), and Aluminium Chloride (12.5%). In contrast, aluminium–zirconium complexes, such as Aluminum Zirconium Tri-, Penta-, and Octachlorohydrex Gly, were rarely used by cosmetic manufacturers. Additionally, composition complexity, i.e., the number of deodorizing and anti-sweating ingredients per single formulation, was examined for roll-on deodorants, stick deodorants, and roll-on antiperspirants. All tested antiperspirants and most deodorants contained fragrance-imparting ingredients; the most popular were Parfum/Fragrance, Limonene, Linalool, Citronellol, Citral, Benzyl Salicylate, Hexyl Cinnamal, and Geraniol.