“Deodorant is the gateway to natural personal care and beauty”
Ursa Major was just one of many independent personal care brands showing deodorant at last week’s Indie Beauty Expo in New York City. The company launched in late 2010 with a single product, a shaving cream for men.
Since then, Ursa Major has focused on being a wellness lifestyle brand rather than a “beauty, grooming, or vanity” brand, as Carmen Craig, marketing manager for Ursa Major, tells Cosmetics Design. And, the company has expanded its product portfolio accordingly to include face and body care.
Ursa Major takes a simple approach to technical skin care, explains Craig. So there’s only one deodorant in the collection: Hoppin’ Fresh Deodorant. As evidence that deodorant is a gateway to naturals, she notes that Hoppin’ Fresh is the company’s best-selling product.
Options
Natural product lines are increasingly common. For instance, Colgate-Palmolive owns Tom’s of Maine, a brand that makes a full range of natural and aluminum-free underarm products.
With players big and small in the game, innovation is on the rise. At IBE NY 2016, R.L. Linden & Co showed an Uplifting Deodorant Spray meant for underarm use and beyond, on feet, in shoes, on exercise matts, etc.
The luxury product line initially developed for women undergoing cancer treatment and gaining ground with educated consumers of all ages, called Violets are Blue, offers two deodorants, one all natural variety and another Extra Strength Sport version made with kanolin clay.
And just this summer the small-batch natural brand Unbelievable SkinCare launched a powder deodorant. More and more underarm products in unconventional formats or application methods are coming to market.
Though after efficacy, even with naturals, consumers want something easy to use that doesn’t require frequent reapplication, and doesn’t stain clothing.
None at all
Mother Dirt, the company making product to restore and maintain the skin’s microbiome, sells a cleanser, a shampoo, and a rebalancing mist. Consumers using the product, can apparently opt to go without deodorant once the microbiome is back to doing what it does best.
“Within two weeks of use, the AO+ Mist improves the appearance of skin issues including sensitivity, blotchiness, roughness, oiliness, dryness, and odor by replacing essential bacteria lost by modern hygiene and lifestyles,” as the Mother Dirt site explains.
