Sweating the science: how innovation is boosting Unilever’s deodorants business

With Power Brands Rexona, Axe, Dove and Dove Men+Care in our Personal Care portfolio, Unilever is the global leader in deodorants – a €24 billion category that’s growing by more than 6% per year. Rexona, also known as Degree, Sure and Shield, is the world’s No.1 deodorant and anti-perspirant brand.

Underlying sales growth for our €13.6 billion Personal Care business is up 4.6% this year, and deodorants is one of its biggest and fastest-growing categories.

Through science we’re unlocking this opportunity, building on Unilever’s legacy for being market-making, category-shaping and ground-breaking. Across the company, we invest around €1 billion in R&D each year, and it’s having an impact. In 2024, we delivered €1.8 billion in incremental turnover from innovation.

In our deodorants category, successful new product innovation, shaped by a deep understanding of consumer needs and created using cutting-edge technology, has helped achieve strong returns on investment.

Long-lasting anti-perspirants for non-stop sweat protection

When it comes to anti-perspirants, consumers want a product they can rely on. But our research found that even though 98% of people were happy with their deodorant, 80% had experienced problems with sweat or odour.

This insight inspired the creation of our patented anti-perspirant technology, which provides 72 hours of non-stop odour protection. More than 60 Unilever scientists performed over 200 clinical tests to measure sweat reduction, malodour reduction and fragrance performance, including ‘hot room’ sweat testing where they monitored how formulas delivered wetness protection in high temperatures over a set amount of time – sniffing several armpits as part of the process.

Our formulas outstripped expectations, offering longer sweat protection than we initially thought possible, along with impressive levels of odour protection and fragrance longevity. Completely unique to Unilever, this technology is now available across our Rexona, Dove and Dove Men+Care brands.

Whole-body deodorants that go beyond the underarm

Another disruptive launch designed to meet clear consumer demands is our range of whole-body deodorants. UK-based Unilever research found that one in three adults were already using deodorant on parts of the body other than their underarms. And over the 12 months to March 2024, Google Trends reported that search interest for the term ‘whole-body deodorant’ had increased by more than 1,000%.

To design our whole-body deodorants, Unilever scientists applied our world-class microbiome capabilities to explore how pH and moisture levels lead to altered microbiome composition across the body, contributing to sweat and odour. Safety was paramount, so all formulas (sprays, roll-ons and sticks) are dermatologist-tested, and our cream format is also gynaecologist-tested to confirm it’s safe for use on external intimate areas.

We launched Dove Men+Care’s whole-body deodorants in 2024 and have since introduced our exclusive Odour Adapt Technology™ in new products from our Rexona, Dove and Axe brands.

We’ve doubled our share in the whole-body deodorant category in the US in the past year, and with this new segment predicted to make up 10-15% of the deodorant category value over the next three years, we’re confident that more growth is to come.

Premium performance and pioneering science

Superior science gives Unilever’s products a premium edge – it’s the first S in SASSY, our framework to create brands that deliver desire at scale through Superior science, irresistible Aesthetics and Sensorials, products that are Said, or endorsed, by others and that are Young spirited, culturally relevant and authentic.

With science a top business priority, we’ve built the world’s largest repository of skin microbiome data over the past two decades. In deodorants innovation, this unrivalled research allows our scientists to pinpoint the bacterial enzymes responsible for odour generation and design ingredients to neutralise them without disturbing the microbiome’s delicate balance.

AI and automation are also transforming the speed and scale of our R&D work. Unilever scientists now have hundreds of AI deployments in place to explore ingredients and how the body interacts with formulas faster than ever before. Digital automation and robotic testing capabilities at our Materials Innovation Factory mean work that once took years can happen in weeks or even days, generating consistent data and freeing up our scientists to focus on creativity and problem-solving.

And we’re investing to expand our fragrance capabilities within Unilever too – a move that will help elevate the sensorial appeal of our deodorants. Axe’s Fine Fragrance deodorant collection, bringing luxury scents to everyday products, has helped drive growth for the brand across all markets worldwide.

At the forefront of deodorant innovation

“Unilever has been at the forefront of deodorant innovation for decades, delivering products and formulas that are creating new category benchmarks,” says Alan Palmer, Chief R&D Officer for Unilever Personal Care.

“This expertise and deep understanding of consumer needs has made Unilever today the largest manufacturer, and leader in the science, of deodorants. It allows us to compete in a way no one else can.”