Sweat-clogging naturally

Sweat is produced by glands in the deeper layer of the skin – the dermis. The human body has between two and four million sweat glands, with the majority found in the armpits, palms, and soles of the feet. Sweat is mainly water, but also contains some salts and proteins, and its main function is to control the body’s temperature. As the water in the sweat evaporates, the surface of the skin cools. 

While deodorant masks body odour, antiperspirant reduces sweating by ‘clogging’ sweat glands. This prevents moisture from reaching the skin where perspiration-causing bacteria can thrive. It also eliminates the bacteria that cause body odour, as it contains antimicrobials.

Nowadays, aluminium salts are one of the most common ingredients for antiperspirants and are widely used thanks to their proven efficacy and ability to block the flow of sweat. However, they have also been linked to several health concerns. 

Sweat-clogging solution

Natural calcium carbonate (NCC) accounts for around 4% of the earth’s crust, making it one of the most common natural ingredients. After undergoing a recrystallisation process using a specialised technology, the particles become Functionalised Calcium Carbonate (FCC) – a natural solution with sweat-absorbing properties. Its characteristics allow for the loading of different active ingredients. Tannic acid, containing naturally occurring polyphenolic biomolecules, mimics the function of the aluminium salts. It is widely known for its astringent properties – particularly in medicine – and works as an antimicrobial too. Studies show that the combination of FCC and tannic acid achieves the highest antiperspirant efficacy.

Proven results

In-vitro efficacy of raw materials and formulations in antiperspirants was measured using a SOD4 machine and Smart-Pore technology – a silicone microfluidics system with microchannels that mimic pores. By imitating the sweating process, the fully automated system recreates the contact between sweat and the antiperspirant. The reaction inside the transparent mimetic pores can then be observed, and the amount of resistance needed to dislodge the antiperspirant ‘plug’ from the pores can be measured. This is known as burst pressure, which is recorded in millibars (mbar) – the higher the pressure, the more efficient the antiperspirant.

A prototype of the mineral-based solution was compared with commercial products in terms of efficacy. The results revealed that it required significantly higher burst pressure than aluminium salt-containing antiperspirants.

This technology is composed of high-purity calcium mineral and bio-sourced molecules. Due to its special shape, the novel composition, not only absorbs sweat, but also reduces it via a protein denaturation mechanism. It generates more compact clogs and prevents sweat secretion. At a concentration of 10%, the novel composition reaches a mean burst pressure of 1,580mbar, which currently outperforms aluminium salts and commercial benchmarks. This novel technology also enables long-lasting performance – that’s how the results of the study can be summarised.

Next steps

The promising results for the natural antiperspirants were first presented at the scientific program at Sepawa 2021. Buoyed by these initial 
results, further solutions are to be developed, and carrying out more in-vivo tests to see how the ingredient combination performs in final formulations before the product can be brought to market.

The scientists confirm this as an extremely exciting breakthrough that will hopefully come to market in the near future.