Clean and green beauty is a current driver in personal care with a focus on sustainable packaging. According to Nielsen, by 2021, sustainably minded shoppers are estimated to spend up to $150 billion on sustainable FMCG goods, an increase of $14 billion – $22 billion. Mintel’s data showed that in the last year, 54% of adults in the UK have bought eco-friendly beauty and personal care consumer products. As consumers seek natural and aluminum-free deodorant formulas, activity in personal care products is being driven by sustainable deodorant packaging.
Plastic Free Deodorant
According to National Geographic, globally, the packaging industry for beauty and personal care products, which primarily reflects plastic packaging, makes up nearly $25 billion in sales. Plastic free deodorant is a recent and important move for sustainable packaging within the natural deodorant segment.
In May, Old Spice and Secret launched an all-paper, plastic-free deodorant package, which is being test marketed in 500 U.S. Walmart stores. Old Spice Cedar & Salt and Secret Rose + Geranium are new limited-edition invisible solid deodorant scents made with essential oils and are featured in the new paper package. The paper tube is made of 90% recycled paper certified by the Forest Stewardship Council and highlights a “push up” design that would replace some of Procter & Gamble’s plastic stick deodorant canisters. Native, the brand known for aluminum-free deodorant formulated with a baking soda, tapioca starch, and shea butter blend, debuted a new plastic free deodorant package at the end of June. The new eco-friendly deodorant package is part of the brand’s Plastic Free by ’23 initiative transition to sustainable packaging across its product line by the end of 2023. Hello, the oral care brand, launched three Naturally Friendly Deodorants: Clean + Fresh with Activated Charcoal, Fresh Citrus with Shea Butter, and Fragrance-free with Shea Butter. The formulas are vegan and cruelty-free and contain thoughtfully sourced ingredients. The deodorants are housed in “100% previously recycled packaging.” Paper Cosmetics offers Papr, a line of natural and sustainable deodorants, that are packaged in biodegradable push up sticks. The products are vegan, free of aluminum, parabens, and silicone. The packaging is made “from 99.98% FSC certified, responsibly sourced paper and the remaining 0.02% is a super thin PLA membrane made from cornstarch” and soy ink for printing. The zero waste deodorants are offered in Bright Shiny Morning (Pink Grapefruit), Coastal Forests (Cedarwood and Cypress), From Dusk Till Dawn (Lemongrass and Bergamot), So Hot Right Now (Musk and Ylang Ylang), and The Deep (Seagrass and Plumeria). Wellow is self-described as “a revolutionary deodorant that creates NO waste” and is packaged in a 100% biodegradable push-up paper tube, which is made of 95% recycled paper. The products are free of aluminum, chemicals, and plastic. Netherlands-based startup Nuud is a natural, vegan ‘anti-odorant’ cream formulated with micro silver and without aluminum, parabens, or petrochemicals. The cream is contained in a bioplastic recyclable tube made from sugarcane. This year the brand launched a Kickstarter campaign to fund the launch of a sustainable screw-on applicator for the deodorant. Although not plastic free, New Zealand-based Ultrella offers a line of Demi-perspirants, which reduce sweating using a BR-Snowake ingredient. To avoid confusion the products are labelled as a natural deodorant and contain prebiotics, magnesium hydroxide, and zinc oxide. In addition, the brand uses “clean ingredients and mindful products and packaging” and is expected to launch in the U.S. and Europe in 2021.
Refillable Deodorant
Refillable products are emerging in the personal care space and refillable deodorants are the latest players.
UK sustainable deodorant brand Wild offers 5 vegan-friendly deodorants packaged in biodegradable, compostable, and refillable aluminum tins, which are said to fully compost in six months and biodegrade within 12. Wild’s fragrance line includes five fragrances: Bergamot Rituals, Coconut Dreams, Mint Fresh, Orange Zest, and Rose Blush. For the holiday season, Wild added a limited-edition Toffee Apple scent that “combines apple tones with seasonal spices.” By Human Kind is a natural deodorant that is non-GMO, aluminum-free, paraben-free, gluten-free, vegan, and ethically-made. The deodorant is available in five formulas: Coconut with notes of orange and lemon, Eucalyptus with notes of bergamot and cedar, Lavender-Citrus with notes of mandarin and lavandin, Rosemary-Mint with notes of spearmint, citrus, and sage, and Unscented. It is packaged in a “revolutionary, refillable container that saves our planet from plastic waste.” Helmm, the subscription-based men’s deodorant brand, has a “Pit-Friendly, Planet-Friendly Deodorant” tagline and offers a patented Permanent Vessel & Refill Pod system that is said to reduce plastic waste by 65% vs. traditional containers. The refillable package showcases an intuitive two-step refill mechanism that clicks in and out. Scents are offered in Coastline, Hudson, Night Market, and Trailblazer and can be worn individually or combined. Myro started as a subscription-based, direct-to-consumer refillable deodorant brand that is now available at Target. The sustainable deodorants are vegan, free of gluten, soy and mineral oil and made with plant-powered ingredients. The deodorants are offered in a refillable case with refill pods, which are fully recyclable and made with about 50% less plastic than traditional deodorant brands, according to the brand. Consumers can select a scent and case color and easily insert or eject a refill pod. The fragrances are available in six scents: Big Dipper (Bergamot+Lavender+Vetiver), Cabin No.5 (Vetiver+Patchouli+ Geranium), Chill Wave (Cucumber+Jasmine+Spearmint), Open Air (Unscented ), Pillow Talk (Violet Leaf+Ylang Ylang+Wild Amyris), and Solar Flare (Orange+Juniper+Sunflower). London-based Fussy launched a Kickstarter campaign to support the brand’s new range of plant-based deodorant formulas packaged in five matte colored durable and refillable containers made from a compostable and sustainable corn-based bioplastic. There are five deodorants, four scented and one unscented, and the formula contains a probiotic for odor control. The products are expected to launch in the first quarter of 2021 and consumers would select their refillable packaging and would receive refills through a subscription.
Consumers’ interest in naturals and sustainable deodorant packaging is a global phenomenon that is here to stay. Watch as mainstream brands and indie brands launch new natural, planet-friendly deodorants in plastic free or refillable packaging.
Looking for more design and packaging trends? Let Trendincite LLC custom-design a zero waste virtual trend excursion, a recyclable marketing presentation, an eco-friendly newsletter or a sustainable webinar with Amy Marks-McGee as a guest speaker.