CSL personal care and hygiene development: deodorant stick, hand wash, soap bar and lip balm

Sector · Personal care & hygiene

Everyday personal care, proven to work.

Deodorants, hand care, intimate washes, foot care, soaps, wipes and lip balms: products people use many times a day. CSL formulation scientists make them effective, gentle enough for constant use and correctly classified in every market, and the formula is yours.

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Guires Cosmetic Science Lab

Personal Care Formulations from Guires CSL

At Guires Cosmetic Science Lab, CSL formulation chemists develop personal care formulations, from deodorant formulation, including aluminium-free deodorant, to antiperspirants, hand wash, hand creams, sanitisers, intimate washes and lip balms, with performance proven by odour panels, sweat-reduction and repeat-wash tolerance testing. With more than 10 years of personal care experience, the team makes everyday products that work and stay gentle on skin used many times a day.

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What shoppers look for now

01Gentle for daily use

Products used several times a day have to protect skin, not wear it down.

02Proven freshness

Shoppers expect 48-hour deodorants, sanitisers that do not dry hands and washes that respect intimate pH, and want proof.

03Aluminium-free and refillable

Aluminium-free deodorants, solid bars and refill formats are moving into the mainstream.

The science

The science of everyday care.

Personal care splits into three areas with different skin, efficacy and regulatory needs.

CSL deodorant science: woman applying a roll-on deodorant, with botanical extracts, skin-soothing actives and oils for gentle underarm care

Deodorant & antiperspirant

Fresh for longer, kind to underarms.

Antiperspirants reduce sweat with aluminium salts; deodorants control odour by targeting the bacteria that break sweat down. Both change the underarm microbiome, so we design for efficacy and comfort on freshly shaved or sensitive skin.

Ingredients CSL scientists work with

Aluminium salts (antiperspirant)Zinc ricinoleateMagnesium hydroxidePrebioticsEncapsulated fragranceSoothing agents

How CSL proves it works

  • Gravimetric sweat testSweat weight reduction for antiperspirant claims
  • Odour panelsTrained sniffers at 24, 48 and 72 hours
  • Underarm toleranceIn-use on shaved and sensitive skin
  • StainingMarks on fabric
Published evidenceSwary 2015 · sweat reductionUrban 2016 · underarm microbiome
CSL hand care and hygiene science: hands being washed with a rich lather under running water

Hand care & hygiene

Clean hands, healthy skin.

Hand hygiene reduces illness in randomised trials, but frequent washing damages skin. Alcohol rubs with emollients are gentler than repeated soap and water, and barrier and care creams help prevent hand dermatitis when used consistently.

Ingredients CSL scientists work with

Mild surfactantsGlycerinEmollients & lipidsAllantoinPanthenolEthanol or isopropanol (sanitisers)

How CSL proves it works

  • Repeat-wash toleranceTEWL and dryness after repeated use
  • HydrationCorneometer on hands
  • EfficacyAntimicrobial tests for sanitiser claims, where regulated
Published evidenceHübner 2010 · office workersAzor-Martinez 2018 · childcareBoyce 2000 · skin toleranceKampf 2005 · emollientsKütting 2010 · barrier creams
CSL intimate, foot and lip care science: gentle care products for sensitive intimate skin, feet and lips, with aloe, chamomile and coconut

Intimate, foot & lip care

Care for skin that needs special attention.

Intimate skin has a lower pH and its own microbiome, so washes must be mild and pH-balanced. Cracked heels respond to urea in placebo-controlled trials, and lip products with barrier lipids reduce roughness.

Ingredients CSL scientists work with

Lactic acid (pH 3.5–5)Mild amphoteric surfactantsUreaGlycerinPetrolatumCeramides & pseudo-ceramides

How CSL proves it works

  • Gynaecologist-supervised in-useTolerance for intimate washes
  • Fissure and dryness scoringFor foot creams over 2–4 weeks
  • Lip roughnessVisual grading and TEWL
Published evidenceBrown 2020 · lactic acid washGin 2017 · cracked heelsBorgström 2026 · ureaTamura 2021 · dry lips

Talk to a CSL formulation scientist

Have a personal care & hygiene idea? Book a 30-minute brief review.

Share your concept, benchmark or target claim. A CSL formulation scientist will tell you what is feasible, what evidence it needs and a realistic timeline.

Book a brief review

Clinical evidence

What the published trials show.

Peer-reviewed human studies on deodorants, hand hygiene, hand care, intimate care, foot care and lip care, including one with a negative result. Each links to its record.

Randomised controlled trialAntiperspirant · sweat reduction

20% aluminium chloride hexahydrate vs 1% aluminium acetate, one per underarm

Randomised split-axilla · 19 adults · gravimetric sweat test

The aluminium chloride side sweated significantly less than the comparison side (p=0.0002), showing how gravimetric testing separates actives.

Small study; 20% aluminium chloride is prescription strength in some markets.

Swary JH et al. J Cosmet Dermatol 2015;14(4)

Published studyDeodorant · underarm microbiome

Stopping and restarting deodorant or antiperspirant vs non-users

Experimental study · 17 adults · 8 days · culture and 16S sequencing

Antiperspirant sharply reduced underarm bacterial density, and product users had a different bacterial community from non-users.

Not randomised; no odour endpoint.

Urban J et al. PeerJ 2016;4:e1605

Randomised controlled trialHand hygiene · office workers

Alcohol hand disinfectant at desks vs usual practice

Randomised controlled · 129 office workers · 12 months

Colds (OR 0.35), fever (OR 0.38) and cough (OR 0.45) were all less frequent, with fewer days of illness.

Hübner NO et al. BMC Infect Dis 2010;10:250 · PMID 20735818

Systematic reviewHand hygiene · community

Community hand-hygiene interventions

Systematic review and meta-analysis · 30 studies

Better hand hygiene cut gastrointestinal illness by 31% and respiratory illness by 21%; education with plain soap gave the largest benefit.

Aiello AE et al. Am J Public Health 2008;98(8):1372–1381

Randomised controlled trialHand cream · healthcare workers

Ward cream dispensers with feedback vs usual care

Cluster-randomised · 19 wards, 501 workers · 12 months

No significant difference in hand-eczema severity overall, though mild cases improved more, showing that access alone is not enough.

Primary endpoint not significant.

Soltanipoor M et al. Contact Dermatitis 2019;80(6):365–373 · PMID 30652317

Randomised controlled trialFoot care · cracked heels

Urea, glycerin and petrolatum foot cream vs placebo cream

Randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled · 167 people with diabetes · 4 weeks

Deep open heel fissures remained in 6% vs 24% with placebo (P=0.002), and dryness improved more with the test cream.

Gin H et al. Diabet Med 2017;34(9):1309–1317 · PMID 28627029

Published studyIntimate care · lactic acid wash

External intimate wash with lactic acid, pH 4.2

Open, gynaecologist-supervised · 36 women · 28 days

No increase in dryness, redness, itch or stinging; moisturisation rose and the vulvar microbiome was unchanged.

No control group; manufacturer-affiliated authors.

Brown ADG et al. Antibiotics 2020;9(2):55 · PMID 32024047

These are published studies on ingredients, methods and routines, not on products we have made. A finished product needs its own testing before a claim goes on pack, and we design that study with you. See the full evidence library

Sensorial experience

Products people reach for all day.

Personal care is used without thinking, so it has to feel right instantly: quick-drying, non-sticky, fresh.

Quick-dry and non-sticky

Sanitisers and hand creams that absorb fast and leave no residue.

Sensory panels

Invisible deodorants

No white marks, no yellow stains, no stickiness.

Staining tests

Fragrance that lasts

Encapsulated scents that release with movement or sweat, within IFRA limits.

IFRAScent longevity

Discreet intimate care

Light, fresh or fragrance-free washes that feel clean without tightness.

pHTolerance

Concept spotlight

Ideas we can take from bench to shelf.

Example concepts to show the range. Every project starts from your own brief, and the finished formula belongs to you.

Aluminium-free 48-hour deodorant: product concept by Guires CSL
Deodorant · Aluminium-free

Aluminium-free 48-hour deodorant

A zinc and magnesium stick with odour-panel data to 48 hours.

Nourishing hand sanitiser: product concept by Guires CSL
Hand hygiene · Gentle

Nourishing hand sanitiser

A fast-drying gel with glycerin and emollients for frequent use.

Urea heel repair balm: product concept by Guires CSL
Foot care · Urea

Urea heel repair balm

A 10–25% urea balm for rough, cracked heels.

Responsible beauty

Everyday products, lower footprint.

Personal care is bought often and in volume, so small changes add up.

Our supplier directory

Solid and refill formats

Deodorant sticks in refillable or paper packs, soap and syndet bars, hand-wash concentrates.

WaterlessRefill

Plastic-free wipes

Plant-fibre substrates and biodegradable lotions.

Substrate testing

Biodegradable surfactants

Checked against OECD 301 data from suppliers.

OECD 301

Honest green claims

Environmental wording reviewed against green-claims guidance in each target market.

Claims review
Cosmetic, drug or biocide?

Antiperspirants and hand sanitisers are OTC drugs in the US; sanitisers are biocides in the EU. Antibacterial claims on washes and wipes can change the route, and intimate or foot products that claim to treat infection are medicines. We confirm the classification before formulating.

From trend to brief

Start with insight, not guesswork.

Before formulation begins, we can map your market so the product lands with a clear point of difference.

Market and shelf scanWhat competitors in your channel and price point already claim, and where the gaps are
Ingredient watchActives gaining evidence, and those facing new restrictions in your target markets
Claim feasibilityWhich claims your budget and timeline can support, and the study each one needs
Brief you can build onA one-page product brief with formats, actives, claims and target markets

Formats

What we develop in personal care & hygiene.

Deodorants & antiperspirantsHand washHand creamsHand sanitisersIntimate washesFoot creams & spraysBar soaps & syndet barsWet wipesLip balms

Testing & compliance

The evidence personal care & hygiene needs.

Sweat and odour efficacyGravimetric sweat tests, odour panels
Skin toleranceRepeat-use hand and underarm studies
Gynaecologist-supervisedFor intimate care
Challenge testISO 11930

Applications

Common personal care & hygiene goals.

Sensitive skin & rednessCalming, low-irritation formulasMicrobiome-friendlyPre-, pro- and postbiotic careHydration & barrier repairMoisture, barrier, dryness

Services

How we help.

Product formulationNew products, reformulation, benchmark matchingPrototyping & product developmentSamples, sensory, fragrance, packagingSafety & stability testingISO and OECD methods, safety reportsClaims & clinical trial supportClaim mapping, patch tests, efficacy studies

Market insights from Guires CSL scientists

Stay ahead in personal care & hygiene with regulation updates, the latest research, ingredient spotlights, recalls and market trends, written by the Guires CSL formulation, testing, clinical and regulatory teams.

Explore market insights
Guires CSL scientists reviewing cosmetic market research and regulatory updates

FAQ

Personal care & hygiene questions.

Is an antiperspirant a cosmetic?

In the EU and UK, yes. In the US it is an OTC drug with fixed actives, labelling and sweat-reduction testing. A deodorant with odour claims only is a cosmetic in both.

Can you develop a hand sanitiser?

Yes. We formulate it and prepare the right route: an OTC drug in the US, a biocide in the EU. We can also develop gentle cosmetic hand washes.

How do you prove a 48-hour deodorant claim?

With trained odour panels at set time points after application, and gravimetric sweat testing for antiperspirant claims.

Can intimate washes claim to prevent infection?

No. Those are medical claims. Cosmetic intimate washes can claim gentle cleansing, freshness and respect for natural pH.

Who owns the formula?

You do. We sign an NDA first, and the formula and technical file are handed over at the end.

Guires CSL quality, compliance and safety

Every personal care & hygiene project at Guires CSL runs inside an ISO 9001 certified quality system, with documented methods, calibrated instruments, traceable raw materials and reviewed reports, so the results behind your product can be checked and defended.

Guires CSL quality & accreditations
Guires CSL analyst checking cosmetic samples under a microscope

In their words

What clients say.

“Our personal-care concept reached a workable prototype efficiently, supported by expert ingredient selection, formulation optimisation and stability work.”
George WilsonHead of R&D · UK
“Compatibility, sensory and manufacturing challenges were resolved before scale-up, significantly improving our product’s readiness.”
Nina PatelProduct Innovation Manager · India
“Building our regulatory documentation in parallel with product development gave us a clear pathway through formulation, testing, claims review and market preparation.”
Adam MillerRegulatory Director · USA

Insights

Related reading.

Guidance from our formulation, testing and regulatory teams on the topics this page covers.

All insights

From the CSL bioscience lab

Tested at the Guires R&D Innovation Centre.

Antibacterial and odour-bacteria testsCosmetic Bioscience

Start a project

Create your next product with CSL.

Our formulation chemists, testing scientists and regulatory specialists work alongside your team, from the first brief to a market-ready product. Bring a brief, a benchmark or just an idea: a scientist will reply within one working day with next steps and an indicative scope.

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