Antiperspirants and deodorants are products most people use every day, but how many are familiar with what ingredients make up the moisture-soaking powders or gels they apply? A typical bar of Right Guard deodorant contains such puzzling constituents as aluminum zirconium tetrachlorohydrex gly, cyclopentasiloxane, stearyl alcohol, and myristyl myristate.
Aluminum Zirconium Tetrachlorohydrex Gly
Sometimes referred to as AZG, this compound contains large numbers of aluminum and zirconium ions which clog the sweat pores in your skin, so that they are unable to secrete sweat efficiently. In addition, AZG absorbs moisture which manages to bypass the blockade. Not only does this provide the bulk of the antiperspirant property of the product, but less sweat on the skin leads to decreased activity of odor-causing bacteria and hence less odor.
Cyclopentasiloxane
Cyclopentasiloxane acts as an emollient in deodorants and other skin and hair care products. An emollient is an ingredient which moisturizes and lubricates the area. Cyclopentasiloxane occludes---covers with a thin layer of oil to prevent water loss---the outermost surface of the skin, increases the water-holding capacity of the skin, and lubricates the surface to prevent chafing.
Stearyl Alcohol
This chemical is used in a wide variety of products as an emollient, emulsifier, and thickener. An emulsion is a mixture of two unblendable liquids, such as oil and water. An emulsifier facilitates the blending of these two liquids by stabilizing the resultant mixture. One common example of an emulsifier is egg yolk, which is used to stabilize and thicken the mixture of vegetable oil and vinegar required to make mayonnaise.
Myristyl Myristate
Derived from a component of nutmeg butter and animal fats, myristyl myristate is used in both cosmetics and topical medicines to facilitate absorption into the skin.
Silica
Silica is a term for silicon dioxide, the most abundant mineral in the Earth's crust. In its natural state it is most commonly encountered as sand. Silica has been used by mankind for centuries, for everything from producing window glass to coating fiber-optic cables to binding to nucleic acids in the extraction of DNA. In medicines and cosmetics it most commonly functions as an aid to powder flow, whether during the creation of tablets or the application of a powder-based deodorant to your skin.
References
- "Antiperspirants and Deodorants"; Karl Laden; 1999
- "Merck Index, 11th Edition"; Susan Budavari; 1989
Member Comments