• Formulating

  Anhydrous deodorant stick, too sticky

  Posted by Charlie on March 14, 2025 at 3:52 am

  Hello everyone,

  I’m working on an anhydrous deodorant stick, and I’ve tested different waxes in various percentages and combinations. However, I’m struggling to achieve a good glide while ensuring that:

  • The stick doesn’t break when applied.
  • It’s not too sticky, especially for armpit hair.
    • Some of my formulations were so sticky that I felt like I had created a styling wax for my armpit hair!

  Waxes I’ve tested:

  • Cutina HR Powder (BASF) – Hydrogenated Castor Oil
  • Cera Alba (Beeswax)
  • Carnauba Wax
  • Candelilla Wax
  • Sunflower Wax
  • Rice Wax

  Oils used:

  • Organic Refined Sunflower Oil
  • Organic Unrefined Shea Butter

  Odor-absorbing ingredients:

  • Zea Mays (Corn) Starch
  • Sodium Bicarbonate

  I found a formulation where the deodorant doesn’t break and glides reasonably well, but it still feels too sticky when applied, especially on armpit hair.

  Recipe A:

  • Sunflower Oil – 55.1%
  • Shea Butter – 4%
  • Carnauba Wax – 2%
  • Hydrogenated Castor Oil – 2%
  • Cera Alba (Beeswax) – 8%
  • Tocopherol – 0.2%
  • Zea Mays (Corn) Starch – 20%
  • Sodium Bicarbonate – 8%

  I consulted my manufacturer (who is not specialized in stick formulations), and they suggested that the stickiness might be due to the Hydrogenated Castor Oil (since castor oil itself is quite sticky).

  So, I created a new version, reducing Hydrogenated Castor Oil and adding Rice Wax to improve the glide. This version is the most balanced so far:

  Recipe B:

  • Sunflower Oil – 53.1%
  • Shea Butter – 4%
  • Carnauba Wax – 1%
  • Hydrogenated Castor Oil – 1%
  • Cera Alba (Beeswax) – 8%
  • Rice Wax – 4%
  • Tocopherol – 0.2%
  • Zea Mays (Corn) Starch – 20%
  • Sodium Bicarbonate – 8%

  I also tried another variation where I increased Sodium Bicarbonate to 20% (to balance it with Corn Starch at 20%), but this made the stick too brittle—it broke easily. I feel like I need more wax for structure, but I’m worried that adding more will just increase the stickiness.

  Additionally, I noticed that my T-shirt had a lot of white marks—could this be due to the Sodium Bicarbonate?

  My main challenges:

  1. Reducing stickiness, especially on armpit hair.
  2. Improving glide without compromising structure.

  Does anyone have insights or recommendations to improve the formulation? Would another type of wax help? Should I adjust the ratio of powders?

  Thanks a lot for your help!

  replied 2 weeks, 4 days ago 1 Member · 0 Replies

  • deodorant
  • stick
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