All-Natural Charcoal Deodorant Takes Marketplace by Storm
Two childhood friends have graduated from lemonade stands to sold-out stock on their latest invention: all natural deodorant.
Jessica Edelstein and Sarah Ribner appeared on ABC’s Shark Tank in December. The new year has proven incredibly successful for them, and they have since seen a boom in sales for their product PiperWai.
Their online store has started a wait-list for the deodorant, stating an overwhelming demand has left them without enough stock. However, they hope to catch up soon.
Both graduates of the University of Philadelphia, the two women decided to take a stab at natural deodorant after realizing there was a huge lack of natural deodorants on the market.
Inquistr.com reported that after tinkering with the formula, they found a combination that looked promising. To test it, Edelstein gave Ribner a jar to take with her on a service trip to South America. After using it for a few days in blazing heat, Ribner realized the product did work and kept her smelling fresh throughout the day.
According to The Temple News of Temple University, the women realized the special ingredient was activated charcoal. Activated charcoal is believed to be good for gastrointestinal health and is extremely absorbent.
“Charcoal can absorb a thousand times its own moisture because of its large surface area,” Edelstein said. “We did a lot of research before adding the ingredient to the formula.”
Not only is charcoal great at absorbing and neutralizing the odor-causing bacteria in sweat, but it also goes on clear and doesn’t stain clothes as other deodorants do. While the product doesn’t act as an antiperspirant and won’t stop excessive sweating, it is marketed as a way to neutralize the odors caused by sweat.
“While neutralizing the perspiration once it appears is a great approach to removing the smell and feeling one gets from sweating, neutralizing it is only covering up or negating a symptom that is already present. A more direct or effective approach is to prevent the sweat from appearing, or stopping it,” said Christopher J. Ligi, Director of Sales with Hidrex USA, LLC.
Ligi added that other alternatives already exist for treating excessive sweating.
“A safe, healthy, and natural approach for someone suffering from excessive sweating is iontophoresis, which uses a mild electrical current through water to greatly reduce the activity of an over-active sweat gland. These iontophoresis machines have been widely used in Europe for over 35 years to treat excessive sweating, or hyperhidrosis, but only recently became available in the Americas,” Ligi said.
Still, once Edelstein and Ribner were able to present their product to the panel of Shark Tank, they were offered two investment deals, eventually settling on an offer for $50,000 in exchange for 25% equity in the company.
The team hopes to release a stick version of the deodorant in the near future.
