When we think about deodorant, we don't immediately think luxury. However, clean beauty brand Kosas managed to take one of the least sexy personal care items and make it something truly Instagrammable. Meet Chemistry AHA Serum Deodorant, the brand's newest launch and first foray into body care for its capsule Kosasport collection. You're probably thinking, serum deodorant? Well, given the fact that Kosas created the first ever tinted face oil, they definitely know how to switch up a tried and true formula. For this product, it meant throwing conventional deodorant sticks and alternative pastes out the window in favor of a formula that's not only free of toxins like aluminum, but also void of common irritants often used in natural deodorants such as baking soda.
Founder Sheena Yaitanes was looking for a deodorant that didn't prevent sweating (aka an antiperspirant) or just mask the smell of body odor like many natural options do. Instead, she turned to one of her favorite skincare ingredients, alpha hydroxy acids (AHAs). Yaitanes used a blend of shikimic acid, mandelic acid and lactic acid to help create a pH environment where odor-causing bacteria can’t survive, for a fresh, clean feeling. And because the product is made with skincare-grade ingredients, it also soothes irritated skin, smoothes bumps, visibly brightens the darker underarm area and prevents ingrown hairs in the process.
True to Kosas's DNA, the packaging is as thoughtful (and photogenic) as ever—the thin, liquidy serum comes in a tube rather than a stick, and uses a unique rollerball method to apply it to underarms mess-free. The actual formula is clear, dries quickly and doesn't leave stubborn yellow-ish stains on any white tee it touches, like some of its competitors do. And it comes in two versions: Unscented and Serene Clean, a fresh scent made with essential oils (not perfumes).
But best of all? The product actually does what is says it does: stops odor before it even becomes an issue. I tried Chemistry firsthand during a sweaty interval workout, gave a little sniff test after 40 minutes, and I literally smelled nothing. As someone who has tried her fair share of clean deodorants, which often irritate my sensitive underarm skin, I can say with full confidence that I am a convert. No irritation, no residue and nourished skin? Yes, a thousand times.
