Let’s face it: no one likes bad smells, whether in their home or on their body. Scent is often linked to an individual’s confidence and self-esteem, and malodors can hinder those qualities. And there's research to back it up.
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Let’s face it: no one likes bad smells, whether in their home or on their body. Scent is often linked to an individual’s confidence and self-esteem, and malodors can hinder those qualities. And there's research to back it up.
A study published in the International Journal of Neuroscience showed that 65% of the women surveyed reported feeling more confident when they wore perfume1. Further, research published in Cognitive Research: Principles and Implications outlines a three-factor benefits framework to understand why consumers choose scented household products: functional benefits, in-use experience and emotional benefits2. And finally, a study from journal Brain Sciences demonstrated that clothes in second-hand stores treated with a fresh laundry scent saw an increase in the amount of money spent by customers than those not treated with a scent booster3.
“As humans, we instinctively dislike malodors, because on a primal level, we associate them with danger, spoiled food and the like,” said Alizée Antoine, R&D marketing manager at MANE. “They continue to play an important role in our everyday lives, impacting our decisions and relationships.”
We want to get rid of the malodors as quickly and efficiently as possible. This can mean either covering the bad smell, known as masking, or eliminating the smell altogether, called neutralization.
Enter malodor technology, an important area in a fragrance house’s portfolio. These technologies meet consumer demand for better smelling products that help eliminate bad smells, thus making them feel more confident and comfortable.
Perfumer & Flavorist+ tapped industry leaders to learn more about their own malodor technology and how this area is evolving to meet consumer needs.
Givaudan Introduces Reimagined Zap Odor Control Platform
Fragrance and beauty company Givaudan recently reimagined its Zap Odor Control Platform. The Zap platform targets specific malodor problems with dedicated technologies based on regions, climate and consumer needs.
The platform was created in collaboration with the company’s perfumers to address five key pillars:
- DeoZap: Deodorant odor control solutions to combat sweat and body odors
- YouZap: Personal care odor control solutions for hair, body and intimate care
- FabZap: Odor control solutions for living spaces
- HomeZap: Odor control solutions designed to protect living spaces from environmental malodors, targeting indoor air quality
- PetZap: New platform dedicated to pet care odor solutions
Givaudan’s malodor research represents the intersection of biology, chemistry, neuroscience and sensory science. The multifaceted approach allows formulators to incorporate several mechanisms into their formulations.
“For formulators, our ZAP technologies offer twenty advanced malodor control solutions that work in different ways to address malodors: prevent malodor formation, eliminate the malodors that form, block the perception of malodors and harmonize to disguise a malodor,” said Isabelle Garcia, marketing manager for F&B science and technology. “The technologies can be added directly to the product formulation and support the drive towards more environmentally conscious products and the need to use less water and energy. For consumers, the technologies deliver effective malodor control solutions that transform negative olfactive experiences into positive ones.”
Research suggests that fresh scents boost the value of a product, according to a study in Brain Sciences.JenkoAtaman at Adobe Stock
MANE Gets Molecular with FRESHPLEX
Launched in 2022, MANE’s FRESHPLEX fragrances are made with patented molecules for malodor counteraction. According to the company, this technology can reduce malodor perception by up to 80% in a study.
“Our approach for FRESHPLEX began with screening and identifying proprietary molecules capable of chemically reducing key malodor compounds, namely thiols, amines and acids,” said Alizée Antoine, R&D marketing manager. “Subsequent sensory and compatibility testing resulted in a minimum 30% decrease and up to 80% reduction in real-world odors while maintaining fragrance stability and eco-friendly scalability.”
These molecules were tested against several malodors down to the molecular level so they can be eliminated rather than masked. In fact, in a hair-specific study, the FRESHPLEX solution cut perceived odors from sweat, cooking and cigarette smoke by 64%, 54% and 52%, respectively.
This technology offers a measurable functional impact while also delivering emotional value to consumers. According to Antoine, modern consumers want fewer products in their routine that do more for them, such as a fragrance that not only smells good but can eliminate bad odors in fabrics, hair, the body and the air.
“In essence, our R&D approach combines scientific innovation with a deep understanding of market olfactory preferences, delivering a product that meets functional and sensory expectations,” Antoine said.
Iberchem Prioritizes Sustainability with VernovaPure
Building on its existing technology, Iberchem launched VernovaPure in May of 2024 as a more effective and sustainable option for its customers. This technology includes ingredients that can react with malodor molecules to suppress the smell of the malodor. Plus, the technology is biodegradable, based on the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Developments’s definitions and standards of testing.
“Our focus now is to develop and promote technologies which are more sustainable and therefore we developed VernovaPure to be a direct replacement for our older technology, NeoPure,” said Iberchem research team manager Manuel Serna. “VernovaPure is biodegradable and has an improved effectiveness against all types of malodors when compared to NeoPure.”
What also sets VernovaPure apart from other malodor technologies is its integration with Iberchem’s existing fragrances, so consumers can get both fragrance and neutralizing benefits in the same ingredient. Further, the company tested the fragrances and malodor technology using both laboratory and in vivo sensory and analytical methods to provide data demonstrating efficacy against different types of malodors.
“This malodor neutralizing technology positions Iberchem as an innovator in fragrance technology solutions as we deliver high-performance, environmentally-conscious fragrances which meet consumers’ olfactive expectations,” said global applications and technology director Michael White. “I look forward to seeing VernovaPure thrive in a variety of applications and delivering more sustainable, tailor-made fragrance technologies in the future.”
Malodor technologies meet consumer demand for better smelling products that help eliminate bad smells, thus making them feel more confident and comfortable.peopleimages.com at Adobe Stock
Symrise Leverages Partnerships to Find Malodor Solutions
In 2019, Symrise began a partnership with Belgian biotech company ChemCom to enhance its research in innovative solutions against malodors. Together, the two companies can identify aromatic substances that block the receptors of unpleasant odors, which could be applied to Symrise’s Neofresh technology platform.
“The cooperation with ChemCom will help us expand our Neofresh range with specific blockers that effectively combat bad odors,” said Dr. Marco Singer, head of fragrance performance at Symrise. “This is a unique approach and can be combined with our fragrances with outstanding results.”
Symrise’s Neofresh technologies encompasses four different areas:
- Preventing bad odors (anti-microbial cosmetic ingredients)
- Intercepting or neutralizing bad odors in the air
- Embedding bad odors into a different fragrance context
- Suppression of odor perception at the receptor level
The company later launched its Neofresh Air Sport Skin+Fabric solutions in 2021. This technology combines the function of a deodorant and the benefits of fragrance to shield both skin and clothes from malodor after a workout. Available in a spectrum of scents, the Air Sport Skin+Fabric solution offers three unique benefits: counteraction of sweat malodor, prevention of residual sweat malodor transfer onto clothing stimulation of sport-proof, fresh fragrance. This technology was developed in partnership with the Monnell Chemical Senses Center, an independent research institute focused on sensory science.
References
- Herz, Rachel S. “Aromatherapy facts and fictions: a scientific analysis of olfactory effects on mood, physiology and behavior.” The International Journal of Neuroscience. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19125379/
- Herz, Rachel S et al. “A three-factor benefits framework for understanding consumer preference for scented household products: psychological interactions and implications for future development.” Cognitive Research: Principles and Implications. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8972642/#Sec19
- de Groot, Jasper H B et al. “A Fresh Look on Old Clothes: Laundry Smell Boosts Second-Hand Store Sales.” Brain Sciences. doi:10.3390/brainsci12111526
