Aging Odor Soap: How to Choose a Nonenal Soap That Works

Short answer: An aging odor soap, also called a nonenal soap, is a soap made for 2-nonenal, the compound that changes body odor from around age 40. The ingredients with research behind them are plant polyphenols such as persimmon tannin and green tea extract. Fragrance and antibacterial agents are not what makes one work.

Written by the NENALI team. We make a persimmon soap, so we have a stake in this topic: every scientific claim below names its source so you can check it yourself. Last reviewed: October 2026.

What is an aging odor soap?

Ordinary soap is built to lift dirt, sweat and surface oil. An aging odor soap adds ingredients aimed at one specific compound, 2-nonenal, which forms when the skin's own oils oxidize. That compound was first identified in the body odor of people over 40 in 2001 (Haze et al., Journal of Investigative Dermatology), and it is the reason the odor returns even after a good shower. Our guide to aging odor explains the chemistry in plain language.

Which ingredients should a nonenal soap have?

• Persimmon tannin (kakishibu). A polyphenol understood to bind odor compounds. It was part of the polyphenol blend that lowered 2-nonenal in a four-week study of 20 men, and it has a long traditional use in Japan.
• Green tea extract. A polyphenol antioxidant, and part of the same blend in that study.
• Glycerin and other moisturizers. Not odor ingredients, but they keep mature skin from drying out with daily use.

Two things matter less than labels suggest:

• Fragrance covers odor rather than removing it. A low-fragrance bar is a better sign.
• Antibacterial agents are aimed at sweat bacteria, not at 2-nonenal.

The 2012 study is the one to know. For four weeks, 20 men aged 43 to 75 washed daily with a soap containing a polyphenol blend from astringent persimmon, green tea, oolong tea and tiencha. The amount of 2-nonenal measured from the body fell significantly, and odor ratings improved (Tatsuguchi et al., Journal of Japan Association on Odor Environment, 2012). It was a small, company-run study of a blend, so treat it as encouraging rather than final.

Does regular soap remove aging odor?

Only briefly. Regular soap washes away what is on the surface, but the skin keeps producing the compound, so the odor returns between washes. Washing more often or scrubbing harder does not change that. It mostly dries the skin.

Does antibacterial soap help with aging odor?

Not much. Antibacterial soap targets the bacteria that turn sweat into odor. Aging odor comes from skin oils reacting with oxygen rather than from sweat bacteria, so it is a different problem. Harsh antibacterial washes can also dry out mature skin.

How to use an aging odor soap

1. Lather on wet skin and start with the neck, chest, back, under-bust and underarms.
2. Leave it on for twenty to thirty seconds before rinsing. Contact time is what does the work.
3. Rinse and pat dry. You do not need perfume layered on top.
4. Repeat daily, and wash pillowcases and collars regularly, because fabric holds the odor.

How long does an aging odor soap take to work?

Some people notice a difference from the first washes. For most, the clearest sign is fabric: a pillowcase or collar that smells different after a week or two. In the 2012 study the measurements were taken after four weeks of daily use, so give any soap about a month before judging it.

Bar soap, body wash or deodorant?

A bar and a body wash on the same base do the same job. The bar gives more contact time and lasts longer, and the wash is easier to handle and to travel with. A deodorant is a different product: it works on sweat bacteria under the arms. Many people use a soap or wash for the body and keep a deodorant for the underarms.

The NENALI aging odor soap

The NENALI Reset Aging Odor Soap is a 100 g persimmon soap made with persimmon tannin and green tea extract, and it is low in fragrance by design. One bar lasts roughly four weeks of daily use. It is sold only on nenali.com and comes with a 60-day money-back guarantee, because skin chemistry varies and we would rather you test it than take our word for it.

If you prefer a liquid, the Daily Wash is a persimmon body wash on the same base.

Frequently asked questions

Is there a soap for old person smell?

Yes. Soaps made for 2-nonenal are sold as aging odor soap, nonenal soap or persimmon soap. They use plant polyphenols such as persimmon tannin instead of relying on fragrance.

Is nonenal soap the same as persimmon soap?

Usually. Nonenal soap means any soap made for 2-nonenal, and persimmon tannin is the ingredient most of them are built on.

Can I use an aging odor soap every day?

Yes. It is meant for daily use, because the skin keeps producing 2-nonenal. If you are prone to reactions, patch test on the inner arm first.

Do I still need deodorant with an aging odor soap?

Yes, if you use one for sweat. A deodorant works on sweat bacteria under the arms, and an aging odor soap works on a compound that forms on the neck, chest and back.

Where can I buy NENALI aging odor soap?

Only on nenali.com. NENALI is not sold on Amazon, eBay or Walmart, and it has no resellers.

Related guides

• Persimmon soap: what it is, benefits and whether it works
• Aging odor (nonenal): is it real, causes and what helps

Sources

1. Haze S, Gozu Y, Nakamura S, Kohno Y, Sawano K, Ohta H, Yamazaki K. 2-Nonenal newly found in human body odor tends to increase with aging. Journal of Investigative Dermatology. 2001;116(4):520–524. doi:10.1046/j.0022-202x.2001.01287.x
2. Tatsuguchi I, Matsuoka T, Izumi R, Ijichi S, Shibata H. Preventive effect against the aged men's body odor by the soap containing polyphenol. Journal of Japan Association on Odor Environment. 2012;43(5):362–366. doi:10.2171/jao.43.362

NENALI products are cosmetics. They are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.