The science

What is established, what is traditional, and what we have not tested. We would rather draw that line ourselves than let a product page blur it.

The compound

2-nonenal was identified in human body odour and reported to increase with age by Haze and colleagues in the Journal of Investigative Dermatology in 2001 — the paper that named it and connected it to ageing skin. It forms when unsaturated fatty acids on the skin oxidise, which is why it is not the same thing as the odour a deodorant addresses: that one comes from bacteria acting on sweat.

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.

Persimmon tannin

Persimmon tannin — kaki-shibu — has been used in Japan as a deodorising agent for centuries, and is a common ingredient in Japanese soaps sold for this purpose. It is a polyphenol, and polyphenols of this family are understood to bind odour compounds rather than mask them.

We are not going to dress that up as more than it is. The traditional use is real and long-documented; what we cannot honestly claim is a controlled trial on our own formulation, because we have not run one. When we do, the protocol and the result will be published on this page in full, including the parts that do not flatter us.

What we do not claim

No percentage of odour reduction. A number without a published protocol behind it means nothing.
No medical claim. NENALI products are cosmetics, not treatments, and are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.
No promise that results are the same for everyone. Skin chemistry varies, which is why the guarantee runs for sixty days rather than asking you to take our word for it.