Focusing on sweat’s natural function
As climate change increasingly impacts daily life, consumers around the world face sticky skin and unpleasant sweat odors. Yet sweat plays a crucial role in body temperature regulation, cooling the body through evaporation.
Instead of blocking perspiration, Kao researchers investigated the mechanisms behind discomfort. They identified two key factors: sodium chloride in sweat, which slows drying; and the interaction of sweat with sebum, which produces stickiness. While porous silica has shown the ability to absorb sweat, its performance is insufficient under conditions of high heat and heavy perspiration.
Sweat Transpiration Technology: rapid spread and accelerated drying
Kao addressed this challenge by developing a hydrophilic film that spreads sweat across the skin, accelerating evaporation. Laboratory tests demonstrated that combining a hydrophilic plate-like powder with porous silica reduces the contact angle of sweat droplets, enabling faster dispersion.
On synthetic skin substrates, the prototype formulation reduced the evaporation time of artificial sweat by approximately 33% compared with untreated samples under conditions of 30°C and 60% humidity.
Implications for the cosmetic industry
According to Kao, this technology paves the way for innovative skincare and cosmetic products that improve comfort in hot environments while leveraging sweat’s natural function.
Looking ahead, Kao plans to further strengthen its core research on sweat and pursue initiatives focused on the development of new cosmetic products alleviating discomfort in hot conditions.
