A deodorant is a substance applied to the body to prevent or mask body odor caused by bacterial breakdown of perspiration, such as that in the armpits, groin, or feet. A subclass of deodorants called antiperspirants prevents sweating itself, typically by blocking sweat glands. Antiperspirants are used on a wider range of body parts at any place where sweat would be inconvenient or unsafe. Other types of deodorant allow sweating but prevent bacterial action on sweat.
The first commercial deodorant, Mum, was introduced and patented in the late nineteenth century by Edna Murphey, an inventor in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The product was briefly withdrawn from the market in the US. The modern formulation of the antiperspirant was patented by Jules Montenier on January 28, 1941. This formulation was first found in "Stopette" deodorant spray, which Time magazine called "the best-selling deodorant of the early 1950s".
