The origin of AKT London started in 2015 when co-founders Ed Currie and Andy Coxon met while practicing for Beautiful: The Carole King Musical in the West End of London. With their busy schedules, eight concerts a week, and hot, blazing theatrical lights, Andy and Ed both had a hard time finding a good deodorant, especially one that would cover up their active lifestyles. The two made the decision to start their quest to develop a deodorant balm that would work for everyone. The rest is history.

Andy shares: “Design is an important part of our lives, and since tube based deodorant balms still aren’t particularly well known, it was vital for us to create something that sets itself apart visually. The majority of well-known deodorant brands use questionable ingredients and harmful packaging, so it was crucial that we created an instantly recognisable brand aesthetic. Why do the natural and “green” brands have to compromise on design? We want our customers to take pride in the fact they’re using a product that not only works really well and looks beautiful, but is good for their well-being as well as the planet.”

Andy and Ed immersed themselves in the realm of deodorant, spending three years on research, development, and formulation while working with top fragrance and cosmetic science specialists. As the most successful remedy for the persistently failing antiperspirants, The Deodorant Balm was officially launched in May 2020, at the beginning of the pandemic and after all theatrical performances had been shut down. AKT is a combination of theatre, personal cleanliness, and self-care, as evidenced by the font of the brands, which was even influenced by famous theatre billboards.

Helping to inspire the brand, a vast amount of West End cast members in London were given a sample of The Deodorant Balm to test its efficacy and comfort, with an overwhelming response of positivity and support. The community’s feedback and support have been crucial to AKT for its existing success and continuation of growth. The brand received £1m in a recent funding round and will use the money to help the brand increase their plastic-free footprint across Europe, with a focus on enhancing its subscriptions alongside its loyalty initiatives and ecommerce experiences.

Both were aware that AKT would eventually need to be a natural, gender-neutral, all-vegan, plastic-free deodorant brand that is tested on actors rather than animals. Because of their high environmental principles, they understood that creating packaging made of aluminium instead of plastic would be essential for its durability, mobility, and capacity to be recycled. In addition, the friends and business partners deliberately developed custom, high-end scents that drew inspiration from some of their favourite natural settings.

AKT is an amazing story and the products are truly fantastic and changing the landscape.

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