Helen Barnett Diserens

Helen Barnett Diserens (1919-April 15, 2008) is the inventor of underarm roll-on deodorant.
Early years
Diserens was born in Huntington, West Virginia and was the daughter of Arthur Leroy and Leah Barnett.
Education
Diserens graduated from the University of Michigan in 1941 and was one of only two women chemistry majors in her class. She then moved to New York where she worked for Elizabeth Arden, Hoffman LaRoche and Bristol Myers.
Inventions
In the late 1940s, Diserens joined the Mum production team at Bristol Myers where a commercial product to prevent body odor had already been created. After a colleague suggested the idea to Diserens, she developed an underarm deodorant based on the same principle as the ballpoint pen, that had recently been invented. The product she created was tested in the USA in 1952, and marketed under the name of Ban Roll-On. She was also part of the team, as one of the heads of the consumer products research laboratories, to reform Bufferin aspirin, Ipana toothpaste and other products.<ref name="New York Times" />
Second career
After taking time off to raise her children, she returned to work as the Business Manager of the Rippowan Cisqua School in Bedford, New York. She was the Chair of the Business Affairs Committee of the National Association of Independent Schools. She co-authored, with John Shank, a book that standardized accounting practices for independent schools. She worked for the Rippowan Cisqua School for thirty years. Upon retirement, she continued with her own business, Money Minder, where she managed the personal and household finances for women in Northern Westchester. She retired from all work at the age of 84.<ref name="New York Times" />
Family life
She was married to Robert C. Diserens, Jr.
Death
She died on April 15, 2008 at the age of 89. She is survived by her sister, Betty Jane Miller; her daughter, Deborah Diserens; her son, Robert C. Diserens III; and four grandchildren.

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