An antiperspirant active composition comprising an aluminum salt, the aluminum salt (i) having an aluminum to chloride molar ratio of 0.3:1 to 3:1 and (ii) having a species of polyhydroxyoxoaluminum cation detectable at 76 ppm by 27Al NMR that is present in a relative abundance on a 27Al NMR spectrograph that is greater than any other polyhydroxyoxoaluminum cation detectable by 27Al NMR. Also, disclosed are methods of making the antiperspirant active.