Natural Deodorant for Teens and Tweens: A Simple Guide for Parents

There often comes a moment when parents realise their child suddenly smells a little different after school, sport or a warm day.

It's a completely normal part of growing up.

As children move towards puberty, changes in the body's sweat glands can lead to more noticeable body odour. For many families, that's when deodorant becomes one of those new everyday essentials.

But if it's your child's first deodorant, you might be wondering what they actually need and where to start.

When should teens and tweens start using deodorant?

There isn't one particular age when every child needs to start wearing deodorant.

Puberty happens at different times, so a better indication is simply when body odour starts becoming noticeable. This can happen after sport or physical activity at first, or it may become part of everyday life.

Starting deodorant at this stage can also be a simple way to help teens and tweens develop their own personal-care routine.

Deodorant or antiperspirant?

One of the first things to understand is that deodorant and antiperspirant aren't quite the same thing.

Antiperspirants typically use aluminium-based compounds to temporarily reduce perspiration by forming plugs within the sweat ducts.

Deodorant takes a different approach. It doesn't stop the body from perspiring. Instead, it helps manage the body odour that can develop when sweat interacts with bacteria naturally present on the skin.

For teens and tweens who are just beginning to use an underarm product, some parents prefer to start with a simple deodorant rather than an antiperspirant.

What should you look for in a first deodorant?

There's no single formula that's right for every teenager or tween. A good starting point is something that's easy to use, comfortable on their skin and effective enough that they'll actually want to keep using it.

A few practical things to consider include:

• a simple ingredient list
• an easy-to-use format
• a fragrance they enjoy, or a fragrance-free option
• packaging that's easy to keep in a bathroom, school or sports bag
• a sensitive formula if their underarms are easily irritated

And perhaps most importantly, choose something your child feels comfortable using.

What about sensitive skin?

Underarm skin can be sensitive, and everyone's skin responds differently to different ingredients.

Bi-carb soda, also known as sodium bicarbonate or baking soda, is commonly used in natural deodorants because it can be very effective at helping control odour.

For many people, it works extremely well.

For others, its alkalinity can irritate the skin and cause redness, itching or a rash.

If this happens, don't encourage your teen or tween to simply keep using it in the hope their skin will “adjust”. Stop using the product and allow the skin to settle.

A bi-carb free deodorant may be a better option.

This gives us a perfect contextual internal link to the Sensitive Skin article we just created.

Choosing between regular and bi-carb free natural deodorant

If your teen or tween doesn't have particularly sensitive skin, our regular Natural Deodorant can be a good place to start.

It's available in a Stick, Jar or handy Mini Travel Tin, with a choice of essential oil blends.

For sensitive underarms, our Bi-Carb Free Sensitive Formula replaces bi-carb soda with Milk of Magnesia and is available in both a Stick and Jar.

The Sensitive Stick also comes in a Fragrance Free option, which may be a good choice for someone using deodorant for the first time or anyone who prefers to avoid added fragrance.

A few tips for getting started

Deodorant can be applied to wet or dry underarms. Encourage your teen or tween to make it part of their normal morning routine rather than waiting until they notice body odour.

For busy days involving sport, PE or lots of physical activity, keeping deodorant in a sports or school bag can also be handy.

And don't make too big a deal of it.

Body odour is a normal part of growing up. Introducing deodorant can simply become another everyday habit, just like brushing their teeth or washing their face.

A natural place to start

At The Natural Deodorant, we've been making simple natural deodorants for more than 15 years.

Our deodorants are made with 100% natural ingredients and are available in regular and bi-carb free formulas, so families can choose an option that best suits their skin and preferences.

Looking for their first deodorant?
Explore our Natural Deodorant range, including Sticks, Jars, Sensitive Formulas and our Mini Travel Tin.