There will come a point when you realize your child needs deodorant. This is not something you want to prolong. If you can smell their armpit stink, it’s almost guaranteed everyone else can too. And nobody wants their child to smell fresh more than their parents.
Addressing your child’s body odor is a touchy subject. You don’t want to hurt their feelings. Reminding them that it’s a normal part of puberty and that you experience the same can help them feel a little better about growing up. And offering a safe deodorant they can use is a natural solution to a very common problem.
Look for a Natural Kids Deodorant with Clean Ingredients
Choosing a safe deodorant for your kids can be a confusing task. The endless options vying for your attention are enough to leave any parent stressed out. Knowing what you’re looking for is the first step to a successful purchase. Here’s how to figure out what your child needs and what they don’t.
Deodorant vs. Antiperspirant
Deodorant, antiperspirant, aren’t they the same?
There are a few key differences between deodorant and antiperspirant.
Antiperspirant reduces the amount of sweat you have by blocking your endocrine glands and clogging up pores. This effect is often the result of aluminum-based ingredients. Plus, the inability to sweat prevents the body from cooling down as well as it should. Puberty-age kids generally don’t need an antiperspirant.
Deodorant works in two ways: it masks odor, using fragrances and prevents odor with antimicrobial ingredients.
Ingredients to Look For
Natural deodorants take underarm odor prevention to the next level by utilizing only safe ingredients that don’t irritate the skin or clog pores. When choosing a natural deodorant, look for charcoal, arrowroot, witch hazel, and coconut oil in the ingredients list. These are some of the natural, yet effective clean ingredients that are safe for kids and teens to use for their underarm odor.
Charcoal – activated charcoal is a natural odor eliminator that works by absorbing the bacteria that causes the odor.
Arrowroot – arrowroot helps reduce sweat by absorbing moisture.
Witch hazel – witch hazel naturally kills bacteria, absorbs moisture, and reduces inflammation. Plus, it doesn’t leave residue on the skin and works quickly.
Coconut oil – the fatty acids in coconut oil have antibacterial properties helping to rid the underarms of the bacteria that produce odor.
Ingredients to Avoid in Deodorant for Kids
As parents we want the best products for our kids – and that includes what they put on their underarms. Choosing a safe deodorant that’s free from aluminum, parabens, phthalates, and fragrances is important for their health and safety.
While more research is always needed surrounding aluminum’s safety, one thing is for certain, aluminum acts by seeping into pores and blocking sweat from reaching the surface.
Parabens are another controversial ingredient commonly used in deodorant. Parabens can be absorbed through the skin and can act as estrogen in the body. The research suggesting parabens cause breast cancer is not sufficient.
Phthalates can act as fragrances and may disrupt the way testosterone functions in the body. Fragrances can irritate the skin.
While more research is always needed, there’s no harm in switching to a deodorant that doesn’t contain any of the harmful ingredients listed here.
Kids Body Odor – The Big Cover Up
Kids stink. It’s a fact. But masking the odor is only a bandaid and not a solution. Watch out for products that just want to cover up the smell and don’t actually help prevent the bacteria that causes odor.
Instead choose products that contain natural ingredients that cleanse and detoxify while killing bacteria.
Puberty activates the apocrine glands, the source of sweaty feet and armpits. Combine the influx of sweat with the overgrowth of bacteria that live on your kids skin, a musky odor results, aka body odor. Harsh chemicals aren’t necessary to prevent body odor – natural clean ingredients work just as well without risky side effects.
If your child is not seeing the benefits of a natural deodorant right away, remind them it takes up to two weeks for the effects to kick in, so be patient. While the quick fix of regular deodorants is appealing, the harsh chemicals are not.
TBH Kids Deodorant is The Natural Solution
It’s no surprise that Parents Magazine ranked our Kids’ Deodorant #1. Developing a deodorant that is safe and gentle but really works doesn’t happen over night. We’ve created the perfect deodorant formulation for kids and we’re confident you’ll love it too. Plus, the reviews on our website from kids just like yours speak for themselves.
Order your stash of TBH Kids Deodorant and sign up for our newsletter for exclusive specials and offers. Follow us on social media too!