Tackling Body Odour in Teens

Puberty is TOUGH. Remember when you were an awkward string bean?! Body parts would grow overnight, unwanted hairs would sprout in places they didn’t before and a new funky odour started to follow you around. Suddenly, you were more aware of social pressures and self-conscious of how you looked and smelled.

A Teen's Perspective

We asked one of our Rocky kids to share her perspective on using a deodorant. Beatrice, daughter of our Hiring Manager Lindsey, is an active 12 year old who rock climbs and loves living in the mountains.

“I noticed more and more girls in the locker room use a deodorant. I get pretty sweaty when I’m doing sports so I thought I should start to use a deodorant too! It was a little awkward at first but I talked to my mom about it and she suggested Rocky Mountain Soap because it doesn’t have chemicals. To me, I want my deodorant to have a nice smell so I’ve tried every scent now and Lavender is my favourite! Some of my friends use it now too.”

Body odour is one of the clearest signs that puberty is beginning. As kids mature, their sweat glands become more active and start to develop odour from a buildup of bacteria. If your kid is like Beatrice, they might be shy in coming to talk to you about it - so beat them to the punch!

Here’s some ways you canhelp your kiddo in this new phase of life so that they’re developing good hygiene habits from the start.

1. First things first: Daily washing

It’s second nature for us to turn to deodorant to eliminate odour but no deodorant is better than proper hygiene. Make sure your child is washing their entire body (including the pits, the bits) daily with soap. A natural soap will ensure they’re using wholesome ingredients that are nourishing for the skin and won’t strip away natural oils. Juicy Orange is a big hit with kids due to its refreshing real orange scent.

2. Choose the right deodorant

There are so many deodorant options out there. Choose one that doesn’t contain an antiperspirant. Antiperspirants contain harsh synthetic chemicals that can irritate skin, block sweat glands and clog pores that create more damage down the road. Natural deodorants DO work and we have lots of five star reviews to prove it. Take them to the store to choose their favourite scent - maybe even get two so they have one at home and one in their backpack in case they need to reapply at school. Equip them so they have no shame raising their arms freely and can be their authentic selves all day.

3. Be choosy about fabrics

Not all kids need a deodorant. The fabrics in their clothing may be the culprit in trapping sweat in, giving it a warm place to thrive. Look for clothing made with natural fabrics like cotton, bamboo, hemp and merino wool that wick perspiration away from your body and keep the body dry.