Best deodorants for kids: roll-ons, sprays and creams recommended by parents

It’s a landmark moment in every parents' life when ‘sweet child of mine’ is replaced by ‘smells like teen spirit’ and we catch a hint of our child’s BO. Remember how delicious the back of their heads smelled as a baby? Armpits are another matter, however, and it can be a serious issue when we remember just how easily pubescent school children can be stigmatised for the unpleasant whiff of body odour.

Once you’re resolved to push the button, glide the roll-on or smear the cream, getting the right deodorant for your child will be a process of trial and error. There’s much disagreement on this topic and some quite polarised opinions, so it can be difficult to decide what's the best option for your not-so-little one. Fortunately, that’s the stuff of Mumsnet and we’re here to help. Whether you want to go 100% natural or want something made of tough stuff for a particularly sporty, sweaty child, we've selected the top products available today.

For more Mumsnetter-approved ways to keep cool and sweat-free this summer, check out our guides to the best neck fans, the best tower fans and the best handheld fans.

How we chose our recommendations

There are lots of different deodorants on the market that are specifically tailored for or suitable for children and teenagers, so selecting which one is right for your child can be a real challenge. We’ve thoroughly researched the best deodorants you can buy for children, including analysis of tried and tested experiences from a wide range of reliable sources.

Recommendations from real parents

First up, we sought out the trusted thoughts of our Mumsnet community of parents who have faced their fair share of challenges with their children - body odour included! We vetted their trusted views and recommendations, getting feedback on the deodorants they have tried with their children that they felt worked effectively, including their favourite brands, scents, ingredients and method of application. We also took into account the age of their children and critique of products that just didn’t work or essentially failed to banish the BO.

Expert opinions

When it comes to toiletries and skin products, we want to be confident that the products we recommend are safe to use on your children. We looked for aluminium-free products where possible (we've specified in the product specs any that do contain aluminium), and made sure our recommendations were products that were well-regarded, rated or recommended by dermatologists or healthcare professionals.

Authentic consumer reviews

Finally, to bring you our definitive list of the deodorants for children, we scrutinised in-depth customer reviews on retailer sites such as Amazon, Boots and Superdrug to get wider consumer experiences on the deodorants that made our shortlist. Through this research, we were able to weigh up the best deodorants for each situation and the possible pros and cons of each choice.

It’s worth remembering that with skincare products there can be some extreme differences in opinion and it may be a case of trial and error to find the best choice for your child. Natural deodorants can also require a period of transition, so you need to give time for their body to adjust when shifting from one product to another.

With that in mind, here are the best deodorants for kids in 2024.

Things to consider when picking your child’s first deodorant

There is a huge choice of deodorants for kids and teens, so when finding the right one for your child, here are some things you may want to consider:

• Ingredients list - For children’s delicate, young skin, there are some ingredients that you may want to avoid, including aluminium and alcohol. Products that are dermatologically or clinically tested and suitable for sensitive skin or those with allergies are often kinder and more gentle on children’s skin, but may be less effective for heavy sweaters.

• Natural ingredients - Deodorants made from natural products are increasing in popularity, but it’s worth noting that your child’s body will need time to adjust and for the deodorant to start working, whereas traditional deodorants are more likely to work from the first application.

• Environmental impact - If you are trying to be more environmentally conscious, you may wish to look out for deodorant brands that offer sustainable production methods or use recycled or minimal packaging. The deodorant bars offer a great plastic-free solution, or opt for concentrated deodorants that require less frequent purchases to reduce waste.

• Method of application - For children, the method of application can be important. A spray might be preferable for older children, whereas tweens or teens may be more comfortable using a roll-on. Some deodorants require manual application using your fingers, which may not suit those with sensory needs.

• Scent - Do you want a deodorant with a perfumed scent or would you prefer a fragrance-free option? A scent-free deodorant is less likely to contain perfumes that can be an irritant, but a natural, fresh scent may be appealing to teens.

• Cost - How much do you want to spend? Some products are more expensive than others, but it’s worth considering package size and how often the deodorant needs to be applied. Some natural deodorants are more expensive initially, but require less frequent application meaning they work out more reasonable on a cost per use basis.

• Is your child particularly active? - Whilst some of the natural options and deodorants aimed at children will be effective for young users experiencing mild body odour, if your child is particularly active, sporty or exercises regularly, they may need a stronger adult deodorant.

When should kids start using deodorant?

When they start to smell. That’s about the size of it. Sure, Grandma might question the wisdom of an eight or nine-year-old wearing deodorant, but to her we’d simply repeat the words of one wise Mumsnetter. In a world of undeniable BO stigma, she simply said: “Better to wear deodorant than to be known as the smelly kid.”

Is deodorant safe for kids?

Despite some concerns from parents about the safety of deodorant for kids, there are no medical age restrictions on the age children can start using deodorant. The biggest concern is around the ingredients, particularly aluminium.

Parents will naturally be concerned about both the confronting reality of a child’s emerging maturity and also giving them a safe start by ensuring they are not needlessly pumping their bodies full of carcinogenic chemicals.

Cancer Research have created a helpful report on the controversies surrounding deodorant additives and the specific risks associated with cosmetics and toiletries.

What kind of deodorant is best for a child?

Starting out, the best advice is to embrace first principles. When your child uses a deodorant for the first time, you simply won't know how it will affect their skin or how effective the spray, roll-on or cream will be. Children with sensory issues might struggle with the feel of a product, or simply resist altogether, so take it slow.

Common sense suggests starting with a deodorant that's specifically gentle on skin – look for a product that's 0% aluminium, 0% alcohol and has a sensitive skin formulation. And remember, you’ll need to support whatever deodorant you choose with a regime of regular bathing and daily clean clothes, preferably in natural, breathable fabrics.

Do a patch test first and within 48 hours you’ll see evidence of any allergic reaction in itches, bumpy or red skin.

Should kids use deodorant or antiperspirant?

While deodorants simply mask body odour, antiperspirants prevent sweating by blocking the sweat ducts. As such, antiperspirants can also help with body odour. There have generally been concerns from parents about antiperspirants preventing harmful toxins from leaving the body, so most deodorants for kids work by neutralising odour rather than preventing sweat.

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