I can't find a good deodorant for my 12 year old.

[PoppadomPreachImInTroubleDeep]

And I was wondering if you might be able to help. My daughter is 12 and showers every day but after a day at school I can notice the smell of body odour on her which is far from ideal. All of her school shirts etc are washed daily and are fresh.

We have just started with deodorant and I have tried 'Wild' and 'Fussy'. Neither of which work. I have tried both of them too and found that they aren't any good for me either. Can anyone recommend a good deodorant or is it anti perspirant she needs that doesn't contain nasties? I have tried to stick to the natural route but if it isn't working I need to explore other ideas. Please help! I don't want her getting a hard time at school. Thank you.

I have teens. It’s a rough age and I would look at it as a hormonal phase. Use anything that makes your child feel confident and comfortable. It’s a short period, they out grow it.

Change to bar soap for pits
Wash clothes with bio wash on a hot temperature or dettol type cleanser
Use white vinegar on shirt armpits to break down old oils and deodorant
Use a decent antiperspirant and if that doesn’t work try a stronger overnight roll on like driclor or perspirex- there are sensitive versions available.
Be aware of diet because some foods make body odour extra stinky.

Whatever you do, don’t let them be the stinky kid.

Mine uses the strawberry salt of the earth and the armpits on her clothes smell like strawberries after so definitely works!

You need an anti perspirant, not a deodorant. The two are not the same!

I agree with pp's about using Dove etc. I spent a good few pounds on various 'natural' types but it was wasted money. My dd became self conscious and that disappeared once I relented and gave her a proper nice smelling antiperspirant.

Ooo I’ll look out for that one 😊 mines using ocean and coconut, smells of holidays

I found Mitchum works best for my 12 year old son applied at night after his shower and then again in the morning

Have you tried pit stop? That’s the one that works for my 13 year old son.

I love the US brand secret, they do an aluminium free version, available on Amazon. I've got very sweaty again since perimeno and this does the job, so imagine equally helpful for someone in puberty

Wash pits with proper soap, or if really stinky, then Hibiscrub/Hibiwash. Cotton clothes washed with big box bio powder. Good deodorant such as Sure, Dove, Sanex or Mitchum.

I can't understand why you wouldn't give a teen whose armpits function like those of an adult's, something that would actually work on an adult

I wouldn't be content with covering my BO with perfume rather than preventing it, so I won't be expecting my kids to

I started using Gem anti-perspirant roll-on and it's the best I've ever used. It's available at M&S (my local food hall sells it) and the scents are lovely.

We use this and it seems effective. https://naturaldeoco.com/all-products/#teen

Natural deodorant is shit. You need to get her one that works - ie an antiperspirant. I use Sanex. She won't be harmed by the ingredients - that's just scaremongering.

My pongy 10yo uses Dove soap in the shower on her face & underarms (all stinky pits too and any muddy patches - rugby player) then has a quick rub over with a small amount of shower gel as she prefers the smell. Followed by a sensitive Sanex roll on & a top up as needed with the spray version. So far, it's working well 🤞🏻

Has to be a roll-on and preferably Mitchum OP. It's the only thing that ever worked for me and DD. I'd love to do the natural ones but they're shit for serious sweaters.

Definitely use bar soap ( my DS used - and still does ) Wrights coal tar soap. To be honest any bar soap works, Shield, Imperial Leather, Palmolive. Just need a really good wash with it.

We all use the Mitchum solid stick for Men. It’s the only one that keeps us all sweet smelling for the whole day. They are fresh smelling so unisex really. About £2.40 in Tesco and Amazon.

Mitchum is the only thing I find works. Never had any joy with a natural one

My daughter is 9 but an early bloomer. We both tend to use either sure or dove roll on which work well. I’m not a big believer in natural deos but I can’t say i’ve given them much chance. It’s the chemicals that actually make them work imo.

Sanex - the stick one is aluminium free and gentle on sensitive skin but much more effective than the ‘all natural’ brands

Mitchum is very good, dealt with my peri BO, I'd tried everything prior to Mitchum

No deodorant is ‘full of nasties’.

Numerous studies have been carried out which prove that the use of ordinary antiperspirant deodorants don’t have adverse effects. The theory that aluminium in deodorant causes cancer has been disproven a million times.

Just get her an ordinary deodorant from the supermarket like every other teenager uses. Mitchum is generally considered a good option for excessive sweating but it’s likely any brand that isn’t a ‘natural’ one will be fine. You really don’t want your poor child being that one kid at school who smells. It’s not fair on her.

Yep, it's incredible that people still believe this nonsense in 2026.

Being the smelly kid in school will have far more adverse affects on the poor girl than any antiperspirant would.

We do roll on Mitchum let it dry, then the spray as well- comes back still smelling good!

I use Wild but find the roll on anti perspiration version rather than the one like a balm texture. My 11 year old DD uses Salt Of The Earth deodorant from Holland & Barrett’s and I find that’s working ok.

Another vote for Make Waves. it’s mine but daughter (pre teen but has had the stink since age 6!) now also uses it too as Wild was no longer cutting it, and she washes underarms every day with simple bar soap and a fresh flannel. We have a whole stack of little flannel squares, I think they were actually cheeky wipes reusables for nappy changes originally, but just the right size for an armpit!