10 year old needing deodorant and hair removal

[Joco34]

My just turned 10 year old dd has started puberty. She now needs to use deodorant, a roll on, any suggestions which would be best please? Also, she is very aware of the dark hair on her legs and has been asking for a while to get rid of it. Did think about bleaching, any kind hair removal methods for someone her age? Thanks so much for any advice.

Sugaring? I have this thing from bleame which I think is sugaring. you kind of rub it on your leg and it takes the hair off. Exfoliates too. No blades or pain involved so I think ideal for a 10 year old

There's one by Salt of the Earth called Rock Chick that people always recommend for tweens, but neither of mine would use the damn thing. Now I just have a can of a girly looking Sure or Dove spray in their bedrooms, the bathroom and downstairs for pouncing on them before they go to school if I'm suspicious they haven't put it on.

As for hair, I would not allow hair removal this young. Instead change the narrative about how normal it is and how everyone has it.

For hair removal, I use the phillips lady shave electric razor. Safe and rechargeable

Mine use Mitchum unscented roll on which is strong enough to mean they never pong. Did try the more alternative ones but the whiff was strong.

As for hair removal if your child is self conscious it’s already too late for changing the narrative (and unless you also go hairy too). Shaving is easy and cheap - it’s no huge deal so doesn’t need a complicated regime. It’s just hair and it was seen as awful when I was young decades ago and that was long before the current beauty standards.

I wouldn't bleach a tween. Yes to rock salt deodorants and buy her an electric razor to start with, or a proper Venus non- disposable razor if she's sensible and show her how to use it but make it clear body hair is fine and she doesn't have to remove it if she doesn't want to.

Thanks so much. She has been asking to remove the hair for a year. We have many chats about how normal is it etc but now with puberty hitting elsewhere, she is very self conscious so the time is right to do something about it as she is hiding her legs now and wants to cover them up. I'm happy to do this. She is a wonderful girl, mature and very responsible. I appreciate all of your advice.

I remember as a teen I always used disposable razors and always cut myself.
Would definitely recommend getting her a good razor if she goes down the shaving route.
Estrid razors are brilliant in my opinion!

Remember deodorant just covers the smell. Anti perspirant actually prevents b-o. Please get her a proper antiperspirant and a lady shave. No open blades, easy to use. No one wants to be the smelly kid at school with hairy legs in PE!

Agree completely - my daughter had a lot of hair on her legs and was so self conscious at this age - I think finding a sensible hair removal
Option stops them becoming negatively body conscious.

I tried to put my now 11 year old off for a long time. I said to wait for secondary school which she has now started and I bought her a Venus razor with the extra moisture strip. Tried hair removal cream in primary but to be honest she doesn't like the smell and neither do I. She uses spray deodorant the anti stain one as she has white school shirts and doesn't like the damp feeling of roll on.

Please don't make your DDs wait if they want to shave their legs. It's really important that they feel comfortable in their bodies and if that means shaving their legs, so be it. A lady shave is safest for young girls and I was very happy with mine when I was 10.

Hair removal cream is much safer than razors surely?
And would an aluminium free deodorant be good for her as doesn't block up pores? Or otherwise the Dove cream stick is really nice and doesn't leave sticky bits like a normal roll on.

My DD is allergic to rock salt deodorant. I don't know what's in it but it's not completely hypoallergenic. I ended up with a dove deodorant stick for her that was ok.

I also agree that she should be able to choose to get rid of body hair. I'd go through the options with her.

Dove deodorant is good

If you are well off then waxing, if you aren’t /don’t want to spend money on that then a good razor and men’s shaving foam (or a cheap bottle of conditioner works)

Hair removal cream is full of crappy chemicals, it stinks and it’s a faff.

A safety razor isn’t dangerous at all and is much easier and quicker.

I agree, shaving is relatively quick and faff free. You can give her guidance on how to do it safely.

Also anti perspirants are perfectly safe - there aren't any that have safety advisory notes on them wrt children.

Surely she won't need to shave now until at least Easter? Who will see in winter?

Lidl own brand deodorant is fine, rechargeable lady shave is easiest for hair removal

We tried hair removal cream and DD had a horrid reaction to it so we bought her an women’s electric razor - safe and she could charge it. Deodorant we looked at a teenage one to start with but all her friends where using sure etc so we changed and she copied her friends.

I’ve got a Phillips laser hair removal lumea & I always wish I’d started using it from a younger age. Does anyone know if/why it can/can’t be used on tweens?

This!

I was literally that child and my mother didn’t in the end I ended up using a craft knife which with hindsight was so dangerous.

Please show her the options and let her choose.

I only asked mine wait as it just gets progressively worse over the years, something not that obvious would become very obvious sooner.

PE sessions, swimming lessons, sleepovers where they wear shortie pjs... I think there are quite a few occasions over winter where she might feel self conscious?

I didn't think of swimming lessons. I'd expect tracksuit bottoms and winter pyjamas in winter though. No one will see my legs until probably May!