Mumsnet users tell Dove how they introduce a self-care routine to teenagers

[EllieMumsnet]

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Before puberty hits, body odour isn't really a thing - ah remember the joy of rarely washing hair, not thinking about the comparative benefits of soap and bodywash, and being utterly ignorant of the verb 'to exfoliate'? - but all too soon that comes to an end. Trying to introduce a self-care routine for the first time to your children can be a tricky subject to navigate, which is why Dove would love to know your experiences and tips for how to have the conversation with your teenagers and how you went about picking products for them e.g. deodorant.

Here’s what Dove has to say: “At Dove we know that you want to give the best support to your teenagers as they go through the emotional, physical and hormonal changes of puberty. It can be a sensitive time and your relationship with them goes through changes too. They still need their parents’ care – just a different kind of care to when they were younger, one that spans both practical help and emotional support. We are interested in hearing how you approach conversations about introducing a self-care routine with your teenagers, especially when it comes to deodorants and body odour.”

Did you have conversations with your DC as and when body and hormonal changes were occuring? Perhaps you did a lot of research into trying to find the right products for your child to use? If you found any great products, such as the perfect deodorant, please do share them! What age was your child when you first started to have conversations about self-care with them? How did you bring it up?

However you introduced a self-care routine to your DC and whatever products you bought/used, share them on the thread below and you’ll be entered into a prize draw where one winner will win a £300 voucher of their choice (from a list).

Thanks and good luck!
MNHQ

Standard Insight T&Cs Apply

Still have to remind my teens to have a shower. What helps us is allowing them to choose their own shower gel, shampoo and so on. Then constant prompting to have showers or change their clothes!

My ds is only ten but we've had the personal hygiene convo more than once over the years. It's been a gradual build up which more recently has become a bit more apparent he needs to step up a bit as he's starting to whiff.

We don't make a big deal out of it, just tell him he won't get a girlfriend when he's older if he stinks ....seems to work 😂

3 out of 5 of my children are going through puberty all at different rates and its been so much easier than I thought! They seem to be getting nicer! lol x

As for skin care, I have a very simple one myself that seems to be working ok, I wash with Olay daily facial wash cloths and use Dove DermaSpa Youthful Vitality, and now my 11 yr old does the same when we remember, otherwise, she simply uses water!

My gal has just started needing a stronger deoderant as she has just started puberty, and we made it fun, letting her pick her new hair and body stuff, and as I want to protect her skin, we chose 'Missy Spray' deoderant from the 'Keep it Kind' website, kind and gentle on the skin whilst smelling fresh, its been working out great! x

My four year old stepdaughter uses a deodorant once a week and I ensure she washes all parts of her body. We also have personal hygiene discussions. I encourage her to wipe her feet when entering the apartment and cleaning her face at night with a wet cloth.

I'm shocked how many people think daily disposable wipes life long are a good idea! Screw the environment, hey?

Struggled with teenage son until he became interested in girls, now we can't get him out of the bathroom!

I struggle with this as my daughter seems to think a bath a week is enough!! She uses deodorant but I have to make sure that she is having regular washes / showers! She hasn't grasped getting all the shampoo out of her hair which means it can look quite greasy! Kids!!

Build it into their routine from an early age. Bath before bed and teeth cleaned twice a day is routine from the earliest age. Just add in as they grow up- antiperspirant, face wash, shower after sport etc.
Buy them nice products- brands that they don't want to hide away, then they'll see them and remember to use them. Don't make a fuss but associate it positively with your pride in them growing up. Tell them that it's good to take care of themselves- it's about self respect and self worth. (Also about being social- ie not smelling bad to those around you!)
Make the bathroom a nice place to be- music, clean towels etc.

Fairly simply that ds needs to shower every day and put deodorant on after other he will smell.

Just gradual chats as things need explaining and making it part of a routine

My son hates the lynx fug in the changing room and also wants us to be more eco, I got him a pitrok salt Crystal deodorant, he is still passing the sniff test 😂

Mine just use the same products that I use, and follow the same routine that I do

Daughter has had to use special products on prescription because she has had eczema for several years. She was referred to a specialist who taught her the importance of washing with the products on prescription. She has now been signed off but any deodorants she uses has to be for sensitive skin so Dove is ideal.

shower (sorry for the pun) them with "smelly" presents on birthdays and drop a hint

I took my daughter to a big Boots store, and when she was 11, we bought her really nice quality in a range of products to look after her body and skin. My mum did it for me and taught me quality was important (and not testing on animals!) and that it was better to have something quality and more expensive, than not good and cheap..

I think making a fuss of bath time from a young age is important, I always had nice bubble bath and so wanted to be clean and smell 'posh'. I think introducing deodorant etc was easy too as impulse sprays were all the rage so I was used to spraying, it was face products that came as a bit more of a surprise but you get into it. I'm just doing the same with my daughter

Encouragement and plenty of great smelling product

I have two teenage boys who are 14 and 16. At age 12 they started to smell. I mentioned it to them, we went to the shop together and chose deodorant and shower gel. They both like the lynx range as it smells nice.
The boys will have a shower every other day

Buy them bits in and explain to them what they have to do. Give them a proper talk about hygiene and freshness and in time they'll understand.

Children can be slowly be introduced to bathing at young age. You can build on that by introducing deodorants and antiperspirants and advising how to use them and why they are used. Also you can introduce them to a routine of regular showers/baths to keep up cleanliness and hygiene.

I don’t know when I’ll start the conversation with my kids, although I have already told my daughter about puberty and body changes just in simple language because she’s still quite young, I think I will make up a little ‘take care of yourself’ package with deodorant and sanitary pads and explain about them when she’s 9 or 10. My mum broke it to me that I smelt horrible when I was about 11 and gave me deodorant and told me to use it. 😆 such a mind field growing up. I’m glad dove is doing a range for teenagers, I think I’ll try it for myself, my grandma loves dove.

Generally I've always discussed hygiene with DD who is 14 and I specifically brought up personal hygiene issues just before they seemed to become relevant, so she'd be prepared and could ask questions when it suited her. We use more natural products for her (those with less chemicals) as long as they work, and she knows why I chose them for her. She also devotes a significant amount of time to browsing in Superdrug so she often also chooses the products she likes then asks me to get them for her. She approaches me if she has a specific skin concern and we do Internet research for advice, I make suggestions and she decides what she wants from my suggestions. So that it doesn't cost a fortune or be unsuitably perfumed, etc. She's organised and careful so she's always smelled good and washed her hair as it needs it. If it gets greasy I say nothing because she'll know that herself and wash it asap.

My daughter is 14 and loves the bath, she has lots of bath bombs, pearls and petals which she enjoys using and always brushes her teeth and washes her face twice a day as she knows the importance of cleanliness and the ridicule at school if you don't.

I introduced a self-care routine with my DC gradually, when he first went to secondary school, I put a roll on deodorant in his PE bag and a second one in his bedroom. I encourage showering regularly with a shower gel, washing underarms and feet which are the worse culprits. He also cuts and trims his toe nails and finger nails which for me is an essential part of personal grooming.

Try to encourage my DD to use simple, non-perfumed products as she has quite sensitive skin.