Best Deodorants For Kids 2023

While it may feel surprising when your sweet-smelling "baby" starts emitting body odor, it is totally normal for kids to sweat more (and stink more) as they reach puberty—and that might just have you as the parent searching for the very best deodorants for kids. It's worth noting that the onset of puberty, and thus the development of body odor, can vary widely, but often occurs between the ages of 8 and 13 years old. Of course, we also know parents who have reported needing deodorant for kids closer the age of 6 or 7. Your child's activity level, the climate you live in and their specific body impact when it's time for them to start using deodorant.

Search for a hypoallergenic, gentle deodorant for kids to help banish that odor while remaining ... [+] gentle on their sensitive skin.

Dr. Shoshana Marmon, a board-certified dermatologist, assistant professor of dermatology at New York Medical College, consultant for Tono Health and mother of two, prefers kids deodorants made with more natural ingredients. "Things to look for when choosing deodorant for children include one that is labeled hypoallergenic, so that it has a lower likelihood of irritating the skin or causing an allergy, and natural ingredients like baking soda, cornstarch or arrowroot powder, which can help reduce moisture and neutralize odor," she says. Dr. Marmon also recommends seeking out dermatologist or pediatrician recommended formulas and deodorants with non-staining ingredients "so kids won't ruin their clothes."

She also cautions against aerosol spray deodorants and harsh chemical additives that might irritate young kids’ skin. "Compressed spray deodorants can be inhaled, and the particles can get into the lungs, which is best to avoid especially in children with respiratory issues like asthma," Dr. Marmon says. "Alcohol can be drying and irritating to the skin. Harsh chemicals such as sulfates, phthalates, triclosan and propylene glycol can also be irritating. Added fragrances can cause irritation or allergic reactions."

When choosing the best deodorants for kids, it may take a bit of trial and error to find the one that works best for your individual child. See our top picks below.

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This natural Kopari Aluminum Free Deodorant is one of Dr. Marmon's personal recommendations for the best deodorants for kids. It's easy to apply and feels gentle going on, an important factor for newbies. This Kopari deodorant includes coconut oil and sage oil,and does not contain aluminum or chemicals such as parabens and phthalates. A number of reviewers note they love the mild coconut scent and say it is effective at all-day odor protection. Kopari gets our top spot given its ingredient profile, expert recommendation and how well it works compared to other natural products.

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Play Pits Natural Kids Deodorant is a gentle deodorant specially designed for children, and inspired by a mom's struggle with her child's eczema-prone skin. Made with natural ingredients and free of harsh chemicals, this deodorant is safer for kids' delicate skin and is scented with lemongrass, lemon and grapefruit essential oils. Reviewers praise this deodorant as being well-tolerated by their kiddos with sensitive skin while also preventing odor. Play Pits Natural Kids Deodorant is made with shea butter, coconut oil, zinc oxide, cornstarch, apple cider vinegar and citrus essential oils. Some users did say the texture is more gritty or sticky than they prefer.

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Dove is a longstanding skincare brand known for its gentle products. The Dove 0% Aluminum Deodorant comes highly recommended by Dr. Marmon, as well as Forbes Vetted's baby and kids gear editor, Rose Gordon Sala. "We went through three or four deodorants for my tween daughter before landing on this Dove 0% Aluminum," says Sala. "I wanted a more natural deodorant given her young age, but we also needed something that worked, and this one does. It also glides on easily." It's an alcohol-free formula that might be less irritating for sensitive skin, and it does not contain aluminum if that is an ingredient you wish to avoid. You will find fragrance and silicones in this deodorant, but that may be OK for some, especially if the deodorant works well at keeping body odor at bay without irritating skin.

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If you have a younger kiddo just starting to use deodorant, this may be a great choice, because of the all natural ingredients and the sweet candy scent. Fresh Monster Natural Deodorant smells just like gummy bears, and is made with coconut oil, shea oil, baking soda and and tapioca starch to help fight body odor. It is free of the ingredients you want to avoid, such as parabens and phthalates, as well as aluminum. While it is a super fun design and smell for younger kids, this deodorant may not be strong enough for extra active or tween kids in full puberty.

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TBH Kids Deodorant is free of aluminum, parabens, phthalates and synthetic fragrances. It is one of the best natural deodorants for absorbing moisture, as it contains baking soda, arrowroot powder and charcoal. It uses a variety of plant-based ingredients to help mask odor and leave a clean scent. This product gets top marks for natural ingredients, although a few people said it is harder to apply than some of our other picks and that it doesn't necessarily have much of a scent. Sala notes that she uses this brand's hair products with her toddler and tweens, because of the natural, gentle ingredient profiles.

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Miles is a new tween and teen specific deodorant and antiperspirant brand founded by a mom. We selected it as the only antiperspirant on our list, because of its focus on natural ingredients and young people. Because it's an antiperspirant, it does contain aluminum, but it's free of parabens and phthalates—and goes on clear. So if you have an active child or a teen athlete in need of a true antiperspirant to prevent excess wetness and odor, Miles might be a good bet. It also produces a non-aluminum deodorant for teens, too. Many reviewers praise the light, neutral scents derived from natural oils, too.

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This roll-on deodorant from Good For You Girls gets absolutely rave reviews for its fresh scent and how well it lasts. It is clear and won't stain clothes, but it is a wet formula so you may need to encourage kids to let it dry before getting dressed. Formulated with a ton of organic, plant-based ingredients such as aloe, witch hazel, white tea and lavender, this deodorant has a pleasant honeydew scent. It's formulated without synthetic fragrance, parabens, phthalates, talc and sulfates.

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Another recommendation from Dr. Marmon is the Tom's of Maine Wicked Cool Deodorant for kids. The scent and packaging are geared at boys, but neutral enough for anyone. It gets great reviews for stink-protection while using natural ingredients. Sala's 8-year-old son uses it, too. "We picked this for my son's first deodorant and have been happy with it so far," she says. "He's an active kid, playing several sports, but still young so we wanted something gentle that he could use every day." Ingredients such as sunflower oil and aloe help this product to glide on smoothly, and the light scent seems to hold up even after long periods of activity. Tom's is free of aluminum, parabens and artificial fragrance. It's available in two scents: Summer Fun and Freestyle.

Tubby Todd Bath Co.

Although it's one of the most expensive products on our list, the Tubby Todd Deo Stick is an absolute treat. It is free of aluminum, alcohol and harsh chemicals, making it suitable for sensitive skin. The luxurious ingredients such as rice bran, tapioca starch and corn starch absorb wetness, while probiotics, castor oil and coconut oil help reduce odor-causing bacteria. This product is vegan and cruelty-free, as well as being free of synthetic fragrances and dyes. It also smells like a high-end creamsicle, so you may have to make sure your child doesn't try to eat it!

I am a registered nurse with a background in pediatrics, as well as a mom of three and a parenthood content writer and reviewer for over six years. I love digging into the science when it comes to choosing safe and effective products for little ones. I also interviewed a board-certified dermatologist for this story to gather her recommendations and to ensure I was selecting the best ingredient profiles. I spoke to several parents, including Sala, and scoured online reviews while researching to find out which deodorants for kids parents like best.