The Best Deodorants For Kids To Keep Them Smelling Great

This natural Kopari Aluminum Free Coconut 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, without any aluminum, 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.

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. Play Pits Natural Kids Deodorant is made with more natural ingredients, such as shea butter, coconut oil, zinc oxide, cornstarch, apple cider vinegar and citrus essential oils. Reviewers praise this kids deodorant as being well-tolerated by their kiddos with sensitive skin while also preventing odor, but some complained that the texture is more gritty or sticky than they prefer.

The Dove 0% Aluminum Deodorant comes highly recommended by Dr. Marmon, as well as Rose Gordon Sala, Forbes Vetted deputy editor and mom of three. “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. The Dove 0% deodorant does contain fragrance and silicones, but that may be okay for some, especially if the deodorant prevents odor without irritating skin.

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 fight body odor. It is free of the ingredients you may 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.

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 says that she uses this brand’s hair products with her toddler and tweens, because of the natural, gentle ingredient profiles.

Miles is a 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. 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. The brand also produces a non-aluminum deodorant for teens. 

The scents skew toward those deodorants more often marketed to boys, but reviewers report liking these for their daughters, too.

This roll-on deodorant from Good For You Girls goes on clear and won’t stain clothes and reviewers love its light, pleasant honeydew scent. It is a wet formula, so you may need to encourage kids to let it dry before getting dressed. Formulated with organic, plant-based ingredients such as aloe, witch hazel, white tea and lavender, this natural deodorant keeps things simple. It’s also formulated without synthetic fragrance, parabens, phthalates, talc and sulfates.

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 really anyone could use it. It gets great reviews for stink prevention 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.

Although it’s one of the most expensive products on our list, 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. The company recommends this product for children 6 years and older. This deodorant is vegan and cruelty-free, as well as being free of synthetic fragrances and dyes. It also smells like a high-end creamsicle.