Teen boy hygiene products

[circa1978]

What do your boys use? My son will be 13 next month and it is such a struggle to get him to do the bare minimum. Are there magical products he would want to use/keep away the funk? 

[acr]

The hygiene improved around here a lot at 13 - I think that was likely a byproduct of being more aware of girls.

DS has mostly used garnier honey shampoom Harrys body wash, cerave face wash, and old spice deodorant. He picked out some new shampoo recently and has a new face care routine courtesy of K Beauty tiktoks & the dermatologist.

[eb777888]

Nothing special. He uses what H uses for deodorant and David needs gentle body wash because he has super sensitive skin.

The main thing is asking if they've used it. I literally asked him every day if he showered, used deodorant and brushed his teeth. I realized early on that it was just something that I was going to have to ask him if he's done a thousand times until it became second nature to him. He's 15 now and does it all on his own without being asked, FINALLY!

[eddy]

Ditto just asking constantly. I also try to keep it all shame free.

A bigger thing I found was laundry. We had to start using a soap with enzymes in it to actually wash the funk out of the clothes each wash. I use Rockin Green and get it off amazon.

[dochas]

I feel like there was a ridiculously short break between me having to tell my son to go to the bathroom and having to ask if he put deodorant on! He is voluntarily showering every day, thank God, so there's no fight there. I'm disappointed in the lack of stuff for boys. We tried Toms deodorant and it did not work AT ALL. Old Spice has some great scents that aren't "for kids", but have funny names. It works really well! I got body wash at Bed Bath and Beyond called Woodlands and it leaves a nice, light scent behind. For the face he uses a store brand of cerave.

[devonpow]

DS1 is almost 17 so at this point very good about doing everything. He runs track and XC so is constantly sweaty and showers twice a day a lot. He likes the Dove for men shower products (a charcoal one is his fave) and old spice deodorant tends to work the best. I give him all sorts of skincare (I’m obsessed on my own lol) but he can be lazy with face washing outside of the shower, so he uses face wipes, like the garnier ones, when he’s feeling too lazy before bed. Also I swear by the Peter Thomas Roth acne cleaning gel for everyone - he just rubs a thin layer on his face before bed and it’s great.

I cannot get him to use moisturizer no matter what I tell him

[circa1978]

Feb 24, 2024 16:50:36 GMT -5 dochas said:

 I'm disappointed in the lack of stuff for boys. 

It does feel like there should be a male puberty gift pack we could just buy. Or an all over spray I could dose him with when he sleeps. He showers but he's too old for me to go in there an supervise and I don't think he's doing the best job. I tell him he smells and he thinks it's funny, so.

ETA: Those Fabreeze commercials with moms of teens do make more sense now.

[pierogigirl]

I agree with Dove and Old Spice. I just let the kids pick the smell they like. They're pretty good about showering. I still ask if they put on deodorant because teen boy is a powerful stink. Honestly, their feet are the worst. We have those charcoal shoe deodorizer bags - not sure how great they work, but I feel like I'm at least trying.

[cjcouple]

Another dove deodorant user for my boys. Its expensive but works well. that and just making sure they shower every day controls it.

For soaps, I switched all of us to an Australian goat milk soap that we all love.

DS1 uses a prescription benzoyl peroxide in the shower once a day. DS2 just uses noxzema for now.

[expectantsteelerfan]

Another old spice deodorant user. My ds was more 'happy' to use it when I bought him the spray one, but then there were all sorts of health concerns about sprays, so I threw that one away. I'm not sure if it was all sprays, but I didn't have the energy to research it and just made a blanket 'no aerosol deodorant' rule, and that's been fine.

My ds is still all about efficiency, so he uses a hair, face, and body wash on everything (most of the guy brands in the guy toiletry aisle had them), but sometimes he does need to use head and shoulders on his hair.

[rosiebear]

Omg. My kid would go into the shower but not actually lather up or wash his hair. 😳

Becoming interested in attracting girls/boys fixed it, sort of, but even at almost 24 he’s not particularly interested in grooming. At least he’s clean now!

Godspeed and I hope this phase passes quickly for you.

[SusanBAnthony]

At 16 he now remembers to shower daily most of the time. But still requires reminders for deodorant. And he needs it! I think he just doesn't like doing it, so he forgets on purpose lol.

He uses dove spray antiperspirant, and either old spice or dove body wash. I strongly suspect he just uses the body wash on his hair which is fine as it's very short. Or he may use his sister's herbal essences shampoo.

[somersault72]

He mostly uses Dove for Men body wash/shampoo, I believe his deodorant is Old Spice, and PanOxyl face wash.

[isabel]

Feb 24, 2024 17:08:04 GMT -5 pierogigirl said:

I agree with Dove and Old Spice. I just let the kids pick the smell they like. They're pretty good about showering. I still ask if they put on deodorant because teen boy is a powerful stink. Honestly, their feet are the worst. We have those charcoal shoe deodorizer bags - not sure how great they work, but I feel like I'm at least trying.

The Dr. Scholl’s foot spray is magic.

DS1 is only 8, but the smell of his feet could kill an elephant.

[skidunks]

It took a looooong time for DS1 to not fight me on showering daily, he said it was “boring”. What? Now both of my boys shower twice a day!
Old Spice deodorant is the favorite around here, DS1 uses prescription stuff on his face and DS2 uses just a regular face wash.

[dorkus]

Lurker chiming in to say that old spice deodorant is a big hit for the MS boys around me. My son also begged for soaps from Dr Squatch - buy with promo codes! I built a bundle of every scent and he has been using them. I think Target may carry the soap but we bought directly from their website for the discounts.

[eb777888]

Other than his hair care, David never cared what hygiene products he uses. Maybe if Mr. Beast came out with some kind of deodorant and body wash, it'd be a different story, lol.

[cleo29]

Get the Dial bar soap for him to wash his pits, junk and feet. It honestly works wonders.

[sonrisa]

My youngest started sweating like a teen when they finally potty trained at almost late 4. it's been brutal. We remind about deodorant multiple times a day, every bath I explicitly say "don't forget to wash your underarms, feet and bottom with soap (and then smell their pits afterwards). Laundry detergent changes made a big difference. And still...

[rootbeerfloat]

DS cares about hygiene, but not his appearance. Anyway, he shares a bathroom with his sister and uses the products she chooses: Dove body wash, some Shea Moisturizer coconut shampoo and conditioner, La Roche Posay face cleanser and moisturizer (only after he shaves, which is a weekly occurrence), and Old Spice deodorant (her preference because she's actually sweatier than he is).