Puberty Unplugged with Old Spice, School Of Swagger.
*This article is in partnership with Old Spice but my opinions are of my own.
When I hear Old Spice I’m automatically taken back to my childhood, my dad to this very day still uses Old Spice. It’s a feeling of comfort, home, love and now as an adult, I understand it’s a brand that is trusted. So when I was invited to attend Old Spice School of Swagger with none other than Isaiah Mustafa I had to go. Have you seen Isaiah Mustafa? He is so handsome and that voice, OMG, mixed in with a brand that I love, I was SOLD!
Isaiah words of advice as we navigate through a a boys puberty, because let's face it, we have never gone through a boys puberty, brought insight and hilarity.
* Every man was a boy at some point. The change will happen. I’m hoping that they realize that every boy is going through this and they may develop faster or slower than their friends but that’s normal. The inevitable will occur and they are not alone.
* Start the dialogue and have the conversation and be confident in the conversation. Instill positive reinforcement through out the conversation. If you get stuck visit, “schoolofswagger.com,” this is your go to for answers.
* Mom and Dads, “Keep doing what you’re doing. You are raising some amazing men.” I concur, Amen to this!
Here’s the thing, body odor is a sensitive topic, it’s hard to tell your kiddo you stink. We love them and we don’t want to hurt their feelings but it’s important to teach them proper hygiene from a very young age. Especially boys, they think there funky stink is funny, I know mine does, any fart sounds and burps, he’s cracking up. One of the many great tips I learned that day was to have the conversation alone with your child. Meaning, none of their friends and or family members should be around, literally just the two of you. Another word of advice, take them to the store and show them the different products, get them active in picking out their products. You don’t want to get a product and hand it to over and it's used because, "mom got it for me." No, let them take ownership, pride that they picked out what they want.
The Old Spice Wild Collection is available in antiperspirants (NEW Invisible Sprays), deodorants, body washes, body sprays and shampoos. The Invisible Spray goes on dry and is totally invisible so there is no left-over residue, I’m using this spray! (No joke, it smells fresh) Other scents available are:
Krakengärd – Smells like citrus, fresh herbs, and the unspeakable power of the ancient ocean.
Wolfthorn – The sort of sophisticated wolf who wears a suit that has a suave, sweet orange scent.
Bearglove – Commands grizzly-bear-level respect with smells of apple, citrus, and spice.
Hawkridge – Outwits unsuspecting stink with its sandalwood and vanilla scent.
Good luck in just choosing one!
We had the pleasure of meeting Jaime Stahl (Old Spice Sweat Scientist), Jaime is a Chemical Engineer by degree. She spends her time as an Old Spice Sweat scientist developing technologies to meet men’s personal care needs. Over her years with Old Spice, she has spent many hours in men’s homes watching them apply deodorant, talking to them about what they like and dislike and even watching them shower (bathing suites always required). She has helped develop a range of Old Spice products from the Hardest Working Collection, where the focus is performance to the Red Collection, where the focus is Old Spice’s amazing scents. She is the kindest and I have to say the coolest Chemical Engineer I have ever met and yes I have met many due to my background.
Did you know we have sweat on our finger tips? Jaime showed me tiny sweat beads that were glistening on my finger tips. Jamie was just absolutely remarkable, she blew me away when she told me she worked with Odor Testers. Did you know that there are Odor Testers, I had no idea. Odor Testers are hired to literally get into the pitt of things and smell everything that we could never or ever want to smell. Bless their hearts, I would pass out if I had to smells stink all day. Here are some myths that were busted at our School Of Swagger, I’m still blown away by these.
Myth: If you shave, more hair will grow back?
Truth: The very act of cutting may make hair appear thicker for a short time. A human hair shaft is like a pencil that tapers at the end. So when a razor slices away the tip, it may appear that the remaining hair, and subsequent stubble, is thicker or darker than it was before the cut. Those short hairs, sticking straight up from their follicles, may even appear coarser. But cutting away part of the hair does not typically change anything about that regrowth process. The tapered hair you had is the hair you’ll get back
Myth: Antiperspirants are for underarms only.
Truth: Antiperspirant can be used anywhere that sweating is a problem (think hands, feet, face, back, chest, and even groin.) Before you become spray happy, talk to your dermatologist first before applying an antiperspirant to sensitive areas and test new products on small areas of skin first.
Myth: Antiperspirants are best used in the morning?
Truth: AM and PM use is OKAY!! You can use your antiperspirant in the evening as well as in the morning. Sweat production is at its lowest at night, giving the active ingredients in antiperspirants a better chance to get into your pores and block perspiration when the sun comes up and you really get moving.
Have more questions? What’s the difference is between antiperspirants and deodorants? How to avoid smelling bad and controlling body odor? How to fight excessive sweating? And how can I find the right product for my hair? All these questions and more are answered on the School Of Swagger.
The best part of all of this, Old Spice, School of Swagger they've designed short clips on YouTube that are hilarious and to the point but most importantly it will help break the ice to start the conversation. Talking to our kids, we need to let them know that sweat production and odor is normal and it can be controlled so they aren't known as the stinky kid. It could disrupt all aspects of a student’s life, from academic performance, recreational activities and relationships, to self-image and overall emotional well-being. However with Old Spice School of Swagger new product line all of this can be tackled head on.