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How to prepare for back-to-school shopping
Back-to-school shopping is about more than notebooks, backpacks, lunch boxes and traditional school supplies. Sending your kids to school with personal care items can help make the transition easier, whether they are stocking a locker, packing a gym bag or moving into a dorm with a shared bathroom.
Talk to your teen about what they need
When you’re doing back-to-school shopping, have conversation with your child about what they need to be successful this school year and how you can help support them. Listen to what they are saying they need. This may open the door for them to talk beyond just school supplies and about their friends, hopes and fears for the upcoming school year. Whatever they share, make sure you are an active listener, supportive parent and giving them self-confidence.
How to build a back-to-school toiletries checklist
A complete back-to-school toiletries checklist should include everyday hair, skin, deodorant and dental basics. Start with the thinking about when your student will be using the items and build your shopping list accordingly. Questions to ask yourself when packing:
1. What is my student’s schedule?
2. Do they need to pack for multiple occasions (everyday backpack, locker, gym class, etc.)?
3. What toiletries does my teen like to use?
4. What personal care items is my teen most likely to need on the go?
5. How much space will they have to store things?
6. Will they have a car?
What to avoid packing for your teen
When you are packing your back-to-school list, expect your kid to use, share or even lose all of the items that you pack before the end of the school year. Some things to avoid packing include:
- Expensive items: while you should pack some of your teen’s favorite items, avoid expensive items that you would be upset that they lost
- Heavier than necessary toiletries in daily bags: when your teen is carrying these items in their bags, they won’t want extra weight and will appreciate travel size bottles.
- Improperly packaged bottles: school is hard enough without your hand sanitizer exploding in your backpack. Make sure all the items have a secure lid and won’t leak.
What to pack in a teen’s backpack?
A backpack is something your student will have access to most of the time, so it’s a great place to put toiletries that they may need on the go, before school, during class (depending on your school’s rules) or after school. Since they’re typically carrying their backpack a lot of the time, we recommend using trial/travel size items.
To help keep their backpack organized, we recommend dedicating one section of your kid’s backpack to emergency items or getting a small bag that can fit into their backpack to house everything.
Backpack Checklist (travel or small size items):
- Deodorant (Try Advanced Care Cool Essentials Antiperspirant Deodorant Stick or the Dove Aluminum Free Deodorant Spray Cucumber & Green Tea, which is perfect for sharing)
- Hand sanitizer
- Lip balm
- Tissues
- Hair ties, bobby pins or claw clip
- Travel toothbrush and paste
- Dental floss or floss picks
- Menstrual care (pads, tampons, etc.)
Middle school or high school locker checklist
Typically, middle and high school students have lockers to keep things in between class and overnight. To help your kids prepare for any hygiene emergency they (or one of their friends) might have, we recommend sending them to school with a small stash of personal care products.
Similar to packing a backpack, we recommend sending them with a small make up or travel bag of items that they may not want to ask a teacher or nurse for when they need them. If you have included an item in their backpack, you probably don’t need to include it in their locker kit, since they’ll rarely be at their locker without their backpack. When packing for a locker, think about how often they will use the item. If it is used daily, consider a larger size, but if it’s rarely used, prioritize travel or trial sizes.
Locker Checklist:
- Deodorant (Try Advanced Care Nourished Beauty Antiperspirant Dry Spray)
- Whole body anti-chafe stick (Try Coconut Vanilla Anti-Chafe Whole Body Deodorant Stick) or Whole body deodorant spray (try Lavender Bloom Alcohol-Free Whole Body Deodorant Spray)
- Hand sanitizer
- Lip balm
- Lotion
- Face wipes
- Dry shampoo (Try Invisible & Fresh Advanced Dry Shampoo)
- Hair ties, bobby pins or claw clip
- Mini mirror
- Travel hairbrush
- Nail file
- Safety pins
- Toothbrush, toothpaste and mouthwash
- Dental floss or floss picks
- Menstrual care (pads, tampons, etc.)
Teenage gym bag toiletry list
Whether your teen has before school practice, mid-day gym class, or after school sports, they will need one dedicated bag for their workout attire and post-workout care.
Tips for packing a gym bag:
Use multiple bags: If your kid has multiple activities (such as before school swim practice and after school ballet), consider using two different bags that are clearly labeled so they are easy to find and grab when needed.
Keep the bag packed: If your child needs a gym bag every day, there’s no need to completely unpack everything. Simply remove the sweaty clothes and replace them with clean clothes (or have them do it) and keep all other items in the bag so that nothing is forgotten.
Gym Bag Checklist:
- Deodorant (Try Advanced Care Cool Essentials Antiperspirant Deodorant Stick)
- Whole body anti-chafe stick (Try Berry Blush Anti-Chafe Whole Body Deodorant Stick) or Whole body deodorant spray (try Peach Glow Alcohol-Free Whole Body Deodorant Spray)
- Body wash (Try Sensitive Body Wash) or beauty bar (Try Original Beauty Bar)
- Shampoo (Try Oxygen Moisture Shampoo)
- Conditioner (Try Dove Damage Therapy Daily Moisture Conditioner)
- Hair Styling products
- Hairbrush
- Lotion
- Face wipes
- Hair ties, bobby pins or claw clip
- Toothbrush, toothpaste and mouthwash
- Menstrual care (pads, tampons, etc.)
Tips for helping teens manage sweat and body odor at school
Sweating or body odor after PE class, sports or even just a long school day is normal, especially during middle and high school. Creating a routine with your students can help them manage their sweat confidently and discreetly.
Tips for building a sweat management routine include:
- Allow your teen to pick out their deodorant or antiperspirant at the store so they can test the different scents.
- Apply deodorant or antiperspirant before school.
- Keep a backup deodorant in a locker, gym bag or sports bag.
- Change out of sweaty clothes as soon as possible after practice.
- Bring a small towel and clean socks for long activity days.
- Remind them to shower after sports or heavy sweating when facilities and schedules allow. If they don’t have time or access to a shower, consider sending them with body wipes and encourage them to re-apply deodorant or antiperspirant.
- Restock gym bag items frequently so products do not run out unexpectedly.
College dorm toiletries checklist
College students living away from home need toiletries for daily routines, shared bathrooms, gym visits and weekend travel. Many college students do not have a car on campus so it’s important to send them with a few months’ supply when they leave for school. A good dorm checklist should include in-use products for the shower caddy plus backup products that can stay in dorm storage.
- Shower basics: body wash, beauty bar, shampoo, conditioner, razor and shaving cream
- Daily freshness: deodorant, whole body deodorant, lotion, facial cleanser, moisturizer and lip balm
- Shared bathroom items: shower caddy, shower shoes, robe, towels and washcloths
- Dental care: toothbrush, toothpaste, floss, mouthwash and a toothbrush cover
- Hair care: dry shampoo, hair styling products, brush, comb, and hair ties or clips
For communal bathrooms, a shower caddy and shower shoes are especially important. Keep the products your student uses daily in the caddy, then store club-pack extras in a bin, closet shelf or under-bed storage so they can refill without taking every bottle to the bathroom.
Tips for helping college students take care of themselves during their first semester
College is an incredibly exciting milestone for both students and parents. Kids are becoming adults and have more freedom and responsibilities than ever before. The first semester of college can be a challenge for students, learning how to balance studying/classes, extracurricular activities, and friendships. Sometimes this can lead to a slippage in taking care of themselves.
Tips for talking to your college freshman about personal care:
- Be honest: You were 18 once and know that they are excited about all of the new things they’re going to experience. Get excited with them about all of the things they will get to do at college.
- Instill Routine: Throughout your kids’ childhoods you helped them set routines by getting them to school on time, making healthy meals, providing an outlet for exercise and setting reasonable bedtimes. As they move to their college campus, talk to them about building a new routine with the resources they will have available to them.
- Set Goals: College is a time to explore new things. Creating goals at the beginning of the semester can help your guide new student and keep them on track even when there are a lot of potential distractions.
- Address Peer Pressure: As they are meeting new people and making friends, they may feel peer pressured to stay up late or eat unhealthily. Remind your teen that they don’t have to do any of these things to have a full college experience. It’s okay to say you have to go to bed early if you have a test the next morning.
- Be Available: Make sure they know they can call or text you anytime with questions and that you won’t be judgmental.
How many toiletries does a college student need for a semester?
How much body wash, deodorant or shampoo a college student uses depends on product size, shower frequency, activity level, climate and personal routine. Instead of packing one of everything, plan for your child’s personal use plus backups. Look at your student’s schedule and try to plan to send enough products so that they won’t need to refill until you see them next (fall break, Christmas, etc.).
Club packs from Costco, Sam’s Club and BJ’s can be helpful because they let families stock a semester’s worth of essentials before move-in. They are also useful when students want one product in the dorm, one in the shower caddy and one in a gym bag or backpack.
If your student runs out of an item in the middle of the semester and doesn’t have easy access to a car, do not worry! There are a lot of retailers who can easily and quickly ship products for affordable prices to student mailboxes including Amazon, Target and Walmart.
How and where to shop for personal care products
Today you can get personal care products nearly everywhere, both in stores and online. The number of choices can be overwhelming. Use these tips to simplify your shopping experience:
- Create a list: Talk to everyone in your family so that you know exactly what you need to buy for each person and in what quantity. This will help avoid impulse purchases in store.
- Limit the number of stores: Simplify your shopping by sticking to 1-2 stores for all of your products. This will save you time from having to drive to multiple stores.
- Shop in bulk: Multi-packs are a great way to shop economically, especially when your family needs multiple bottles of the same product.
- Check the sales: As back-to-school approaches, there are often sales on school supplies and personal care items to help families prepare for the season.
Personalize your back-to-school shopping for your students
Remember every teenager has different product format and scent preferences that may be changing rapidly as they mature, try new things and are influenced by friends and social media. Helping them prepare for the unknown scenarios shows that you care and gives them confidence that you trust them if they have a hiccup.
Once you have gone back-to-school shopping, make sure you talk about what you bought, how it’s packed, why you packed it and how to use any new products. Give them an easy way to communicate with you that they need more of something, such as adding it to your weekly shopping list. Set reminders (monthly or on school breaks) for when you are going to check on when your kids might need product restocks. Finally, keep the conversation open so they know they can always come to you for advice, especially during the teenage years when they are experiencing a lot of changes.
FAQs
Yes, Dove offers a wide range of trial or travel size body washes, beauty bars, deodorants, dry shampoos, conditioners, traditional shampoos and even body scrubs. Check your local retailer for your specific offerings.
Yes, Dove products are available in larger sizes and multi-packs. Dove products are available at club stores, including Costco, Sam’s Club and BJ’s. Visit your local stores to discover what exactly is available in your region.
There are a few ways you can send college students toiletries. You can purchase them at a physical store and ship them as a part of a care package with their favorite snacks, pictures from home and little surprises. Remember, full bottles of body wash, shampoo or conditioner can be heavy and can increase your shipping costs. The other option is to purchase directly from an online retailer such as Amazon, Target and Walmart, which is simple and fast.
Body wash has a long shelf life, 12 months opened and 1-2 years unopened. A little body wash goes a long way and most people use a 20 oz bottle every 1-2 months.
Deodorant typically has a shelf life of 1-3 years, while antiperspirants have a 2 year expiration date. With daily use, it’s expected that a normal size deodorant or antiperspirant stick can last 2-3 months.
Unopened shampoo and conditioner can stay fresh for 2-3 years, however once it's opened, you should use it within 12-18 months. You should use a small coin size amount each time you wash your hair, meaning a 20 oz bottle should last for about 60 washes.
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