PARENTS living with teenagers may not be surprised by the latest insight into their offspring’s hygiene habits.

In fact one in three teenagers prefer a blast of deodorant to taking a daily shower, survey analysts Mintel say.

Today’s 11 to 19-year-olds are more likely to use perfume or even mascara every day than they are to pick up the shower gel.

Mintel’s insight into the youngsters’ grooming habits is revealed in its latest report called Teens’ And Tweens’ Beauty And Personal Care.

Teenagers worried about body odour problems tend to rely on perfumes and deodorants instead of good old-fashioned soap and water.

“Perhaps because they want to mask the fact they haven’t showered, smell is a key motivator for eight out of 10 teens when deciding which products they want to buy or use,” a Mintel spokeswoman said.

Meanwhile the stereotypical spotty teenager still exists, despite a raft of products designed to clear up problem skin.

Around half of teenagers suffer from spots or acne but just a quarter use facial washes or wipes every day.

Boys are more in the dark than girls when it comes to skin care education, mainly because they do not scour glossy magazines for beauty tips as avidly as teenage girls, though hair-styling products such as gels and creams are of interest.

Meanwhile, girls are far more likely to use self-tanning products than boys as they try to imitate the year-round glowing skin achieved by TV celebrities and film stars.