There’s nary a reason to talk to a mom of tweens about underarm stink; they’re on the front lines. Carly Broderick is one of them. And this mom knows the personal care category, too; she’s a former merchandising executive in beauty at Target.

Both experiences are guiding her as she grows Miles, a new personal care brand targeting Gen Z and Gen A.

Boys, especially, are often oblivious to their changing bodies. Most moms and dads who drive the carpool back from basketball practice can share stories of riding home with the windows wide open during cold winter weather. Some may have even subtly left a deo spray in the backseat as a hint.  

Luckily for Broderick, her son was ahead of the curve.

“I fortunately started the search for deodorant for my son before he needed it, and he really viewed it as “graduating” into personal care – said another way, he was excited and a bit proud that he was growing up to the point of needing to use new products. Getting him to remember to wear it every day? That was another challenge!” she told Happi.

Finding the right product was also challenging, Broderick insists.

“I probably know too much about the personal care space due to my time as a merchandising executive in beauty at Target, so it was easy for me to cycle through all the options and quickly assess each one. And during that exploration, I was making a mental list – which became a physical list – of what each brand was missing for me and my son’s needs,” she said.

That’s her lightbulb moment.

“Once I landed on the need for this brand, it became all I could think about,” Broderick told Happi.

Miles Product Line

Miles currently offers deodorants and antiperspirants.

According to Broderick, Miles delivers on four key “must-haves” for a personal care brand designed for teens—clean, natural ingredients;  smooth application; noticeable but not overpowering scents and, perhaps most importantly, it works.

“It must – puberty is fierce,” she quipped.

In the deodorants (offered in Clean Fresh and Rugged), Miles uses ingredients like magnesium hydroxide and sodium bicarbonate to eliminate odor-causing bacteria on the surface of the skin; safflower oil and mango seed butter moisturize the skin and improve the glide upon application; and hyaluronic acid and aloe leaf extract soothe skin. In the antiperspirant (Clean and Rugged), sunflower seed oil and aloe leaf extract help moisturize the skin; tapioca starch made from the cassava plant helps absorb moisture on the skin’s surface.

The Miles website contains easy to read ingredient information for customers as well as including FAQ about specific materials. 

Broderick sees Miles as inclusive and “meant to mirror the full spectrum of awesome Gen Z and Gen A are bringing with their unique individuality.”

The brand name Miles, she says, represents the journey that young people take as they grow and develop from age 9 to 19.

“It's a time of exploration, growth, and discovery—you're racking up miles as you navigate your way through the ups and downs of adolescence, “ she said.

Start-up Strategy

Broderick is tapping into her retail experience to keep the startup focused on its core customer.

“My previous experience has really taught me how important it is to be laser focused on your brand’s audiences – what they want, what they need, and how they experience the current pain points in the category. At Miles, we have designed our products and our brand to be the go-to solution for teens and tweens to help busy parents with one less choice to make. Additionally, knowing what my retail partners want helps me make fast decisions and be able to speak their language to collaborate more quickly,” she said.

As a new brand, she recognizes the challenges that come large multinationals with deep products.

She said Miles is taking a “very personal, grassroots approach” to develop relationships with its consumers.

For example, the brand is launching Miles Moms, a curated group of moms of tweens and teens nationwide who will serve as ambassadors and product testers delivering real time consumer feedback.

Looking ahead, Broderick says Miles is in it for the long run.

“Miles will expand into other important body care categories beginning next year.  We are just getting started!”