Lume Deodorant: The Good, The Bad, & The Uncomfortable
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Okay, we’ve all seen the ads on TV and plastered all over our social media feeds, and we’ve all wondered if it really works. This is one I had to try. And I’m going to talk about the good, the bad, and the uncomfortable in this review.
“Outrageously effective whole body deodorant”
THE CLAIM
Lume’s main claim to fame is that it stops odor before it starts. Not only does it claim to stop odor before it starts, but they go on to say that it works continuously for 72 hours. Now, that’s some real sticking power! And let’s not forget, Lume is a whole-body deodorant. The website claims you can use it anywhere externally on the body. They are very specific in their list of places in can be applied, including
- Pits
- Underboobs
- Belly button
- Vulva
- Balls
- Buttcrack
- Feet
- & More
So looking at that list, you can clearly see where the uncomfortable comes in to play. Anyway, the last part of the claim is that it is safe for the skin. With that being said, I’ll start with the good.
THE GOOD & THE UNCOMFORTABLE
Lume is free from aluminum, baking soda, phthalates, sulfates, parabens, and talc. It is also vegan and cruelty free. Lume contains mandelic acid which is a gentle alpha hydroxy acid, making it suitable for sensitive skin. This acid is found in a lot of the cosmetic and beauty products many of us already use on a daily basis. I am not going to get into all of the science behind Lume Deodorant and how it works, other than to simply say that Lume claims to stop odor before it starts. To learn more, please visit Lume’s Story | Lume Deodorant | Outrageously Effective Whole Body Deodorant.
I will have to agree that Lume is very gentle on the skin. I have extremely sensitive skin and have to be careful not to use harsh products. Though my skin is most sensitive on my face, I still use caution with anything I am applying directly to my skin. I had no issues with the Lume at all, and I have tried the wipes, stick deodorant, and lotion deodorants.
Lume claims that it stops odor before it starts. I honestly can’t answer to that since I do not understand all the science behind it. All I can tell you is that it did control odor on my body. I applied Lume immediately after my shower. I used the stick on my armpits, and the lotion on my feet...and in those uncomfortable areas. It’s not something a lot of us ladies like to talk about, but we occasionally get those female smells down there. For some, it is worse than for others. But, I’m willing to bet that there’s never been a woman who hasn’t experienced it at one time or another. Don’t worry men, Lume works for everyone.
Alright you know where I used it, but did it work? YES! I was surprised, but I was odor free all day. Well, for the most part anyway. The Lume I used was scented, so that smell lingered throughout the day. As far as the 72-hour protection goes, I cannot vouch for that. I showered daily and reapplied the Lume in the same manner each day. I used it religiously for a two-week period just to be sure my results were valid.
THE BAD
While the Lume Deodorant did live up to the promise of keeping me odor free (or at least free from body odor), I had a very hard time getting past the smell of Lume. I had ordered the sample pack (may vary from what is currently offered, as I ordered mine at least 6 months ago) so I had a variety of scents to try. I was most excited about the vanilla so I opened it first. I was expecting a sweet, clean, and pleasant fragrance. What I got instead was an overwhelmingly putrid scent with a hint of vanilla. And I do mean a slight hint. I was hoping maybe there was something wrong with the vanilla. There was no way this magical deodorant that was going to stop odor could possibly smell this bad, right? WRONG! I continued on, opening the other 4 tubes of lotion, the stick deodorant and the wipes. They all had that same putrid smell.
I wasn’t sure I could overcome the scent, but I ordered it and was determined to see it through. So, with a lot of hesitation I did it. I applied the sour smelling deodorant to my body, hoping the putrid scent would fade in time. And it did. Though, I’m not sure that it ever completely fades away, but it does lessen. The scent becomes more tolerable but never great. None of the scents I have tried really smell as I had imagined they would.
I can’t talk about the bad without talking about the cost. Lume Deodorant is expensive! A single deodorant stick will run you $14.99, and as for the lotion tubes, they are $19.99 each. Yes, Lume does offer several bundle packs, but they are also a bit on the pricey side. You can check out their full line of products and prices here.
I have seen other complaints about Lume not controlling sweat. Remember, Lume is a whole-body deodorant. They do not make any claims to control sweat; it is not an antiperspirant. So, I threw this “bad” out. I only want to review claims made by the company, not complaints from customers who were hoping for more.
I have also read other reviews that talk about Lume being too thin or oily. I had no complaints or issues in this area. I found this lotion to be a very nice consistency. It goes on smoothly and is fairly fast absorbing. The stick deodorant did seem to be a bit stickier and took a little longer to dry, but again was not at all thin or oily. They both lived up to their claim to control odor for me; however, I have seen several reviews where people claimed they needed to reapply every few hours. I’m not 100% sure if this was due to sweating or lack of odor control, as many of these reviews mentioned excessive sweating in them.
FINAL THOUGHTS
My experience with Lume was a mixed bag. Yes, it lived up to its claim of odor control; however, I had a tough time getting past the odor of the product. I have not ordered anything else from Lume since that initial order 6 months ago, and honestly, I have no intention of ever ordering again. It’s not because the product failed or didn’t work. I just can’t seem to get past the smell. Also, I confess that I am a heavy sweater. I need the power of an antiperspirant. I know you can “supposedly detox” your body of needing the antiperspirants and then go to the natural deodorants and live happily ever after. But, it’s not for me. I tried for 2 weeks and couldn’t take it anymore.
In the end (no pun intended) if you’re looking for whole-body odor control, Lume works. You can always pair it with your antiperspirant if you need both. If you can get past the smell, it is a great product. It gets rave reviews. It’s just not for me.
