Have you tried Lume? Do you like it?

January 9, 2023 11:56 AM

Have you tried Lume? Is it really "outrageously effective" in your opinion?

I've been using Dove deodorant/antiperspirant forever, but it seems to be losing its effectiveness for me. Thinking of trying it, but not sure.

Thanks.

posted by Saucywench to Health & Fitness (21 answers total)

I am a heavy sweater and I tried Lume. It worked ok, but it smells kinda strange. Like, as soon as I started sweating, I would detect an overall bready or funky-ish smell, which I guess is better than sweat but is still a little off-putting. It could be just my body chemistry, I don't know.

I threw it away and ended up trying Carpe. It works really well and there are a variety of not-overpowering scents to choose from.
posted by tryniti at 12:10 PM on January 9, 2023

I bought unscented Lume but when i opened it to apply i found the smell quite offputting and did not end up using it.
posted by 15L06 at 12:23 PM on January 9, 2023

I have used Lume. I find the claims in the ads outrageously exaggerated. I honestly had better results with the pit rock
posted by S'Tella Fabula at 12:26 PM on January 9, 2023 [1 favorite]

My wife has been using Lume (unscented) and she says it works a lot better that any mass-market deodorant she’s used. She, in fact, does get a couple of days or so out of a single application. I think she’s using the stick, not the cream.
posted by Thorzdad at 12:31 PM on January 9, 2023

Sometimes just switching up antiperspirant can work well. I like dove and also like degree and secret. So maybe next time dove runs out (or now) try degree or secret. And rotate!
posted by atomicstone at 12:36 PM on January 9, 2023

You should be aware that Lume is a deodorant only, not an antiperspirant. It does have a sort of funky smell upon application, but I find it to be an effective and long-lasting deodorant.
posted by mefireader at 12:37 PM on January 9, 2023

Apparently Lume just changed their formulation because customers were complaining that it "smelled like shit"! Seriously!
posted by tristeza at 12:41 PM on January 9, 2023 [3 favorites]

Lume has been a total game-changer for me. I'm actually slightly alarmed at how effective it is, because I didn't think it was possible for an over-the-counter/internet thing like this to be so transformative.

Tryniti and 15L06 (and, upon preview, everyone else who has commented about this!) are totally right about the slightly strange smell, though. I ordered a sample pack with several different scents, tried them all, then went with the one that smelled least weird. I stopped noticing the smell after a few weeks, so either my nose has gotten used to it or something has adjusted in my, uh, pit terroir. A bit of both, maybe?

Some other observations, in case these are useful:

1). The effectiveness accumulates over time. I was intrigued by the effects the first few times I used it, but those effects became downright impressive after a few weeks. I just don't stink the way I used to, and I'm pretty thrilled about it.

2). It's a deodorant, not an anti-perspirant, so I continue to happily sweat buckets.

3). It's supposed to be applied to freshly washed bits, as it supposedly sets up some kind of environment inhospitable to smell-beasties. This means it can't be used to freshen up part-way through the day, for example, as you might do with other deodorants/antiperspirants. However, I've found I don't need to do the freshen-up-part-way-through-the-day pit-swipe anymore.

I suspect everyone's mileage really varies with something like this, as tryniti suggests, but I've been really pleased. Very happy to share more details by Memail, if you're interested.
posted by Hellgirl at 12:44 PM on January 9, 2023 [3 favorites]

I have very smelly tendencies (bromhidrosis) even without sweat. Lume has worked better for me than anything else. I had to quit antiperspirant completely so I would not compare the two. I have tried every thing else out there. It's not perfect but it has helped alleviate some stress related to smelliness.
posted by mokeydraws at 12:48 PM on January 9, 2023

I tried Lume for other regions (underside of "apron," or low-hanging fat stomach, underboobs) rather than pits, because I tamed the pit monster many years ago with clinical-strength deodorants and am now at the point where just plain old Lady Speed Stick works fine.

I was underwhelmed by the Lume because of the weird musky odor underlying the tangerine scent (I don't like most perfumed products other than citrus or citrus adjacent). I stopped using it mostly because I had an odd rash (in another area of the body) and wondered if it was a potential allergen. I don't think that was it, but I just never liked it enough to pick back up. (I admit that I've wondered about effectiveness/texture of the stick version vs. the cream.)
posted by dlugoczaj at 12:53 PM on January 9, 2023

I love Lume! I use the cream, in the Silver Spruce scent, but have also used the lavender, and both smell great and hold up even against the most stressful workdays. A tube lasts me for ages. They also don’t gunk up or discolor my cotton or wool shirts, which is a major plus.
posted by rrrrrrrrrt at 1:00 PM on January 9, 2023

Best answer: FYI, I found sample sizes of Lume (both solid and cream deo in several scents) at Target just last week for about $4. I had wanted to try it but was put off by the thought of spending $20 or whatever on a big mail order. Can't speak to the effectiveness yet but thought I would share in case it is helpful--they only started selling it in store this month.
posted by Jemstar at 1:11 PM on January 9, 2023 [4 favorites]

Regarding the funky smell, it does go away in just a few minutes. The actual scent of the product is very mild. I found that it sort of makes me sweat less, but that doesn't apply to everyone.

Lately, I have been using Lume for pits and "privates" and wish I had found it when I was in the throes of menopause and was stinky all the time!
posted by LaBellaStella at 1:20 PM on January 9, 2023 [1 favorite]

I tried the Rose scent and it was so strong I discarded it after one or two tries. It had a similar effect to someone who overuses scent to the point of being in an enclosed space with them is suffocating.
posted by effluvia at 1:25 PM on January 9, 2023

Response by poster: Jemstar - that would be the best because that is how I currently feel about it! I'll look at Target tomorrow.
posted by Saucywench at 1:28 PM on January 9, 2023 [1 favorite]

I have Lume in Unscented and Vanilla, but I don't use it all the time, just when I think things are gonna get funky (long day of hiking, summer day at Disneyland, etc).

It's not effective for my armpits but it works wonders in the.. uh.. lower regions. The Unscented one does have a bit of an off-putting smell when you first apply it, but on me, that smell fades away after 30 minutes or so -- unscented just means it doesn't have a scent added, not that it has no smell at all. Also, when it says use a pea-sized amount, believe it -- a little goes a long way.

I think Lume is one of those products where the effectiveness really, really depends on your personal chemistry.
posted by erst at 1:39 PM on January 9, 2023

I agree that Lume smells funky in the container, but for me, it dissipates as soon as it dries. And when I sweat, it doesn't smell like anything - not body odor, not the yeasty musk of the mandelic acid in the deodorant.

This is how I use the cream successfully: on dry skin, squeeze a tiny dab (less than pea size) and rub onto desired area. Let dry on skin while I wash my hands. Get dressed and go on with my day.

I primarily use it for my nether regions, since I tend to wear athleisure leggings and those always seem to absorb and hold onto any odors that get into them. A nightmare in summer. When Lume is used as I describe, at least 95% of the odor is never detectable. At the risk of embarrassing myself on the internet, I've specifically tested it by taking off my leggings and underwear after a hot/sweaty day and given them an honest sniff and they smelled totally fine. Maybe lightly like skin sweat, but not body odor. I don't use Lume as underarm deodorant, so can't attest to its use there, but the skin in question isn't that different.
posted by rachaelfaith at 2:55 PM on January 9, 2023 [3 favorites]

For me it worked better than any other non-antiperspirant, but I would still get stinky about halfway through the day (as opposed to like, 2 hours later with other deodorants without antiperspirant). I'm not sure where these companies get their 72 hour claim. I use it on days when I'm home and not sweating a lot, but still rely on antiperspirant when I need to be around people.
posted by never.was.and.never.will.be. at 5:33 PM on January 9, 2023

For me, yes, it really is that good. I prefer unscented deodorants, but was having a terrible time finding one that worked after Ban got rid of their unscented soft solid. I finally tried Lume unscented, and it smelled like horrible cheesy feet going on, just revolting, but as soon as it dried… nothing. No cheesy feet, no pit smell, nothing. 24 hours later, still nothing.

They have changed something recently, because the new one I just opened smells significantly less disgusting (still, sniff it at your own risk). I’ve been using it for a few days now and my armpits still smell like nothing, so I’m happy it still works.

It’s expensive, but you only have to use a very small amount. Like, the least that will come out. A stick lasts months and months.
posted by kite at 8:09 PM on January 9, 2023

I tried Lume and it made my armpits smell MUCH WORSE than they did before! Really! It was extraordinary. I had been using Native before that, which mostly worked but not always. Then I switched to Freedom, which worked pretty much all the time. But I have since switched again to nuud, which is UNBELIEVABLE. I need to use it only once every few days and I never ever smell bad anymore. It's a cream, which I thought would be awful, but it's not. HIGHLY recommended.
posted by wisekaren at 10:58 AM on January 12, 2023

I started using Lume last year and haven't looked back. I'm also using their body wash now, too. I've been a loyal Tom's of Maine unscented deodorant user for years and would not have thought that a cream deodorant would work, but I actually really like it now. I don't find the odor of it weird, even with the unscented, and any odor wears off really fast. I'm using the lavender sage at the moment and am definitely a fan.
posted by gingerbeer at 10:26 PM on January 13, 2023