June 1st, 2023, I wrote my first review about Lume. It was just about my years long obsession with Lume and how excited I was that it was at Target, and I was finally going to try it.
Uuuuunfortunately, both my previous post and this update are not the reviews I was hoping to give.
72 hours?
More like 7 hours. First things first, for me and several others, Lume does not last for 72 hours. In fact, it didn’t even last for 24 hours for me. From all of the reviews I’ve read, I didn’t find one that that said it lasted 72 hours for them.
If I’m being brutally honest, it made me smell worse than with any other deodorant. If I don’t reapply in time, Lord help anyone around me, or I guess I’ll just keep my arms down … mmmkay. The smell is worse than driving behind a semi full of onions. Like way worse. It even made the pits on my T-shirt stay with the onion smell, after being washed.
Now, here’s what I’ve told myself, it’s the lack of aluminum in this deodorant that leaves me and my shirts with this lovely, lovely onion smell. Oddly enough, aluminum is the in-between smell after the Lume scent dies off and before the B.O. starts.
Quantity: LASTS LONGER THAN I THOUGHT
So, one of my initial complaints was the amount of product that comes in this 3 oz Individual Cream Tube. Initially I was taken aback with how small this tube was. The creator, Dr. Shannon Klingman mentions in many of her ads that all you need is a pea sized drop for each armpit. That’s about as much as I used and at times, even more. With that info, this 3 oz tube actually lasted me the full summer.
Other Reviews
Negative
Here’s a few similar reviews on Instagram:
@sarahsallysarita
“The coconut smelled so good the first day, the next morning it smells like onions!!! What!? So bummed, spent 15 dollars on it at Target 😔.”
@clern2b
“Well it doesn’t last 72 hours! After 48 I smelled like a fresh cut onion”.
@wellnesscoache
“Yeh so it didn’t mesh well with my body chemistry I tried for months and months and it made me smell so much worse than if I wore nothing.”
The Reply …
“@shannon_klingman_md@clern2b Lume is clinically proven to block 100% of BO all day and continues to provide odor control for up to 72 hours. If you’re going 48 hours odor-FREE, that’s actually great! If you’re interested in learning more about how to extend your control, please reach out in a DM @lumedeodorant“
Okaaaay, thank you for reiterating your slogan based off your clinical study and dismissing @clern2b’s individual experience, except for only replying on what you saw as the “positive”. I see what you did there, press secretary. I feel gaslit. “Reach out in a DM” is just code for, message us so we can sell you the Acidified Body Wash and pre-wash.
Positive
This is one of the bigger reasons I was looking forward to this product. Not only for myself and my mental health challenges but for others as well.
@kat_e_recovery
“I ordered the toasted coconut in the bar, body wash, and tube deodorant. It is absolutely amazing. I have depression and bathing is a hard thing for me sometimes and this leaves me smelling fresh till I get to my next shower. Thank you for this product!!”
Quick side note, I’m very happy that this product worked for @kat_e_recovery and for all of those in a similar position that Lume does work for. That’s something I’m very passionate about.
@tigpam133
“I know this is more about smell but does it work for thigh chaffing? I know people that have this issue and would love something they would help them with this problem”.
Reply:
“@shannon_klingman_md@tigpam133 The main purpose of Lume Deodorant is to prevent odor however, both the Lume Solid Stick and Cream Formula effectively moisturize the skin and contain powders that linger on the skin to minimize or even prevent chafing!
The Solid formula may lead to less chafing with perspiration for some users since it’s not a water-based cream. If you decide to give either a try, we do have a 60-day return policy if you decide it’s not for you!”
The cream in the tube actually worked for me when I used it to help against chaffing.
acidified
Lume has 2 products that tote to have “acidified” properties. I found the answers to this benefit in some questions and answers on one of Lume’s ads on Instagram.
@gemini_moon_leo
“Ok founder… what does the acidified body wash do? I went to your link here and I can’t even find the ingredients let alone an explanation for what it’s supposed to do”.
Reply:
“@shannon_klingman_md@gemini_moon_leo … Our Body Wash has a lower pH which helps exfoliate and turn over skin cells more quickly and as a result, some customers have seen that using it may contribute to restoring their natural skin tone”.
@kboehm01
“I have purchased the sample pack. Both the wash and towelettes are acidified. What is the function of the acidification?”
Reply
“@shannon_klingman_md@kboehm01 The low pH makes the product acidic. The low pH supports the healthy acid mantle on the skin, supports a healthy micro biome, and reduces the potential for odor to form on the body!”
This makes me wonder how much better the Cream Deodorant would work if I used the Acidified Body Wash with it.
bacteria vaginonsis
When I heard this part of Dr. Klingman’s highlight, it caught my attention. The claim:
“The odor wasn’t coming from the inside, but on the surface of the skin (externally). Odor reactions that happen below the belt? More often than not, they start the same way odor reactions in our armpits do! Bacteria feast on fluids like sweat, semen, and other funky junk and “spit” out what we all know as body odor”.
You can find more details in a blog post titled “Your Vagina is Not to Blame … Or Is It?” on Lume’s website.
Now this is something I want to stand by because it goes against big pharma and seems to address the issue at hand. What I don’t like is the promotion and success for the use of the deodorant alone when many people are encouraged to use the Body Wash AND Pre-treatment with it for success. Feels misleading.
AFFILIATE MARKETING
At the end of May 2023, I applied for Lume’s affiliate marketing program. A few days later, I received a reply denying my application stating, “The partner account is part of the blocklist”. Uummmm, que paso? What even does that mean? I looked up the term and no straight answers when it specifically came to Lume and blocklisting. Is it because of my review??? Couldn’t be … right?!
I mean, I am linking quite a bit to their products and articles regardless. Throw me a bone, huh?
If you have any insight on what “part of the blocklist” means, please share.
3rd update?
So, will I try other Lume products in the future, the answer is, maybe. Pero not right now that I’m financially strapped. I’m also tired of playing the guessing game with Lume. Will my clothes or I smell today or not? I would like to try the Acidified Body Wash with the Invisible Cream Stick and clothes washed in Lume’s Laundry Sink Soak or Pre-Laundry Spray. When I’m ready to spend upwards of $50 for 3 products to maybe work splendidly together.
Should I do a 3rd update on Lume once I try all 3 products together? I mean, I really think I would. Maybe the bigger question is why?
Why do I even consider giving it a 3rd try and spending more money? Why not just move on? If you’re thinking this, you obviously are new here. I don’t quit when I should. So, if you don’t hear back from me, on yet another Lume update, at least I finally learned to quit something when it just wasn’t working for me. This is after all, a very painful one-sided break up.
Let me know in the comments below about your Lume experience. Any and all things Lume, I’d love to know.