In the world of deodorants, Lume is something of an outlier, even in the natural deodorant space.
The marketing is based on Lume being truly vegan. And there’s also an emphasis on Lume being free of aluminum and baking soda.
The real question is whether Lume works. And whether there are Lume deodorant side effects, too.
So, let’s take a deeper dive into that part of the deodorant equation.
There are some things you should be aware of if you’re going to buy into the Lume approach.
As a result of that, we’ll be examining those and delivering a verdict about whether Lume is really a good product.
Natural Scents vs Chemically-Based Deodorants
Lume was founded by Shannon Klingman, an obstetrician who was doing her residency when she came up with the product.
Klingman was aware of incidents of cancer with conventional deodorants.
As well as the possible problems that can be caused by the aluminum and other potentially toxic chemicals they contain.
The other advantage of Lume is that it’s not just for underarm use.
Lume is advertised as being safe enough for body-wide use, which opens the door for all sorts of different products, scents and packaging formulas.
The natural scents used to make Lume also made it hugely successful, but there is a catch of sorts.
Luke doesn’t actually stop you from sweating—instead, it works by using ingredients like aloe leaf juice.
This supposedly eliminates the bacteria that cause odors when it makes contact with sweat.
Does Lume Work, and Does It Have Side Effects?
According to most users, Lume is quite effective at controlling odor, despite the different approaches.
The scents are quite popular, to the point where many of those who try it quickly become acolytes.
There have been issues, however.
When I checked Trustpilot for their review, I can see Lume scored 2.5 out of a 5 star rating. That’s average and not very good. There are 72 reviews at the time of this writeup with a few scathing reviews which I’ll list below.
Some customer forums contain numerous complaints about issues with ordering.
And some have experienced problems with a bright red rash that suddenly appears under their armpits.
So why is this happening with a product that supposedly takes a safe, natural approach?
The best guess is that many people are unknowingly allergic to the various natural oils and scents like lavender, coconut, juniper and so on.
The risk from these scents is likely exacerbated by the fact that Lume is considered safe to apply to users’ private area, which may be a high-risk approach indeed.
Also, Lume hasn’t been approved by the FDA.
So, it lacks the credentials that come with government approval and the clinical trials that are usually conducted as part of the process.
There are also some complaints about a tough residue that stays on the cloth after wearing the deodorant, which can be difficult to get off.
There are also some complaints about a tough residue that stays on the cloth after wearing the deodorant, which can be difficult to get off.
You should also pay attention when buying.
The ingredients of the scented version of Lume may contain fragrance, which may be irritating to you if you have sensitive skin.
Some users have found the “Unscented” version to be good and non irrittaing.
Note: It doesn’t mean the unscented version doesn’t contain any fragrance at all. However, it’s too mild to have any effects.
The Verdict
So is Lume a good product? Yes, but with a couple of important caveats.
You should know what natural oils and scents you may be allergic to, and you should also be aware that you may have ordering issues.
Finally, you may also be able to get these oils and scents in a different form that’s purer and safer, so factor that into your shopping process when you go to buy.