Lume is a deodorant brand marketed to women that claims to be “clinically proven to control odor for 72 hours.” The brand also markets itself as healthier than commercial alternatives, describing their deodorant as “naturally derived” using “skin safe synthetics” and no aluminum.
But is Lume actually clinically proven to have better odor-blocking effects than commercial deodorants, or is this just a marketing claim? Does the brand use effective and safe ingredients? How do real users rate and describe Lume? And which retailer sells this product for the best price?
In this article we'll answer all of these questions and more, as we review the clinical trial on Lume to give our take on whether or not it's truly superior in terms of odor blocking.
We'll also analyze the ingredients in Lume to share our thoughts on whether it's a healthy choice, feature unsponsored customer reviews and provide a cost comparison to show which retailer sells this deodorant for the best price.
Is Lume Really Superior?
Lume worked with a private, for-profit consulting firm called Princeton Consumer Research to test the effectiveness of their deodorant.
The study found that Lume was more effective at blocking odor than Native deodorant and Schmidt's.
We have a few issues with this study.
First, how is "odor blocking" determined? Is it just a Princeton Consumer Research employee smelling the trial participants and assigning a score?
Because the full study doesn't appear to be published on Lume's website, we can't tell.
No comparison or proof is provided to suggest that Lume is effective for odor blocking at 72 hours, even though the core of Lume's marketing claims is that the deodorant blocks odor for 72 hours.
We recommend that consumers disregard results from company-funded clinical trials that are not published in peer-reviewed journals. There is too much potential bias for the results to be useful in our opinion.
Ask yourself when was the last time that you saw a company-funded clinical trial that had unfavorable results.
We also have ethical issues with brands making claims of clinical efficacy and failing to publish the full study for consumers to access. It is not a transparent marketing practice.
Until Lume publishes a clinical trial in a peer-reviewed journal, we will not consider their products to be more effective than competitors'.
We Tried Lume Ourselves
One of our product testers named Jodie Steinberg tried Lume deodorant for a month. Here's her experience:
The product packaging is standard for deodorant. It was easy to open and use.
I tried the tangerine scent, and the smell was very nice.
I was amazed by this deodorant. I used it for everyday activities including work outs. I was amazed that there was zero body odor even after a sweaty workout.
It does not stop sweat because it is not an antiperspirant, but the deodorant effect lasted for days. I did not have to reapply even after two days.
I was amazed at how long it lasted and how effective it was in masking body odor.
I did not experience any side effects.
This is a product I would purchase again, and I would rate it 10/10.
In my opinion, this product is worth the money if you are looking for a deodorant that works which does not have aluminum.
Is Lume Healthy?
The ingredients in Lume deodorant are shown above.
Lume sells a variety of scented deodorants and an unscented version. For consumers intent on purchasing Lume, we recommend the unscented version.
A recent medical review published in a French dermatology journal found that antiseptics, aluminium compounds, and fragrances found in deodorants may be damaging to human health.
Maranta Arundinacea root (arrowroot) powder is a natural deodorizer and a botanical alternative to talc that we consider much safer.
Neopentyl glycol diheptanoate is a non-toxic emollient compound which is used to soothe and soften skin.
Panthenol is derived from vitamin B5, and was shown in a clinical trial published in the Journal of Cosmetic Science to improve skin hydration.
Overall, we consider the unscented version of this deodorant to be significantly healthier than most commercial deodorant brands.
As we highlighted in our Dr. Squatch review article, many deodorants found in a typical drug store contain questionable additives like fragrance, synthetic dye and aluminum.
Lume’s ingredient list is free of aluminium, fragrance (in the unscented version), phthalates and talc.
Real People Try Lume
A YouTube creator named "Hallease" has a Lume review that overviews everything from consistency, smell, packaging and uses. It's a very well-produced video and definitely worth a watch for anyone considering this brand:
A YouTube creator named "Everyday Tidbits" has an "honest TMI" review of Lume that has over 130,000 views:
Dermatologist Reviews Lume
Lume's marketing suggests that their deodorant is effective not only for underarm odor but to treat odor anywhere on the body.
The brand claims you can "apply anywhere you have odor."
A dermatologist named Dr. Dray who runs a popular health and beauty YouTube channel reviewed Lume deodorant and shared her thoughts on whether the products are likely to be effective for odor on the feet and genitals:
Where to Get the Best Price
Lume is sold at a variety of retailers.
Here's the price breakdown for a one-time purchase of a two-pack of the fragrance-free version at the time of updating this article:
Target: $29.98 (plus shipping, link)
Walmart: $29.94 (plus shipping, link)
Brand website: $29.98 (free shipping, link)
Amazon: $29.98 (free shipping, link to official Amazon listing)
Lume unscented is currently around 5-10% cheaper on Amazon and the brand's website than Target and Walmart when factoring in shipping fees.
Customers Rate Lume
Amazon is a better resource for honest customer reviews than a brand's website in our opinion.
Lume deodorant stick has been reviewed over 20,000 times on Amazon at the time of updating this article, with an average customer review rating of 4.3 out of 5 stars.
A top positive review from a verified purchaser comes from a user named "Marie" who gave the product a 5/5 rating, and claims that Lume is effective at preventing odor in humid work conditions:
"I put the Lume on my feet bottoms, tops, between my toes. I put it under my big boobs and in all the cracks and crevices of my woman parts. So I went to work in my hot, sweaty factory and I still sweated all day long. My feet were wet, my bra was wet and my panties were wet. But miraculously there was no smell! None. Nada."
A top negative review from a verified purchaser is written by a user named "Michel Nunu" who gave the product a 1/5 rating, and dislikes the apparent lack of antiperspirant effects:
" This product is purely a deodorant does not have antiperspirant actions meaning you can sweat all day it won’t help it only target odor."
Lume deodorant currently has a 4.1 out of 5 rating on Facebook.
Lume deodorant stick currently has a 4.3 out of 5 rating on Google.
Lume currently has a 1.36 out of 5 rating on the Better Business Bureau (BBB) website, but the brand responds to the majority of customer complaints in an attempt to resolve the situation, which is a sign of a high-quality brand.
Our Clean Deodorant Pick
Native Deodorant Unscented is our non-toxic deodorant pick.
This deodorant contains the probiotic Lactobacillus acidophilus which was shown in clinical research to reduce odor and normalize bacteria levels when applied topically.
It also contains coconut oil which is another natural antibacterial and antifungal ingredient.
Lume Pros and Cons
Here are the pros and cons of Lume deodorant in our opinion:
Pros:
- Unscented version has no unhealthy ingredients
- Unlikely to cause side effects
- May improve skin health and hydration
- Mostly positive online customer reviews
- May be effective against foot and genital odor
- Free shipping from brand's website
Cons:
- Questionable clinical claims
- Scented versions contain fragrance
- Expensive
