Friday, February 8, 2019

To Stink or Not to Stink? That is the question...Lume Review

  Important: This "review" is for the Unscented version of Lume. I did NOT try the original scented version so it may be totally OK and not have the issue I raised below.

On with the story...

  My sister sent me a link to a video ad for Lume deodorant. I have to admit; it was clever and funny. I watched it a couple of times. Then my sister told me she bought some to try.
  I have been using Dry Idea antiperspirant for years. I use the unscented versions of the roll-on and gel stick where it oozes out of the top and you put it on. I have NEVER had any odor or stink emanating from my pits. Even though it's unscented, no smell; no odor.
  The drawback is that it does contain Aluminum. I hear that's bad for you. It may also be tied to memory issues and Lord knows, I have short term memory issues. Now it may just be my age but...
  Recently, I went to see my sister and all the relatives surrounding her. We had a good time (that's yet another series of blog posts that might show up some day) and while there, I asked her about her Lume. She didn't say much and the things she did say...well, I can't publish that here. LOL
  When I got home, I decided to order Lume and try it out. Let me tell you a little bit about it from reading their web site. They have two versions: A roll-on for under arms and a tube for "Private Parts", Ahem!!! The first version they produced was scented with a bit of lavender and sage. They just came out with an unscented version of both as well.
  Since I have been using unscented deodorant for years, I decided to order the unscented version in both the roll-on and tube just to try it. In a few days I received it in the mail.


Cream for "Private Parts"

  If you go to their web site, they tell you how to put it on and how to condition your skin to it. I followed the directions and went on my way to start my day.
  Now I have to tell you a side story. It warmed up here for a couple days after being 15 BELOW ZERO for a couple nights (we're in the upper Midwest).  After the warm up, we began seeing an occasional stink bug near windows. Don't squash a stink bug; they stink! You pick them up with toilet paper and flush them down the toilet. Why am I telling you this? Well, it's relevant.
  I have been working in my home office and two days ago, I thought I caught a whiff of a strange odor. FYI, I had only been using Lume for a couple days. I kept trying to pinpoint the odor and thought that a stink bug had been squashed some where. To keep this short and to the point, I finally thought that it smelled like it was coming from ME!!! WHATTTTTT? It couldn't be. I was using unscented Lume.
  Well I did some deep breaths and then smelled my underarm and CRAP! It was me!!! It was coming from my shirt's underarm area. I'm not making this up.
  At this point I was becoming confused. The only change was that I began using Lume. I did some additional snooping around and took the Lume underarm deodorant out of the medicine cabinet and squeezed out a bit and sure enough, I smelled that odor that was coming from my shirt.
  The next day, I applied a little bit more thinking I had not applied enough. That night, I went to a presentation at our library. I kept my coat on for a while and then took it off, What happened next almost floored me. I got the strongest whiff of that same unpleasant odor that make me think pigpen was sitting next to me or maybe a homeless person. There was a rather large person sitting next to me and I can only imagine what she was thinking. Thankfully, she stayed where she was. I didn't have the nerve to even look over at her. Maybe she passed out from the smell? Ugh! Well my arms clamped down to contain "it" and after a short time, the smell went away. Was my face red!
  After the presentation, I left and when I got home, I took out the Lume from the medicine cabinet and put my Dry Idea back in. Today will be the final test. If I don't smell that odor again, I will return the Lume for a refund. I have to say that the shirt I wore yesterday was navy and it had white perspiration stains on the pits and the shirt pits stunk with that same odor. Oh, did I mention that I also have a cold and can't smell anything? Well, that should tell you how bad it was!
  Now, you may be thinking, why didn't he order the scented version with Lavender and Sage? Come on! I'm a man and put on cologne. I don't want competing fragrances coming from me!
  Now about the "Private Parts" creme. I'm afraid to try that. If my pits stunk I don't want that smell emanating from my loins!!! Thank you very much! You can only return one product so the roll-on will be heading back to the Lume people.
  Now for the good news. All I can smell now on my shirt pit area is the pleasant odor of my laundry detergent. I was really hoping that this Lume product would work for me so I can get my memory back. It isn't to be. Now where in the heck did I put my coffee cup...?

Update:
  No more underarm odor when using the Dry Idea. Odor mystery resolved!