natural deodorant sweat test review

soapwalla deodorant cream
overall sweat test rating: 8/10
price: $12.00
pros: scent, overall performance
cons: application, price

review:
I knew I had a winner when I stopped feeling the need to apologize in advance to everyone around me. After a workday and sweat session I had a few (brave) friends do a sniff test and I got the thumbs up all around. I loved the lavender-peppermint-tea tree scent (sensitive noses beware, it is quite strong). The price is a little steep and it did take me a while to get over the application of the product – you have to apply it like you would a moisturizer (they’re serious when they use the term ‘cream’).  Regardless, this would be my go to recommendation for anyone serious about going natural.

kiss my face – active life (lavender)
overall sweat test rating: 5/10
price: $5.99
pros: application, price
cons: scent

review:
What I loved most about this deodorant was that the application didn’t require any additional instruction (up against the other brands I tried this really did set it apart). For the most part it held up during the day to day although I do remember leaving one particularly warm meeting room in a bit of a sweat (pun intended). I also found the “lavender” scent to be a little strong and sort of smelt like a glue stick. If you’re willing to reapply for your workout and you’re looking for something easy and affordable then I’d recommend this deodorant as a decent option.

crystal body deodorant
overall sweat test rating: 3/10
price: $6.99
pros: hypoallergenic, price
cons: application, overall performance

review:
This one felt like I was wearing nothing at all and not in the good way. From application to performance this deodorant was my least favourite. In order to activate the “rock” you have to moisten it with water first (which dripped onto the clothes I was wearing - ugh). I wasn’t very confident that I’d transferred any product to my underarms and by the end of each day I was pretty certain I hadn’t. What it does have going for it is that it’s hypoallergenic and fragrance-free making it a good option for those with sensitive skin. If it does work for you, it also lasts up to a year so you’ll get a lot of bang for your buck. Overall if you’re an active person like me than this probably won’t hold up to your liking.

Finding a good deodorant (and making a recommendation for that matter) can be tricky since everyone reacts to formulas differently. While this test did prove to me that there are some great options out there, it made me realize there was a much bigger question I had to ask. Was I ready and willing to switch from an antiperspirant to a deodorant? Smelling fresh and staying dry are important to me and these options (for the most part) undelivered when it came to the latter. Anyone know of a natural stick that combats both these issues?

Above: MelEesa, our Men's Designer, test drives some of our luxtreme items in the park near our office.

If you've ever gone shopping for athletic wear, you have likely come face to face with the words "technical fabric". Have you ever wondered what this means and how it can enhance your workouts?

The term "technical fabric" refers to high-performance fabrics created and marketed specifically for sportswear. These fabrics are designed to pull moisture from your skin during periods of heavy sweating, spreading it evenly throughout the fabric so that sweat evaporates quicker and ultimately, you dry faster after your workouts than in a cotton t-shirt.

Luxtreme is a lightweight, smooth-feeling technical fabric that we use in our run line. Luxtreme is what we call an "inherently wicking" fabric, which means that the wicking property is part of the yarn itself and that your shirt will be wicking away your sweat for the life of the garment. Bottom line is that you will be calm, cool and collected before, during and after your workout.

I converted to wearing technical fabrics for all of my active living about a decade ago. So when I was given the task of test-running one of our luxtreme tops for work I decided to pass it on to my colleague Jacquie, who has always worn cotton t-shirts and tanks for her daily run. On a typical day she runs for about 40 minutes -- long enough to build up a good sweat!

If you have worn or worked out in any lululemon garments using Luxtreme I would love to hear your feedback below!

I look forward to sharing more information with you on our various fabrics and how they can make your workouts more fun. In the meantime, if you want a quick read on Luxtreme and our other technical fabrics check out the link below:

http://www.lululemon.com/education/info/care

View some of our Luxtreme products:

• Run: Dash Crop
• Speed Up Tank
• Run: Ambition Tight
• All Sport Bra
• Run: Hustle Crop