Aromarant Solid Deodorant

As I’ve said before, Lush deodorants are probably the one area that I just cannot commit to fully. While the concept of solid blocks and powders - without any metallic or synthetic nasties sounds like a dream, the reality is that my armpits are just too stubborn to want to use anything else but, what I would call, a ‘normal’ deodorant.

Firstly, I should probably state that a deodorant is different from a antiperspirant, and you need to know how they differ so that you don’t (like me) confuse the two and slate a product based on something that it would never be able to do in the first place.

Lush don’t create antiperspirants because at the moment the technology to create a natural version isn’t there. These products are the ones that contain ingredients that are quite literally used to try and stop you from sweating altogether. Normally they contain components to block your pores, thus the lack of sweat. However, this can obviously lead to health problems, including skin sensitivity, irritation and possible poisoning. Deodorants work by masking and hopefully eradicating any smells that may form during the day, and they can also help you to feel a little drier as you go about your busy schedule.

Aromarant is a rather hard block that used to be sold by the gram in stores. Discontinued a few years back, this was a deodorant that you either loved or loathed - a solid product that divided Lush fans down the middle, and you only have to read reviews online to recognise this for yourself. 

Containing sandalwood, witch hazel and oak bark, the smell of this is definitely not something that you’d want to wear as a perfume. However, as far as deodorants go, I really appreciate the smell that this offers: it’s definitely very different from what you’d expect to find in a normal pharmacy or supermarket. 

The sandalwood is definitely the strongest note - working alongside the lemon to produce a deep, woody aroma, with warming notes of lemon to make it a little uplifting as well. The inclusion of the cleavers infusion, which I found out was a herb, adds a sweet, gentle honeyed element that definitely rounds the deodorant off and makes its fragrance more pleasing. 

While I love the concept of solid deodorants, if there’s one aspect that I dislike about them, it’s trying to apply them effectively. Much like Aromaco, this block was really stubborn if I tried to massage it directly onto the skin. In fact, doing it this way left my skin feeling a little sore and didn’t heed much of a result either.

To make the most out of Aromarant, I found that if I wet my underarm, or added a few drops of water to the bar first, the bar would leave a slight residue (what I can only describe as a paste) on the skin, which would then work well at deodorising my skin for a good many hours before I needed to reapply more. In fact, I was impressed to discover that if you apply it this way, you can get coverage that will last right the way through your working day.

As someone who can sweat a lot, I was impressed to find that I stayed feeling clean and smelling clean for most of my twelve hour day, although the product did struggle a little when it came to my increased sweating in the gym. In these conditions, I found that if I used a powdered deodorant on top of this at the same time, I usually remained dry for the most part of my hour workout. 

While a 100g block would easily last you a good twelve months and then some, its longevity is also to its detriment. After a couple of months of using this, I found that, ironically, the moisture was expelled from the block and it was much more difficult to create the paste to apply to the skin. For this reason, I would highly suggest that you wrap this in greaseproof paper and store somewhere dry and cool, in order to retain those oils for as long as possible.

In addition, I should also point out that there will be a very slight odour expressed from the product once it has merged with the heat of your body. This is by no means detrimental in helping you to rid your body of smells. However, you will occasionally get a waft if the sandalwood, and this will be something you’ll have to get used to, if you decide to use it long term.

Overall, I actually really liked this product more than I thought I was going to. While it has not fully converted me over to the land of self-preserving, natural solid deodorants, it’s a step in the right direction, and I shall be using this product as part of my regular routine. 

Quantitative Ingredients: Propylene Glycol, Fresh Lemons (Citrus limonum), Sodium Stearate, Cleavers Infusion (Galium aparine), Witch Hazel Infusion (Hamamelis virginiana), Oakbark Infusion (Evernia prunastri), Sodium Bicarbonate, Perfume, Sandalwood Oil (Santalum album).

Vegan?: Yes.

2017 Price: £4.25 for 100g.

Year Of Original Release: 2006.