Trib Tested: Lavilin Cremes for Underarms and Feet

The attraction of Lavilin creams is their potential convenience. Sure they're hypo-allergenic. But it's the claim that both foot and underarm deodorants need to be applied only once a week that get all the attention. Whether you're using them to fight stinky feet or underarm odor, there are some challenges involved.

Directions require you to avoid using any other deodorant for 48 hours before applying them. That might not present problems with the foot cream. But unless you're a recluse and/or work from home, that's asking a lot of anyone. When you do apply them, both creams have a heavy, clay-like feel as they drag across your skin. They do absorb into the skin, however.

The foot cream did an OK job of controlling what little foot odor I get when walking shoes make my feet sweaty. But within a day or two of applying the underarm cream, I noticed a faint and growing odor of perspiration. That was enough for me. Before my colleagues could begin complaining, I went back to my regular roll-on.

— Alice T. Carter

The toughest part of trying out the Lavilin Creme Underarm Deodorant is getting through the two days without deodorant that's required. As someone who applies deodorant at least twice a day — before a workout and after showering — the worry of offending others is paramount. I chose a weekend at home to allow my underarms to be completely deodorant-free before trying it out. A small, dime-size bit of the herbal Lavilin, which contains no aluminum or other harsh chemicals, is all that's needed.

The cream deodorant claims to last up to a week, despite swimming or bathing, and is recommended to be used no more than twice a week. I wasn't willing to test the seven-day claim, but in the shorter term, it works just fine. Although, for a muddled mind like mine, the every-three-or-four-days application is difficult to remember: "Did I use it yesterday• The day before?" It's another complication.

But the Lavilin Foot Deodorant Cream is a product I'll be more likely to use throughout the hot, sock-free summer. It's baffling that your feet can build up an "aroma" in airy, open sandals. But they do. With this product, my tootsies can smell as pretty as my pedicure looks.

— Sally Quinn

Testing both Lavilin's Under Arm and Foot deodorant creams has felt like a "dear diary" moment — while I've been excited to use it, raving in public seems as though it would unravel a feminine mystique. Delicacy and prettiness don't usually pair with sweat or stink, but this Lady Trib Tester has grappled with hyperhydrosis and, in the interest of silk vs. cotton, has tried everything from Drysol to Botox and beyond.

The thick cream comes in a space-age container and spreads like lotion. The instructions are simple: no immediate application after shaving or to areas of broken skin; and apply at night, rinsing during your morning cleaning routine. The hardest part is "refreshing" your skin; no deodorant for two days prior to your first application. Yes, that's correct. To use this, you have to get good and stinky for two days. OK, you can bathe — but no deodorant or, heaven forbid, antiperspirant during that time.

I "refreshed" my skin for a weekend and found the foot cream worked immediately, keeping me from sliding in my sandals all week. The underarm cream, however, left something to be desired. I was pleased when my shirt — and scent! — survived a workday, but the gym left me feeling not so fresh.

Without typical deodorant ingredients such as aluminum or alcohol to ruin my work and dress clothes, Lavilin worked well at eliminating light, bacteria-driven odor for roughly three days before I needed to reapply. Excessive sweating, though, proved to be its only downfall.

— Caroline Hirt

Additional Information:

Lavilin Creme Underarm Deodorant and Lavilin Foot Deodorant Cream

The claim: These prestige herbal deodorant creams last from three to four days no matter how many times you shower, swim or work out. Its effectiveness is drawn from natural properties found in herbal plant extracts including Chamomile, Arnica and Calendula, which work to eliminate odor-causing bacteria on the skin. Each container will last about six months.

Cost: $15 for underarm; $16 for foot

Where: www.zoomlavilin.com