Lume | Who is the girl in the Lume deodorant commercial?

By Carmichael Phillip

  • Who is the girl in the Lume deodorant commercial?

    Unpacking the face behind the viral campaign

    (By Carmichael Phillip)

  • The commercial that caught your attention

    If you’ve seen it, you know it: the bold, quirky — almost shocking — spot for Lume deodorant that dives into body odor, butt cracks, underboob, bi-folds, and more. The central “girl” (or woman) in the commercial appears front-and-centre, speaking directly into camera, while dramatically applying the product in a candid setting. The ad in question is titled “Works Like a Dream” (2022).

    According to the ad listing on iSpot for another creative, “Amber Smith: Chronic Astinkiness Syndrome”, the actress credited is Emily Bolcik.

    However, the widely encountered version of the campaign features the founder, Dr. Shannon Klingman, speaking in first person about the deodorant. So the “girl” you remember may in fact be the brand-creator herself rather than a hired actress.

  • Who is Dr. Shannon Klingman?

    Let’s zoom in on Dr. Shannon Klingman and her role in the brand:

    Dr. Klingman is an obstetrician-gynecologist turned entrepreneur. She founded Lume in 2017, developing a “whole body” deodorant designed to control body odor rather than simply mask it.

    Her public appearances include TV commercials for Lume; for example, the iSpot listing for the “Dr. Shannon Klingman” TV spot shows her as the key figure for that ad.

    Her brand messaging is provocative and direct: addressing body odor in creases, folds, underboobs, buttcracks and other places often unspoken in advertising. A Reddit discussion observed:

    “Armpits, Underboob… this PIG makes my skin crawl.”

    Given that, the “girl” you saw may well have been Dr. Klingman herself.

  • But wait — what about Emily Bolcik?

    There is some indication that actress Emily Bolcik appears in one of the campaign versions. On the iSpot listing for the commercial “Amber Smith: Chronic Astinkiness Syndrome”, the actor credit lists Emily Bolcik.

    This suggests that Lume may have used more than one spokesperson or version of the ad:

    One version featuring Dr. Klingman personally, speaking as founder.

    Another version using an actress (Emily Bolcik) playing a character (Amber Smith) in a more traditional commercial narrative.
    Because the commercial you saw might differ in region, platform or version, your “girl” could be either one. If you remember a name drop like “Amber Smith” or a dramatized scenario, it may point to Bolcik.

  • Which version did you see? How to tell

    Here are some tips to help determine which version you saw, so you can identify the person:

    If the spot begins with someone introducing themselves as “I’m Dr. Shannon Klingman…” or “Hi, I’m the founder…” then it’s likely the founder version.

    If the spot is framed as a skit, character-narrative or has a name like “Amber Smith” and perhaps describes “Chronic Astinkiness Syndrome (CAS)”, then that likely features Emily Bolcik. (iSpot listing describes exactly this for the Amber Smith creative)

    Another sign: check the credits or small text at the end of the commercial (if you watched on YouTube) for actor names or “featuring” cast.

    If the tone of the ad is more personal, direct, founder-voice = Dr. Klingman; if more character/sketch = Emily Bolcik.

  • Why this matters: credibility, brand voice & actor selection

    Casting a founder vs. a character has different implications:

    Using Dr. Shannon Klingman gives Lume authenticity. It signals: “this was developed by a doctor, I stand behind it.” That can build trust (or at least attention) in a crowded deodorant market.

    Using Emily Bolcik as a character (Amber Smith) allows for more creative, humorous or narrative-driven commercial content which might appeal more broadly or entertain more than an executive-style pitch.

    From a viewer’s standpoint, identifying the person in the ad helps understand the marketing approach and potentially influences the message you recall. If you remember the commercial speaking plainly and candidly about body odor in weird places (underboob, butt-crack) then yes, you likely saw Dr. Klingman’s version. If instead you remember a character in a comedic sketch, you might have seen the Amber Smith variant.

  • What we can confidently say

    To distil everything:

    The brand is Lume.

    The commercial you’re referring to is likely one of Lume’s more provocative spots (e.g., “Works Like a Dream”, “Amber Smith: Chronic Astinkiness Syndrome”).

    If the person is presented as the founder or doctor of the product, that is Dr. Shannon Klingman.

    If the person is presented as a character (Amber Smith or similar), and credited in ad-listing as Emily Bolcik, then it may be her.
    Because ad-tracking sites like iSpot list “Actors – Add” for many of these spots (and often list “None have been identified”) it can be difficult to get an official cast list. For instance, in one listing: “Actors – Add” is blank for the Dr. Klingman spot.

    Therefore, we must rely on indirect evidence: actor credit (for Amber Smith) and the founder’s appearance (for other versions).
    In practice: if I had to pick the single most likely “girl in the commercial” you saw — I’d lean to Dr. Shannon Klingman, because that is the version widely circulated and associated with Lume’s face.

  • Final thoughts

    So, the answer to the question “Who is the girl in the Lume deodorant commercial?” is: Dr. Shannon Klingman, founder of Lume, if the ad you saw features the brand’s “real person” pitch. But if you recall an actor playing a character, the name to note is Emily Bolcik (playing Amber Smith) in one of the campaign variants.

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