KEITH DUNLAP – Bowhunting.Net Sr Field Evaluator
Hutton Labs, in Illinois, was established in 1996 as a multi-service technology company by founder Robert H. Ray…a vocational skin-care and air-care chemist with 20 years of professional product development. Hutton Labs specializes in cosmetics, odor science, vegetable and organic ingredients, botanicals, scents, gels, cleansers, repellents, attractants, controlled release, absorption, and natural fuels for lamps, lanterns, and candles.
Hutton Labs sent a package to me that included everything I need for the deer bowhunting season…their CARBOSOAP AC odorless hunter’s soap, black and gray CARBOMASK odorless face paint, and their Crystal DEO deodorant spray. I used their products during the early PA bowhunting deer season for evaluation purposes. The results exceeded my initial expectations.
The Basics
CARBOMASK (see figure 2 below) is a professional grade face paint that contains no grease, oils, esters, petrolatum, or paraffin. It has no odor, and contains activated charcoal which absorbs skin oils and odors. The consistency is like that of a smooth water-based gel that applies like a mud-mask that dries flat, but does not clog the pores and is not susceptible to sweat. It will, however, wash off with water very easily…so don’t look up into a heavy downpour with CARBOMASK on your face. You can also use CARBOMASK on your hands and palms. It is imperceptible when dry and won’t readily transfer to your clothing. CARBOMASK is available in 1 oz. or 3.5 oz. containers in black, brown, green, and gray. 3.5 oz. sizes are $14.99 and the 1 oz. sizes are $5.99…but a little goes a long way.
CRYSTAL DEO SPRAY (see figure 3 below) is a natural all-over deodorant spray that protects any part of your body from odor. It is an odorless and colorless potassium salt solution that acts as an astringent. You can spray it anywhere on your body, including your scalp, to eliminate and control odor while hunting. Crystal Deo Spray works best after using the CARBOSOAP Detox AC Soap. It is available in a 4 oz. spray for $5.99.
CARBOSOAP (see figure 4 below) Detox AC Soap is an odorless hunter’s soap bar with activated charcoal. It contains an organic bamboo activated charcoal and provides a very mild abrasive for gently removing dead skin cells and glandular residues (man odors). The suds are black, but the cleaning experience is odorless for effective pre-hunt hygiene. It is available in a 4 oz. bar for $5.99.
Most camo face paints are difficult to apply, uncomfortable to wear, and difficult to remove. For this reason, I have opted to use cloth camo face masks during the past several years. Face masks work fine, but they are hot in the warmer weather, and if you wear glasses they fog up when you breathe into the mask. So I was willing to give the CARBOMASK face paint a try…can’t hurt right?
Testing
As I prepared for my first early season bowhunt this year, I showered using the CARBOSOAP product from Hutton Labs. This soap and suds it produces are black, and the bar has the consistency of a regular bar of soap with some very mild abrasives for extra cleaning. When I first lathered up, it was a bit un-nerving at first because everything was black…including the shower floor. I quickly realized, though, that the black suds easily rinse away leaving no residue or stain on you or the shower. The soap is completely odorless to my sense of smell, and I used it from scalp to toe. It did not take much of the soap bar for one shower, so this product should last for a reasonable amount of pre-hunt showers. I felt clean and odor-free as I stepped out of the shower, and proceeded to use the Crystal Deo Spray on my scalp, pits, feet, and a few other areas. The Crystal Deo Spray contains potassium alum, which is an astringent that that makes it ideal for use as a deodorant. The spray goes on without odor or sticky residues. I just wish that it was available in larger containers than the 4 oz. size that I received.
Next up…it was time to get my Robinson Scent Shield hunting clothing on and head to my stand for an early season bowhunt. The temp outside was in the 70s, which always makes for a sweaty endeavor! After arriving at my hunting location, but before heading to my treestand, I applied both black and gray CARBOMASK to my face, neck and hands. Only a small amount of CARBOMASK was required to cover my entire face, neck and hands enough to hide my “shiny” human complexion.
I noticed right away that CARBOMASK was different than other camo face paint. It was far more comfortable and it was not oily as most face paints are. It applied as a thin, flat sheen similar to those muds that our better halves use to make themselves pretty, and it covered very well with little effort. The other important thing to note is that CARBOMASK remained on my skin without dripping or flaking off as I sweated while in route to my treestand. By the time I settled in to my stand, I had forgotten that I had face paint on except that my hands provided a reminder as I would glance at them. Now, I cannot testify to the odor eliminating properties of CARBOMASK because that is just too difficult to prove while hunting…but I can say that it was easy to apply, easy to wear, and stayed on my face, neck and hands during the entire hunt.
I had some young antlerless deer approach my stand during this particular hunt, and never picked me out in my treestand. This gave me some confidence that the produce hid my human complexion from the deer. After the hunt, I used some water I had in the truck to wash CARBOMASK off of my hands first, then my neck and face. It came off very easily with water, and no need for any chemicals or hot water to remove CARBOMASK.
Conclusion – The products from Hutton Labs, CARBOMASK, CARBOSOAP, and CRYSTAL DEO SPRAY work as advertised. I have made the switch back to face paint from the cloth face masks as a result of my evaluation of CARBOMASK.
Pros: easy to apply, easy to remove, comfortable to wear
Cons: none
To see the full line of Hutton Labs products, visit their website: CarboMask
