Kobe Bryant’s line of unisex body products was developed with feedback from pro athlete testers like James Harden — here’s how it stacks up for non-athletes like me

Insider Picks writes about products and services to help you navigate when shopping online. Insider Inc. receives a commission from our affiliate partners when you buy through our links, but our reporting and recommendations are always independent and objective.

Founded in 2018 by Mattias Metternich, Brian Lee, and Kobe Bryant, Art of Sport is a new unisex body and skincare line that makes products to withstand the rigors of an athlete’s day.
It’s much more than a brand with a celebrity endorsement. Art of Sport uses data collected from professional athletes, experienced scientists, and features natural ingredients to make products that really get the job done.
Starting at $8.95 each, Art of Sport‘s product line up includes deodorants, antiperspirants, 2-in-1 hair and body wash, activated charcoal bar soap, sunscreen, and more.
Although I’m not a professional athlete, I’ve been using Art of Sport for a while now and they work really well. Read on to see what each product is like.

Kobe Bryant is undoubtedly one of the greatest athletes of all time. With 18 NBA All-Star appearances, five NBA Championship titles, and two Finals MVP titles in his 20-season career, he knows a thing or two about consistently performing at the highest level, and taking care of his body was always a top priority. While training, resting, and eating healthy are some of the most obvious ways to do that, Bryant is now focusing on an often overlooked, but equally important factor — hygiene and skincare.

Taking a much different route to post-retirement than most athletes, the former LA Laker is now the founding partner of a new body and skincare brand called Art of Sport.

Co-founded in 2018 by Mattias Metternich and Brian Lee, Art of Sport is a startup that makes body and skin care products specifically formulated to withstand the rigors of modern athletes.

What makes Art of Sport Different from other brands?

Unlike most "performance" grooming products that rely solely on a celebrity or pro-athlete endorsement to make their products seem great, Art of Sport uses data gathered from world-renowned athletes (of different sizes, genders, and sports) and a team of scientists led by Dr. Shekhar Mitra and Dr. Laurence Dryer to create better products without the common chemicals found in competitors.

Instead of parabens, oxybenzone, talc and a slew of other things you or I probably can’t pronounce, Art of Sport features natural ingredients like matcha, aloe vera, arrowroot, tea tree oil, activated charcoal, and shea butter. And the best part is that the entire product line up — which includes deodorant, antiperspirant, bar soap, two-in-one hair and body wash, and sunscreen, among a few others — is unisex.

In addition to Kobe Bryant, who also serves as an athlete tester, the brand’s roster of athletes includes NBA MVP James Harden, World Series Champion Javier Báez, professional surfer Sage Erickson, Motorcross and Supercross racer Ken Roczen, professional skater and X-Games gold medalist Ryan Sheckler, and NFL wide receiver Juju Smith-Schuster.

My thoughts on Art of Sport body and skincare products:

I’m far from a professional athlete, but I figured if the products could handle the intensity of those who compete at such high levels, it could handle my everyday life. Rather than just taking Kobe’s word for it, Art of Sport sent me a bunch of products to try out, and they’ve become one of my favorite affordable body care brands.

I’ve tried many other grooming and skincare brands that are naturally derived and they usually cost a lot more. With the exception of bundles, Art of Sport‘s individual products are all priced between $8.95 and $13.95 each, which makes them pretty affordable. In addition to the price, everything works really well. The deodorants last all day long, the soaps moisturize my skin and provide a deep clean, and the sunscreen isn’t pasty or oily.

Shop all Art of Sport grooming products on Amazon now.

Keep reading to check out my full thoughts on some of the products I tried:

Art of Sport Antiperspirant

Art of Sport

Art of Sport Antiperspirant in Compete scent, available on Amazon, $8.95

I was most eager to try the deodorants and antiperspirants because they used matcha, something I thought was only good for fancy desserts. In addition to matcha, it uses arrowroot to help with moisture wicking. I went with antiperspirant first because I usually prefer them over normal deodorant.

The first thing I do before I try on any deodorant is to smell it because I wouldn’t want to walk with an unpleasant or overbearing scent on me. My first and longest lasting impression of the deodorant is how good it smells. This antiperspirant, in particular, uses the Compete smell, which is described as an energizing rush with citrus and green pear. Amazon lists this as a men’s deodorant, but Art of Sport is unisex and could very well be worn by anyone of any gender.

I had great results using it, with the scent lasting all day long and my arms staying dry. It was my favorite scent of the three I tried. While the antiperspirant doesn’t include parabens, alcohol, petrolatum, oil, or talc, it does include aluminum. If that’s a deal breaker for you, opt for the deodorant, which is free of aluminum.

Art of Sport Deodorant

Art of Sport

Art of Sport Deodorant in Rise Scent, available on Amazon, $8.95

Much like the antiperspirant, the deodorant uses also uses matcha and arrowroot as its key ingredients. However, the biggest difference is that the deodorant doesn’t have aluminum.

One of my biggest pet peeves with clear or gel-like deodorants is that they usually leave stains once they dry, but after putting it on, I was pleased to find out that stays clear. I didn’t have big white marks under my arms after applying it.

I really like that the deodorant is motion activated. While I was able to smell it on me all day long, I was able to smell it a lot more when I was active in the gym, compared to sitting at my desk or walking around the office at work. The Rise scent, which is described as clean and crisp with notes of cedar and vanilla, could also very well be worn by a woman.

I also tried the Challenge scent, which is described as a sporty musk with sandalwood and basil. Sporty musk might sound like a masculine smell, but the basil gives a fresh and earthy natural scent.

Art of Sport 2-in-1 Hair and Body Wash

Art of Sport

Art of Sport 2-in-1 Hair and Body Wash in Compete scent, $8.95

I like using two-in-one body washes when I need a quick but effective cleaning — and Art of Sport is my new favorite. Featuring aloe vera, tea tree oil, and roseroot, it does a great job at keeping my skin and hair moisturized. Although I have plenty of soaps and shampoos that are also great at moisturizing to choose from (I’ve tested a lot of products), I keep finding myself reaching for this one when I’m in the shower. The smell is that good. And since it’s only $8.95, it won’t cost me a fortune to get more once I run out.

See the rest of the story at Business Insider