Possibly the Cutest Yoga Mat? : Lululemon "The Mat" Review

(Review at bottom)
Some background
I had been practicing pilates and yoga on a cheap mat from TJ Maxx before I finally bit the bullet and bought the much talked about, $68 mat from Lululemon. When using my previous mat I would slip , sometimes the mat would move around during my practice, and it was starting to shed. Not to mention it looked like it had never been washed (which it had been! I swear!) and every time I rolled over my back, I could hear and feel my spine crunching into the floor. Not fun. or healthy sounding for that matter.

Needless to say, it was time for a change. I started looking for a new mat that was both stylish and very functional. I'm sorry, but if my mat is not  lovely looking, I just won't practice as much. I know its  vain, but it's the truth.  I had heard of "The Mat", but wanted to see if it was truly the best option. Turns out stylish, thick, high quality mats with great reviews are had to come by! Out of all the reviews,  comparisons, and yoga mat compilations I viewed, the most talked about mat was by Lululemon. So it seemed like a natural fit.

Once at the store, it took my literally 15 minutes to decide on a beautiful dark lavender mat. With my new mat I felt like a seriously legit yogi and was ready to test out my newest purchase. Here's what I found:

Pros

• super comfy ( I actually fell asleep on it, twice!)
• great color
• doesn't slip, no matter how sweaty your practice
• reversible ( one side has textured strips for added grip
• it's wonderfully large :) ( 76" x 26")
• it's just really pretty * sniffles*

Cons

• It smells, like really bad
• It stains very easily

The Smell

I'm not going to lie, this mat smells like a tire factory. Be prepared to lay the mat out for a few days to air out. Oh, and try to avoid the room its in because the smell might just knock you out. I had heard it had a slight smell, but was not completely prepared for the magnitude of the stench. However, It has faded away after keeping it out for two weeks.

Staining

like I said, this mat stains. throughout all my research, no where did anyone mention this! So I am telling you now that this mat stains! got it? If you are sweaty, or have oily skin like mine, after practice you will fine dark spots in some places where you touched the mat. This is extremely annoying and frustrating. However, I have found that you can avoid them, and they eventually fade with proper care.

What, you don't practice with hand paint on?

How to Avoid and Treat Stains

• before stepping on the mat, wash your hands and forehead, and wipe off your feet. to remove any oil or dirt.
• purchase a mat in a darker color, as stains are not as noticeable.
• After a particularly intense session wipe down your mat with a lemon, baking soda, water concoction ( just spray it on and use a terry cloth to rub it in). The instructions  included say to use warm soapy water, but I have found that this does not help remove stains at all. 

All and all, I think " The Mat" is worth it. I use it every day, sometimes multiple times a day, and it works splendidly. I often just leave it unrolled in my room because its really quite pretty and very inviting! I think that if you are careful with the stains and treat them properly you will find that they fade away and are really not a huge problem. I hope this review has been helpful, and please let me know what your experiences with "The Mat" have been if you can relate to staining, and how you dealt with it!

Happy Practicing!:)