Our fave anti-chafing solutions to help you survive the heatwave
Chafing has got to be one of the most annoying side effects to ditching the layers ready for the hot weather. It's the secret ailment that plagues 99.9% of people (probably) throughout summer. No matter what your dress size, when it comes to the heat and excess sweat, our thighs, and other areas of the body, are never safe from when that hellish chafing ensues.
Thankfully, solutions from anti-chafing shorts to creams are now better than ever to help prevent unwanted friction in the summer months.
So, if you don't want to spend your summer sweating it out in trousers or getting strange looks as a result of walking with your feet a metre apart to prevent the rub, READ ON.
Aside from an 87p cream from ASDA that people can't stop talking about, here are some tried and tested solutions loved by chafing sufferers the world over. Get involved and liberate those legs.
1. Anti-chafing shorts
Any kind of elasticated shorts, be it cycling shorts or Spanx, will keep your thighs protected from friction AND prevent any cringey underwear-flashes if the summer breeze catches your dress. Double win.
Our faves are Yadifen's seamless shorts that are ideal for slipping on under dresses and skirts this heatwave szn. Luckily they come in a handy pack of three, so you can always have one of these summer-life-savers on rotation.
Of course, we can rely on the underwear gods, M&S, to supply the ideal anti-chafing shorts. Part of the Cool Comfort range, they hit the nail on the head:
If you are looking to really invest, Spanx's shorts are a great option. They have an elasticated high-rise waist band, for added comfort, and are made from a 'next to naked' fabric so they will go unnoticed:
2. Anti-chafing bands
If the idea of your 'bits' overheating in shorts worries you, try these anti-chafing bands instead. A bit like the top of stockings, they stay in place all day and provide an all-important barrier for your thighs. This lace neutral-toned option from Bandelettes, who've offered anti-chafing bands for years, is perfect for wearing under white summer dresses:
Here's a plus-size, classic black option too, in a super soft fabric from La Redoute. They have a silicone trim that'll keep them in place so you can rely on no slipping or budging all day.
3. Lush Silky Underwear dusting powder
This stuff is basically a really fancy version of talc, packed with skin-kind ingredients that will keep chafing at bay when applied to skin. It does wonders for preventing boob sweat, too, so don't go anywhere this summer without it in your bag. Plus, it smells amazing.
4. Maybelline Baby Skin Primer
We LOVE this beauty hack. When one writer ran out of her favourite anti-chafe balm, she turned to her makeup primer instead in a moment of sheer desperation. Even though she didn't find the primer much good on her face, she found it amazing at preventing thigh-rub. Who knew?!
5. Anti-Chafing Balm
An award winning entry from Megababe; their Thigh Rescue anti-friction stick won New Beauty’s ‘Best Chafe Stick’ in 2022 and was part of Into The Gloss' '25 best products of the decade' round-up in 2019. We. Are. Sold.
If you can get past the irritating 'For Her' label, this balm works wonders on your friction-prone regions thanks to its soothing, non-greasy and sweat-resistant formula.
6. Secret Shield
This stuff acts a bit like a roll-on deodorant for your thigh zone – but with tonnes of skin-friendly ingredients. Sure, waiting for international postage is a bit of a ball ache, but you can't argue with the legions of reviews proclaiming this product changed their lives.
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