THERE'S THE RUB

I tried viral thigh chafing products on vacation in Mexico — they all rubbed off in the heat, there was a clear winner

THICK thighs may save lives, but not necessarily when it’s 90 degrees outside.

Luckily, there are plenty of items on the market for inner thigh chafing, and I decided to give the most viral products a go in Guanajuato, Mexico.

Sara Alhariri
Thigh chafing can be a summer bummer if you are wearing shorts, dresses, skirts, or swimwear

Sara Alhariri
I gave several anti-chafing products a go and compared them to my usual Native deodorant stick

I tried several products, including Thigh Rescue, $10, Friction Defense, $5, Chub Rub, $9, and For Her, $9.

I tested the products against my go-to anti-chafing product — Coconut Vanilla deodorant, $12.

HOT LIKE MEXICO

When it comes to testing an anti-chafing product, what’s better than a hot climate with a lot of uphill walking?

Guanajuato is a scenic and charming city in the heart of beautiful Mexico.

With temperatures over 80 degrees on most days, I tested out each product over the course of my five-day vacation.

Sara Alhariri
I wore all my favorite dresses to put the products to the test as I navigated beautiful Guanajuato, Mexico

Sara Alhariri
Guanajuato, Mexico is known for its vibrant streets with steep inclines, plenty of steps, and hot weather

Sara Alhariri
Guanajuato is full of steps to climb, such as in El Callejon del Beso, a romantic destination for a photo op

I grabbed my cutest dresses, my four new anti-chafing products, and I prayed for the best.

For the experiment, I only wore dresses without any bike shorts or similar undergarments to protect my inner thighs, relying solely on the products.

TRIAL AND ERROR

First, I tried Zone Natural’s Chub Rub, a coconut oil-based product.

I did find myself having to reapply the product once at midday, as I felt it lose its effectiveness between lunch and dinner time.

Next, I dried Megababe’s Thigh Rescue — a favorite of influencers with glowing reviews online.

Of all the products, Megababe was my least favorite. Having left my hotel at 9am, by 11am I was desperately seeking a public restroom to reapply the product.

Next, I tried Goldbond’s Friction Defense, which was my second favorite of all the new products I tried

Like Zone Natural’s I did have to reapply it once midday, but it’s not my favorite due to the ingredients being on the harsher side for my liking.

Finally, I gave Body Glide’s For Her a shot, which reminded me of Megababe, but was only slightly better. I placed the product in third place.

A CLEAR WINNER

Zone Naturals’ Chub Rub took first place, even replacing my go-to for chafing — typically any natural deodorant I happen to have on hand.

My usual product would last until about lunchtime, whereas Zone Naturals’ Chub Rub went a bit longer than that.

Although the product rubbed away by late afternoon, I felt it kept my skin smooth and healthy.

Although none of the products blew me away, I appreciated Zone Naturals for its holistic ingredient list relative to other products.

MY RATINGS FOR CHAFING PRODUCTS

THIGH CHAFING PRODUCTS RATED FROM BEST TO WORST

1. Zone Naturals Chub Rub — the best, reapplied after six hours

2. Native Coconut Vanilla deodorant — my usual go-to, typically lasts about four hours

3. Goldbond’s Friction Defense — reapplied after four hours

4. Body Glide’s For Her — lasted about two and a half hours

5. Mega Babe — lasted two hours and I had to pay seven pesos to use a bathroom to reapply

The product contains coconut oil, caprylic/capric triglyceride, castor oil, beeswax, carnauba wax, shea butter, cocoa seed butter, sweet almond oil, kester wax K-62, citric acid, hemp seed oil, aloe vera extract, olive oil, jojoba seed oil, avocado oil, and vitamin E oil.

However, with the main ingredient being coconut oil, I believe a similar effect could be achieved by just applying just that to my skin.

For those who really need something to stand the heat, but are conscious of using chafing products, my tried and true remains sticking with biker shorts to protect the skin in the summer.

Sara Alhariri
Putting the chafing products to the test, I wore my short shorts with confidence, only to be disappointed by the products overall

Sara Alhariri
Of all the anti-chafing products, my favorite was Zone Naturals’ Chub Rub, but I could have opted for coconut oil itself
Exit mobile version