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Every summer time, I seek for shorts that meet two particular standards: They have to be cute, they usually can’t trigger thigh chafing. Regardless of catwalking in becoming rooms and solely shopping for pairs with longer inseams that actually appear like they gained’t betray me, the final word take a look at is sporting them in actual life. Inevitably, a lot of the shorts I buy creep up my inside thighs like they’re aspiring to be underwear, leaving my inside legs uncovered, unprotected, and a hazard to themselves. And, but once more, I’m left questioning methods to cease chafing.
In an occasion of divine timing (or of social media listening to my conversations 1984-style), I just lately noticed a number of reels of Instagrammers touting one trick to forestall inside thigh chafing for good. In response to my sources (girls in my Instagram feed), to forestall chafing, all you need to do is swipe deodorant in your inside thighs as you’ll your armpits and voila: Your legs are protected against the demonic crimson patches that hang-out heat weather-enjoyers all over the world.
Like many issues on the web, this data made me wonder if it was too good to be true. So I examined it for myself.
How one can Cease Chafing: Will Pure Deodorant Save My Inside Thighs?
Fortunate for me, I had 4 pure deodorants accumulating mud in my rest room self-importance. I used to be ready for a very good time to make the transition from utilizing antiperspirant to pure deodorant on my armpits. There could, in actual fact, by no means be a very good time. However testing them on my thighs I may do instantly.
Do you need to use “pure” deodorant? No. Antiperspirant works for some folks, too. “Pure [deodorant] implies freed from chemical substances,” says dermatologist Malika Ladha, MD, FRCPC. However that doesn’t imply they’re secure for everybody. “I’ve seen sufferers develop reactions to ‘pure’ deodorants.” (You’ll need to test the ingredient record and do your analysis. When doubtful, take a look at your deodorant on a small patch of pores and skin earlier than making use of to bigger areas of your physique.)
You is perhaps considering: Weren’t full-body deodorants actually invented for chafing? And also you’d be proper. Ladha recommends these and petroleum jelly to make use of on thighs to forestall discomfort. I, however, was in search of a method to make the merchandise I already personal multi-functional as a substitute of shopping for new ones. If you recognize, you recognize.
The Outcomes
After I say that utilizing pure deodorant on my inside thighs to cease chafing has modified my life, I imply it. It looks like I’ve ended a protracted, painful, costly chapter in my life—shopping for shorts, being optimistic I wouldn’t chafe, being disillusioned I do chafe, masking my ache to save lots of face at social outings, giving freely mentioned shorts to a donation middle, in search of new shorts, rinse and repeat.
All alongside, the reply to my drawback (and my HUGE beef with the shorts trade) was in my rest room.
I additionally discovered that my thighs have distinctive necessities for a deodorant:
- Scent isn’t as vital: Although I typically catch a whiff of the scent of my deodorant after I put on it on my armpits, I can’t odor the deodorant I put on on my thighs. Although I’ll all the time select a enjoyable aroma over no aroma, I discover it’s not as vital for utilizing the product to forestall thigh chafing. If you’re aiming to masks the odor of your sweat, although, this can be a extra vital issue!
- The feel of the formulation issues: That is vital for armpits, sure, however perhaps much more so for thighs because of the near-constant friction. I wanted the deodorant to be thick sufficient that it could final on a protracted stroll, however not get cakey or gloopy and be one thing I wanted to wipe away or fear about. One of many 4 deodorants I examined didn’t work for me as a result of it was a skinny texture and didn’t keep on very lengthy. It was advantageous for strolling round at dwelling, however wore off shortly after I began sweating on an extended stroll exterior.
- I nonetheless want it *not* to stain my garments: Nobody is delighted after they placed on a black shirt and see the streaky remnants of the deodorant they simply placed on their armpits. After I examined deodorant on my thighs, I used to be diligent in checking and re-checking whether or not I had these stains on my shorts. This wasn’t a difficulty with any of the pure deodorants I attempted, even on black bike shorts.
These 3 Pure Deodorants Prevented My Thigh Chafing
Although I’ve listed my high picks so as of how a lot I like them, they every lasted for hours, didn’t have to be reapplied, and withstood a lot of sweating. Whether or not I’m taking a summer time stroll or heading to an outdoor yoga class, I’ll have one in all these in my bag.
1. Megababe Every day Deodorant, The Smoothie Deo with Coconut & Fruit Enzymes
Did its cute pink packaging sway me to buy Megababe? Sure. Though I used to be hooked by the millennial branding, I stayed for the true outcomes. That is my number-one on a regular basis decide for after I need that no-chafe confidence in my favourite hot-weather ‘suits.
Founder Katie Sturins says she based Megababe when she couldn’t discover different merchandise that labored for her thighs, sweat, and physique odor. Who doesn’t love a relatable feminine entrepreneur?
Plus:
- Freed from: Aluminum, phthalate, sulfate, baking soda, aluminum, or paraben
- Leaping Bunny Licensed
- Vegan

2. Tom’s Cucumber Aloe Pure Deodorant for Ladies and Males
I wore this on a visit to Florida in June. Say much less, proper? Regardless of my profuse sweating from each pore on my physique, the deodorant didn’t dissipate and allowed my thighs to gracefully glide in opposition to one another chafe-free.
Plus:
- Freed from: Aluminum, butylparaben, synthetic colours, aluminum, paraben, or formaldehyde

3. Schmidt’s Aluminum Free Pure Deodorant for Ladies and Males, Lavender & Sage
I used to be just about bought on Schmidt’s after I noticed their distinctive aromas—coconut and pineapple, cactus flower and pear—which sound adequate to eat. (Notice: Please don’t eat deodorant.)
Schmidt’s isn’t a formulation you may shortly rub on pores and skin, because it’s a bit thicker and chalkier. They suggest warming the stick in opposition to your physique warmth for a number of seconds earlier than software, which in my expertise did assist. It left a little bit of residue on my thighs that I needed to brush off earlier than heading out the door, however the chafe-free impact was in full swing for the a number of hours I used to be strolling in a gown (with no safety-net biker shorts beneath!). Looks like freedom.
Plus:
- Freed from: Aluminum, synthetic perfume, filler components, propylene glycol, phthalates, or parabens
- Leaping Bunny Licensed
- Vegan
$17.80 for a two-pack on Amazon
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