Chub rub. It’s when your thighs rub together when you walk, causing friction. It’s not awesome in any way – it can result in pain, redness, irritation, chafing, bleeding, and a whole host of other things. It doesn’t matter whether you’re thin, fat, or somewhere in between – if your thighs touch then there is the possibility of friction.
Inbetweenie plus size blogger Rachel and I have been putting some methods of preventing chub rub to the test…
Bandelettes
These are by far the sexiest way of banishing chub rub. Bandelettes are lace bands backed with the same stuff you find on stay up thigh high stockings, and they sit right where your thighs rub together. They are lightweight and when you wear the correct size they stay in place. Rachel reported that she had to size down by 2 sizes to get hers to stay in place without rolling down. The down side is that they are physically another layer to wear and the silicone lining does tend to feel sticky in the heat.
Want some? Find Bandalettes here from USD $10.00
All Woman Anti-Chafing Long Leg Knickers
Not particularly sexy but these are extremely effective. I got these in “natural” so I could wear them under light coloured garments, but you can also get them in black and white. The fabric feels a bit like thick stockings, but not nearly as hot to wear. While they may not be the most glam garment, they are super comfortable and give you a nice smooth line without resorting to shapewear. Great if you’re wearing long skirts, avoid if you’re wearing knee length or shorter. These come in sizes UK12-40, the ones I’m wearing are a 24/28 and were gift from The Big Bloomers Company.
Want some? Find these at The Big Bloomers Company from £15.95
All Woman Anti-Chafing Short Leg Knickers
These are a shorter version of the longline ones I’m wearing above, and much better for wearing under knee length or shorter skirts and dresses because they won’t peek out the bottom. They’re super roomy and I can wear them pulled right up to under my bust for a nice smooth line. The down side of these for me were that the bands around the thighs dug in a bit when I was sitting down, creating a noticeable indent in my thigh under my skirt. These come in sizes UK12-40, the pair I’m wearing are a 24/28 and were gift from The Big Bloomers Company.
Want some? Find these at The Big Bloomers Company from £12.95
Neat 3B Action Cream
See Rachel’s face? That’s the happy face of someone who’s not having issues with chafing. Neat’s 3B Action Cream was a clear winner for Rachel – she said it was long lasting and easy to apply. She had no issues with sweat but said that if you did happen to sweat you’d need to re-apply as the product wore off or apply it more generously. The down sides of this cream are that it smells a bit chemically and feels a bit icky on your hands. It also needs to be applied on dry skin which can be hard to achieve after a shower in hot weather. It does sound good though, and I’ve heard a lot of great reviews of the Neat 3B Action Cream, so I might have to give it a go for myself!
Want some? Find Neat 3B Action Cream online or at your local pharmacy from NZD$16.11
Taking Shape Breezy Anti Chafe Shorts
These are basically bike pants. You know, the ones that were popular in the 80’s and 90’s. No, not the lycra ones that people who actually ride bikes wear, super comfortable cotton ones. Loads of people recommended these to me, so I popped in to my local Taking Shape store to try them on. I’m glad I did, because I ended up sizing down from the size I thought I’d be! These are the definitely a winner for me – I wear them all the time and they work with pretty much everything lengthwise. These come in TS sizes XXS-XL (which is an NZ 12-24), and I’m wearing the L. 2019 update: I’ve worn these for about five years and am only just looking to replace them now because I’ve lost them somewhere – still very much recommend!
Want some? Find these in store or online at Taking Shape for $29.95
UPDATE: I found some more great ways to keep chafing at bay – check out part two of this post here.
How do you beat chub rub? Let us know below – you may be saving someone else from the horrible pain of chafing!
Purchased anti-chafing short by therapeutix in Australia and they are great. Was able to wear skirts. Short is soft and cool. Sizes on the generous size. Can be purchased on line.
Teresa
Hey Teresa, I’ve never heard of therapeutix, where did you purchase them from?
I purchased a pair of $10 leggings from shanton ages ago and cut the legs off to get the length needed to go under a few shorter dresses – it worked great and they are still going about 3 years later!
Nice work!
I’ve tried the 3B crram and it worked great but can get expensive so I just roll on deodorant. Sounds weird but works amazingly. I roll it on both legs between my thighs when I wear dresses and it completely eliminates the chub rub. Best thing is its cheap. I use dove roll on just because it smells nice and its only $2NZD at the supermarket.
Great solution Shylah!
I swear by Curash! Fairly sure you can get it from the supermarket as well as the pharmacy. I love that it is medicated so that if you already have some chafing it helps soothe it
Last year I did the easy breasy shorts from TS/Virtu but I have worn holes in them all. Last week ti started to get warm in Wellington and I needed some more but on a budget so I went to the warehouse sprots section and they sell basically the exact same thing but for 8$ up to a size XXL so I bought 3 pairs to get me buy for a while! I like them more as they are slightly shorter but cover enough of my skin that rubs, making them better for wearing under my shorter dresses
I always just buy a cheap pair of leggings (NZD$7 from The Warehouse) and cut them at the knee, they are thinner then most alternatives and don’t sweat. Perfect if you are on a budget like me being the poor uni student that I am.
I’ve used 3B cream before and I don’t think it works very well, I have found ZoRub brand chaffing cream works way better and lasts longer.
Ooh, haven’t heard of ZoRub, thanks for sharing Alex! xo
I use 3B cream under my boobs and swear by it! Haven’t tried it for thigh chaffing under a dress, but heading to Aussie soon for a wedding so might have to have a practice run as I was just going to wear very light weight tights underneath my dress!!
I found a pair of bloomers years ago made out of lightweight slip-like material, that are not fitted, but loose! I have worn the crap out of them. They’re an easier option for me in the summer than fitted things. I overheat way too easily. Excellent post ladies – must look for that cream stateside! I’ve also used the bandaid brand anti-chafing tube – which doubles up as a good aid for breaking in shoes without getting blisters.
Bloomers sound pretty cute! I would love to get really pretty ones and wear them as outerwear hehe
I totally hear you about overheating – for years I wore full length leggings and suffered the hotness, am so glad there are more options now!
thighsociety.ca is amazing as well!
I need all of these things!
As I suffer badly from the ol chub rub I really want to get me some of these pants you’re wearing. The only problem is each time I’ve bought clothing online the size has been all wrong. Would you mind sharing your measurements? That way I can get a better idea of what size to grab. Thanks so much for an awesome post.
PS when you walk do you get the “shsh shsh” sound? I’m trying to find pants that aren’t as “noisy” as my current pair 🙂
Hey Arial, I just got my usual dress size for the All Woman ones – my waist is 122cm and my hips are 170cm, and I usually wear a UK24-26, so I got the 24/28. These do make a little bit of noise, but I don’t really notice it. The Virtu ones are definitely quieter than the All Woman ones, because they’re cotton. I hope that helps!
I would love to know where Rachel’s dress is from xx
It’s an old Citychic jobby I’m afraid! From a few summers ago.
I use a brilliant product to combat chub rub: Body Glide. It comes in a tube like deodorant and is on the pricey side ($30), but it lasts forever. There is no residue and nothing to transfer to clothing. I rub it on my thighs in the morning and then go for the rest of the day in anti chafing bliss. And I wear skirts every day. It is so very brilliant – can’t recommend it enough! I buy it from a swim shop in Wellington, but you can get it online: http://www.bodyglide.com
Ooh, I have heard some good things about Body Glide but have never seen it in stores. My bf is a cyclist so that might be a good one for him too. Thanks Cara!
Body Glide can be purchased via the super efficient online supplier -Teamline. See link below. I have had great success with both 3B cream and Body Glide. My two jobs are extremely physical and often entail working 14-17 hour days. Often, I don’t get time to reapply 3B but still rarely suffer sweat rash these days if I apply it liberally at the start of the day…. and I don’t have chub rub at all using either 3B or Body Glide 🙂
http://www.teamline.co.nz/personal-care/
Awesome! I’ve just done a bit of research and can confirm that they’re both cruelty free as well – woohoo!
Omg this is brilliant, i have alwyas had this issue and never seen anything anywhere about it. Thank you for sorting this one out 🙂
You’re more than welcome SJ! xo
I wear bike shorts under everything short!!!! The best ones (and still going) I got from Glassons about 5years ago but totally going to look into some in this company!!!!! My friend swears by the 3B cream. I love this article!!
Hey Rebecca, bike shorts are great, right? Also a good way of not showing your undies to the world when the wind blows your dress up (something that happens to me often in Auckland and Wellington!) 😉