I refuse to go anywhere without an anti-chafing stick

I have the type of thighs that don’t have a gap in the middle. I’m proud of how they fill out any pair of jeans with ease. But when I’m not wearing pants—especially these days in the blazing heat—my thighs are pretty much inseparable.

New York City has been hit with more heat advisories than I can count on one hand this season, making the breezy dresses and skirts I once relied on for relief more of a personal air fryer for my lower half—and my thighs in particular. That’s why I always carry an anti-chafing stick in my bag, so my inner thighs no longer stick together like sweaty magnets.

Aside from being extremely travel-friendly, these sticks are also easy to use, since they apply just like a regular deodorant (but without those annoying residue marks). While my thighs usually call for the most relief, I’ll happily use an anti-chafing stick on any body part that even hints at the threat of stickiness-to-come—under my boobs, on the backs of my ankles, and occasionally at my waistband.

The painful singe of fire thighs and general embarrassment of summer chafing has burned me figuratively and literally enough to make keeping a stick on hand a top beauty priority. And I’m not alone: Bazaar beauty director Jenna Rosenstein keeps a tube of Dove’s Whole Body Deodorant in her tote bag for sweaty commutes, and senior designer Olivia Alchek is a super fan of Megababe’s viral Thigh Rescue stick (which I also love). Along with Megababe, I also keep Body Glide for Her’s anti-chafing stick in my current rotation, and First Aid Beauty’s soothing shea butter and colloidal oatmeal version.

The shared discomfort of seasonal chafing is not kept nearly as quiet as it once was. Recently, upon boarding a subway to work, I noticed a full-scale advertisement inside for Knix’s machine-washable Thigh Saver shorts (a great option for those who haven’t come around to the power of anti-chafing sticks), which truly made me feel seen.

While I likely won’t rely on some of the best anti-chafing sticks as often once cooler weather arrives, I’ll probably always keep at least one fresh tube lying around for chub-rub emergencies. After all, these thick thighs aren’t going anywhere any time soon.

This article first appeared in harpersbazaar.com in August 2024.

Also read: How SPF is being redesigned for the better