How Do You Solve a Problem Like Chub Rub?

I cannot get over how sexy these were. As a finicky person, I kept worrying they were going to fall, but every time I became convinced that they were slipping and went to check, there were actually still stuck on perfectly. You almost feel the rub more in these, but it’s not painful — just the brush, brush of lace. It’s a nice sensation. And there’s so much less fabric than bike shorts! The only real issue is that I maybe flew too close to the sun and wore these bar hopping. After adjusting them once, I had a little chafing from placing them incorrectly. But that was human error. Just know where your rub is before putting them on.

When I put this on, my thighs immediately felt smoother. I got nervous that that wasn’t a good thing, because sometimes your thigh skin is a bit rougher, as a built-up defense system from all the rubbing. Still, the instant relief was a game-changer and the gel wasn’t too sticky. Throughout the day it got better! It did make my legs stick together a bit, but not in a terrible way — I just occasionally had to take one stride a little bigger to make my thighs separate entities again. There’s only one downside here: Every friend who I asked to try this out with me seemed averse to buying a Monistat product. But you gotta do what you gotta do. It’s a good product and it works!

Megababe felt like a nice upgrade from applying powdered deodorant to my legs. It too made my thighs feel smoother (healing the already-chafed spots) and it smelled very nice. In the summer I basically try to just throw as many smells at my body as possible, in the hopes that together they’ll counteract the garbage smell of the city, so this one was nice addition to that battle. Of all of them, this and the Monistat were the ones where I noticed the feeling of rubbing the least, so it gets major points. The only downside here would be the cost, but in terms of use versus dollars, it’s probably pretty comparable to a cheaper gel that you would use more often.

Megababe and Gold Bond Friction Defense are both sticks, but Gold Bond has no smell. Megababe is smoother, whereas this one feels more like deodorant. It worked fine in the morning, but in the afternoon I felt like it had worn off more than these other products. I could feel those neglected upper leg hairs, the beginning of chafing creeping in. There are a bunch of runners on the stick, though, so maybe if I was an athlete or at least walked faster, this’d be a good, scentless solution. As is, it was second to Megababe for me in terms of glides.

Oh man did this feel terrible instantly. Powder feels gross between your legs, but this has the added weirdness of also tingling for a bit after you put it on in a strong, annoying way. I knew I was going to be averse to powder, so this is me revealing my bias. If you don’t cringe at the thought of powder between your toes, maybe you’ll react better to this. Or try Anti-Monkey Butt. Side note: I also used it in my shoes because I wanted it to be as multipurpose as possible and I think it made them smell worse.

This feels like you’ve just put hairspray between your legs. As you move, you feel it slick between your thighs, but I enjoyed that sensation because I always knew it was working. That wet feeling lasts for way, way longer than you’d think it would, but it didn’t stain my dress. Basically, using the spray all comes down to how much you want to notice what’s down there. I had my friend try it and she hated how long it lasted. I thought it worked fine and got the job done.

Look, did I purchase the lube primarily because I thought it would lead to a funny anecdote? Sure. But I actually think it works pretty well. Weirdly, it felt better the longer I had it on (not sure what that says about this as a lube). It feels pretty normal and the wetness goes away quickly (again, don’t know what this says about it as a lube) but it keeps your legs un-chafed for the day. Like with the deodorant, it’s nice to have a solution that is multipurpose. Plus, what’s funnier than looking your boyfriend dead in the eye, pumping this lube twice, slathering it between your legs, and then heading out the door? Also, maybe you can try heated “for her pleasure” lube. Why not have some fun on your morning commute?