This anti-thigh-chafe face-off first appeared in The Strategist Beauty Brief, a weekly newsletter where our beauty writers share their must-tries, can-skips, and can’t-live-withouts. But we liked it so much, we wanted to share it with all of our readers. If you want more first impressions of buzzy launches, quick takes on what’s trending on TikTok and Instagram, and deep dives into the week’s best beauty launches, sign up here. The Strategist Beauty Brief is delivered every Wednesday.
I have thick thighs, which means I am intimately acquainted with the burning, red-hot pain of thigh chafe. I once got a case so gnarly, it left scabs on the inside of my legs. That was also the day I bought my first tube of Megababe’s Thigh Rescue, an anti-friction stick that looks like an especially nice stick of deodorant. Four years later, I still apply it faithfully each morning, and the magical barrier it creates lasts all day — and then some. It has prevented any further wounding, even after long days at the beach, late-night dance parties at weddings, and outdoor concerts in the swampy NYC summer. I keep a spare stick in my bag, for emergencies.
But when I saw that First Aid Beauty had released an anti-chafe stick of its own, one that promised to last for 10,000 steps, I thought it might be the brand to stack up against my long-time favorite. I’m a First Aid Beauty fan and have trusted it to deal with some nasty skin issues in the past; its Ultra Repair Cream calmed a notoriously bad rosacea flare several years ago and a minor sunburn after a particularly hot and dry trip to Joshua Tree. Its new anti-chafe stick uses colloidal oatmeal — the main ingredient in the Repair Cream — in addition to shea butter, an emollient that hydrates and protects the skin barrier. If anything could compare to my beloved Megababe, it might just be this, so I decided to take it for a spin.
On one sunny September afternoon, before I headed off to the park, I applied four to five swipes, as directed, on each thigh. The product wasn’t greasy: It felt more like my gel deodorant than a cream, which made me ever-so-slightly skeptical. Megababe feels more cushiony off the jump. But it’s both mostly fragrance-free; I had to put my nose right to the First Aid stick to get a faint whiff of shea butter. Then I started my journey of 10,000 steps.
Steps 1 to 5,000: I started at about noon and walked full tilt through Prospect Park, stopping only to pet some especially cute-looking dogs. But otherwise, I didn’t break my stride for the first 45 minutes. (I got my heart rate up to about 120 bpm.)
Step 6,000: I started to feel some drag as my legs rubbed together. If my walk had started at my trying-to-catch-an-incoming subway pace, I slowed way down to a casual stroll, and warning bells rang in my head: Ruh-roh. The park benches started calling out to me.
Step 7,000: I was itching to reapply and started to feel the tell-tale literal itching and stinging that signaled hellfire was about to break out between my legs. My thighs had rubbed the product into oblivion, leaving nothing but skin and sweat behind. The sunny, warm weather that I had been enjoying a short time ago now seemed like the enemy. But I decided that, for science, I must make it to 10,000 — after taking those benches up on their kind offer.
Steps 7,001 to 9,999: I sat three times to give my thighs a break. (I couldn’t help but think that I would never have had to stop if I were wearing Megababe.)
Step 10,000: I ended the walk an hour and a half later, back at the start — and though I didn’t have full-blown fire thighs, there was definitely some minor irritation. (My skin was pink, not yet bright red, and felt itchy but not completely raw.) I avoided the worst of it, but I was well on my way to an inner-thigh emergency.
First Aid’s anti-thigh chafe stick clearly didn’t hold up to 10,000 steps. And as I compare it with my old faithful, I know why. Megababe’s anti-chafe formula is thicker than First Aid Beauty’s. It’s more like a rich balm, and that thick, creamy texture is what makes it work so well. It’s like a shield protecting me from the gates of hell. All said, I think First Aid Beauty is a perfectly fine option if you’re okay with reapplying and would prefer a lighter texture (like maybe on a hot beach day). But ultimately, I have to crown Megababe as the winner in this anti-chafe showdown.
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