I haven’t quite mastered the “polished” look, even in four-plus decades. I’m kind of always in “outtake mode.” I sweat, I chafe, and I’ve had a less than perfect record with mascara — and nothing has gotten easier as I’ve aged. But I have found a few products that make all this <gestures to self> a little easier. 

Solving the skin chafing problem

I’ve always had issues with thigh chafe — growing up in the South will do that to a girl. But as I got older, it also was just something I felt I should be able to solve elegantly. Powder didn’t seem to do the trick 100% of the time, but I did find a few solutions that could cut through humid days and long commutes. 

• Monistat Chafing Relief Powder Gel: You used to be able to find this in stores, which is where I saw it years ago, but now it’s an “online-ordering only” option. I found this not only helps prevent chafing, but it can be a great skin treatment if you happen to get some irritation.
  • Pros: Inexpensive ($6 approx. per 1.5 oz. tube), lightweight, fragrance-free, and affordable
  • Cons: Need to reapply in most extreme or long-term situations. Available online only

• Megababe Thigh Rescue: In a deodorant-size stick, this product is easy to apply with a couple of swipes to your thighs, or wherever you want to keep chafe-free. I dropped a travel-size stick of it in a recent order as a “well, we’ll see how this goes” impulse buy and wow, was I surprised. Not only does this stick keep my thighs moving freely through a heavy HIIT workout, but it also keeps going through a whole outdoor concert, including a mile-long trek to and from our parking spot.
  • Pros: Easy to apply, works for a long time, and comes in discrete travel-size for your bag.
  • Cons: Has a medium-strong citrus/floral fragrance (not bad, but if you don’t like smelly stuff, it may not be for you).

Solving the chub rub problem

When it comes to long days in lightweight fabrics, like dresses and skirts, you can also tap into some mild or medium compression with a variety of “slip shorts.” I found a few that I liked, through recommendations and some trial and error. You might find you want some shorts of different colors, lengths, and compression for different situations or outfits, like me. But here are a few I’ve liked this summer. 

• Jockey Shapewear Skimmies Slipshorts and Jockey Shapewear Skimmies Cooling Slipshorts: Both of these have multiple lengths and colors available with the standard nude or black options most often available. At about $20, they’re a quick solution you can find most places you’d expect to buy Jockey underwear or bras. They’re generally comfortable and a light compression, which means they won’t grab too hard against your tummy or thighs, but also seem to hold up well when you need to walk around the city for a whole day in a cute dress. I’ve even worn them under shorts for some extra thigh protection and they were great!
  • Pros: Affordable and easy to shop for
  • Cons: Shapewear can squish you or roll down no matter what, but sometimes it’s just kinda great to have as an extra layer of comfort or protection. Trial and error is time-consuming, but a must
• Check out other slipshort options from brands including Spanx, Maidenform, Vanity Fair, and Shapermint for some additional options including no compression, high compression, and ones without that little band of silicone that keeps them from sliding up your thighs, too.   

Solving the stink problem

I don’t know that I thought I was super stinky in general – except after a workout, but when you’re talking forty-something stink, it just kind of creeps up on you that your body is kind of funky sometimes? Maybe it’s night sweats and hot flashes, or maybe it’s just the pressure of life in this fun world we live in. I tend to require an antiperspirant as well as a deodorant, so I hadn’t really considered the brands I get served on Instagram like Lumē or Native that tend to market a more “natural” deodorant solution. HOWEVER, one customer’s testimonial recently sent me to the order button, and it was about how the Acidified Body Wash from Lumé had also improved one user’s skin discoloration from years of … (drumroll, please) thigh chafing! 

• So as a result, I’ve now purchased a few Lumē products and I have to say, I’m pleasantly surprised. They claim that the use of regular soaps and cleansers tends to leave your skin too basic (and I mean that on the pH scale, like acid and basic) which lets bacteria grow. The “acidified” body wash – I use it on stinky parts and my thighs at the end of a shower – claims to reduce stink for up to 72 hours by correcting that pH problem. And so far, I haven’t had an uptick in stink, so I guess that’s progress. 
• Lumē Acidified Body Wash: Available online or some products are also sold in Target stores – but they’re sealed so you can’t sample scents that way. They also make “manly” scents under their other brand called Mando. They were designed by a gynecologist, and they say all products are safe on your lady-bit areas as well as your pits, etc. I liked the citrus scents just fine, but they do make unscented options as well. They also make deodorant, body wipes, and a body lotion that they say fights Keratosis Pilaris or “KP” (those fun dry skin bumps most of us get on the backs of our upper arms).
  • Pros: Seems to solve that sink thing with just a wash 
  • Cons: Expensive — $20 for body wash is a lot — but it does seem to last a long time. Scents can’t be tried out in advance, and not all products can be bought in person, but have to be ordered online. No travel sizes of the body wash yet. 

Solving the dry cuticles problem

Finally, in the last few years, my toenails and fingernails have become more soft and easy to tear. I tried all sorts of treatments like strengthening nail polishes, creams, and soaks, but nothing seemed to make a dent and I couldn’t grow out my nails at all. In the driest times of the year, my cuticles will split and crack and sometimes bleed. OMG, it’s awful! But I added a product to my cart back in the winter on a whim, and it has been great! You use it once a day (I put it on before bed) for two weeks, and then three times a week after that. I find it not only moisturizes my cuticles, but it also tends to make the skin around my toenails and fingernails moisturized and nice to look at. While I’m not at Eagle Talon level yet with my nails, I’ve seen some real progress as long as I use the cream regularly. And it’s small enough to put in my purse just in case I need to use it on the go. 

• Onsen Cuticle Cream: At around $11.50, this cuticle cream is an easy item to try out, and if you don’t see progress, it’s not a major risk. I’d tried cuticle oils, creams, and salves without much progress. I found this product didn’t have any scent, and once rubbed in (easy to accomplish), it moisturized for a full day. Regular use is key, so using it nightly for 2 weeks, and then a few times a week as the package recommends, seems to do the trick nicely.
  • Pros: Easy and quick to use daily. No scent. Inexpensive to try out.
  • Cons: Effects seem to only last with regular use