Vaseline vs Sudocrem vs Anti-Chafing Cream: Which Actually Stops Chafing?

You know the feeling. Inner thighs rubbing together on a long walk, or your groin going sore halfway round a run. Then there's that raw patch you don't even notice until the shower hits it. Ouch.

So you open the bathroom cabinet and grab whatever's in there. Nine times out of ten that's Vaseline, or the Sudocrem you bought for the kids years ago.

Honestly, we'd probably do the same at 7am with a train to catch. But Vaseline and Sudocrem were both made for other jobs. If it's chafing you're trying to prevent, a cream formulated for exactly that is the more sensible thing to reach for.

What causes chafing?

Friction, basically. Skin rubbing on skin, or on fabric, again and again until it goes red and sore. Sweat makes it a lot worse. Heat too. Anything that keeps you on your feet for hours.

Why does that matter? Because it tells you what the fix has to do. Whatever you put on needs to sit between your skin and whatever's rubbing it, and keep doing that while you walk and sweat and sit at a desk all afternoon. Calming down skin that's already sore is a separate job.

Does Vaseline stop chafing?

A bit. Which is exactly why so many people use Vaseline for chafing.

It's petroleum jelly. It does what it's made for well enough, protecting skin and helping lock in moisture, and if you slap it on your inner thighs it'll make things slippy for a while. The trouble is it's greasy. It sits on top of your skin and it loves transferring onto boxers, leggings, your good work trousers.

Worth having in the house? Sure. Built to keep your thighs comfortable through a twelve-hour shift? Not really.

Is Sudocrem good for chafing?

People search Sudocrem for chafing all the time, so it's worth being clear about what it actually is. It's a licensed medicine, sold as an antiseptic healing cream, and the things it's made to treat are nappy rash, eczema, minor burns, sunburn, acne and surface wounds. Those are its labelled uses. Preventing chafing isn't one of them, and that's the key difference from a dedicated anti-chafing product.

Its job, then, is looking after skin that's already sore or irritated. And it's thick. White, too. Brilliant on a baby's bum, a lot less brilliant under your jeans in July.

Loads of people keep a tub for those exact uses, and fair enough, so do we. Stopping the rubbing before it starts is just a different job to the one it's sold for.

What's the best cream for chafing?

A purpose-made anti-chafing cream. Call it an anti-chafing balm or a cream, it doesn't really matter. Of these three, it's the only one that's actually formulated to help reduce friction in the places you chafe.

You put it on before the rubbing starts. It's meant to be worn under clothes. That's the whole design brief, rather than something borrowed out of the changing bag and hoped for the best.

Which is why we make our own.

Our Anti-Chafing Cream for Men is made for daily use. After your shower, put it on and let it dry. Then crack on with the gym, the weekend BBQ or a film marathon on the sofa, whatever the day's got in store. It's got sunflower seed oil, cocoa butter, panthenol and vitamin E in it. Vegan. And it's dermatologically tested, same as everything we make.

For women we've got our Women's Anti-Chafing Cream, made for the spots women tend to chafe most, inner thighs and under the bust in particular. Lightweight and kind to skin, a barrier cream in our Fresh Breeze scent. Also vegan, also dermatologically tested.

Two formulas, because bodies differ. The idea's the same though. A cream to prevent chafing, used before it starts.

Vaseline vs Sudocrem vs anti-chafing cream at a glance

What if you're already chafed?

Let it heal first. That's the priority.

Keep it clean, keep it dry, and wear something loose for a few days so whatever caused it can't keep rubbing. Don't put anti-chafing cream on broken skin. That goes for ours as well, check the label on anything you use. If it's not settling down, or it looks infected, have a word with a pharmacist.

Once the skin's healed up, that's when the cream earns its place. On before the long walk or the gym or the sweaty commute, so the friction has something in its way this time.

The bottom line

We've got nothing against Vaseline or Sudocrem. Good products, both of them. Just made for other jobs.

So if chafing keeps catching you out, leave the cabinet alone and use something that was made for it. It's the reason our anti-chafing creams exist in the first place.

FAQs

Is Sudocrem Good for Chafing?▼

It can soothe skin that's already sore. Preventing chafing isn't what it's made for though, it's an antiseptic healing cream for things like nappy rash and eczema. To stop the rubbing, go for a dedicated anti-chafing cream.

Does Vaseline Stop Chafing?▼

For a while, maybe. It's greasy and it ends up on your clothes, and it isn't designed specifically for chafing. A purpose-made anti-chafing cream is the better bet.

Is Anti-Chafing Cream Better Than Vaseline?▼

For chafing, yes. Vaseline is petroleum jelly made for general skin protection. A purpose-made anti-chafing cream is designed specifically to help reduce friction, and our men's and women's creams give you a dedicated option for the areas prone to rubbing.

Can You Use Vaseline on Your Inner Thighs?▼

You can. Just expect some of it on your clothes. If thigh rub happens a lot, an anti-chafing cream is made for exactly that spot.

Can I Use Anti-Chafing Cream Every Day?▼

Ours, yes. It's made for daily use, so put it on after your shower and let it dry.

Can You Put Anti-Chafing Cream on Chafed Skin?▼

Not on broken skin. Give it time to heal, then use the cream to help stop it coming back.

Is There an Anti-Chafing Cream Made for Women?▼

Yes. Our Women's Anti-Chafing Cream, made for where women tend to chafe, like inner thighs and under the bust.