FOR many, the summer months are a great excuse to get your kit off and show the world your body.
But like many women, I often struggle with feeling good in a bikini or mini skirt in the hot weather.
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It’s clear I’m not the only person who struggles with body image in the warmer weather as recently I’ve noticed one item keeping popping up on my TikTok page, Halara leggings.
The Singapore-based brand offers athletic clothes with a fashion twist and specialises in shapewear leggings.
Even Taylor Swift is a fan — the A-lister was spotted wearing Halara’s High-Waisted Pleated Skort at Coachella last year.
Thousands of TikTok videos have been made by women showing the transformation these leggings give their figures.
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From many saying it gives them an ‘instant BBL’ to others claiming it takes inches off their waists, the leggings appear to do no wrong.
Joanne, from Scotland, shared how the shapewear transformed her bum.
She said: “They lift and sculpt everything and just keep it where it should be. It’s like a scaffold for your bum.”
So I decided to give them a go myself to see what the hype was all about.
I managed to get my hands on the Halara UltraSculpt SoCinched High Waisted Tummy Control Leggings, currently priced at £23.95.
The leggings come in a huge range of colours, 23 to be exact, as well as different lengths to suit your needs.
The sizes range from a tiny size 2 up to a size 20, and I landed on the medium size, which is suitable for those a size 10/12.
I also picked them up in a chic black colour as I generally avoid colourful leggings.
PROS
After patiently waiting for the leggings to come, I ripped into the package as soon as they landed in my hands.
The first thing I noticed as I pulled them onto my legs was just how buttery soft they were.
The leggings had a thick material that also meant that they weren’t see-through so I could confidently wear them out and about running errands as well as at the gym.
As for the ‘tummy control’, I did see a noticeable difference when I put them on and my stomach definitely appeared flatter than before.
Why does my face go so red when I workout?
MANY of us will experience a red face during exercise, and there’s a few reasons why…
- Increased Blood Flow: When you exercise, your body needs more oxygen, so your heart pumps faster, and your blood vessels dilate to supply more oxygen to your muscles. This increased blood flow can cause your skin, especially your face, to appear red.
- Temperature Regulation: As you work out, your body generates heat. To cool down, your body increases blood flow to the skin, allowing heat to escape through the surface. This process, known as vasodilation, can cause your face to turn red, especially if you’re working out in a warm environment or doing intense activity.
- Heightened Heart Rate: The more intense the exercise, the higher your heart rate becomes. A higher heart rate increases blood circulation, which can also make your skin redder than usual.
- Blood Pressure Changes: During exercise, your blood pressure temporarily rises to support increased activity. This change can make the blood vessels in your face dilate, leading to a flushed or red appearance.
- Individual Differences: Some people are more prone to facial redness during exercise due to their genetic makeup. Those with fair skin, for instance, tend to show redness more readily. Certain conditions like Rosacea, which causes visible blood vessels to appear on the skin, can also make redness more pronounced during exercise.
While redness is usually harmless and a normal response, if you experience excessive redness, dizziness, or discomfort, it’s worth checking in with a healthcare professional, as it could point to an underlying issue.
CONS
With all that being said, these leggings were no replacement for a surgical butt lift.
While I do think the smooth, thick fabric helped hide any wobbly bits in the area, it didn’t give me the lift that I wanted.
I also found that while they did suck my stomach in, they obviously weren’t the most comfortable to wear.
If anything, I felt like sausage meat being stuffed inside a casing and the extra-tight fit is not something I would feel comfortable working out in.
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Final Thoughts
While I won’t be rushing to get these leggings on for a gym sesh, I do think these are nice enough to go out in for a walk in the park or running errands.
The shapewear element did make me feel more confident than regular leggings and the soft material made them comfortable to wear all day.
However, if you’re looking for an instant ‘bum lift’ you might want to give them a miss.
