SKIMS Review: Comfortable, and Not a Solution
SKIMS sells shapewear, underwear, bras and loungewear across an unusually extended size range, positioned around comfort rather than the aggressive compression that defined the category previously. It is an apparel brand and this review covers it as one — with the practical section aimed at a question people ask constantly after significant weight loss, which is what to do about loose skin.
Verified August 24, 2026. SKIMS is an apparel brand. No health or medical relevance. For weight-loss medication see our GLP-1 provider rankings.
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Verdict: A genuine improvement on a category that was uncomfortable by design, and not a solution to the problem people often buy it for. The extended size range and comfort-first construction are real differentiators — older shapewear worked by compressing hard, which is why people took it off in the car park. What shapewear does is smooth the appearance of clothing over the body underneath. What it does not do is affect loose skin, which is a structural change that only surgery addresses.
What SKIMS Costs
SKIMS prices at the premium end of basics, with an unusually wide size range.
| Plan | What you get | Listed | Real cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shapewear | Smoothing, comfort-focused | Premium tier | Appearance under clothing |
| Underwear and bras | Basics | Mid to premium | Replace as size changes |
| Loungewear | Comfort range | Premium | Not a sizing-critical category |
| Skin removal surgery | For significant excess skin | Surgical cost | The only thing that removes it |
Shapewear does not affect loose skin — it changes how clothing sits
After significant weight loss, excess skin is tissue that no longer has volume beneath it and does not retract. Shapewear compresses and smooths, which changes the silhouette under clothing while it is worn. It does nothing to the skin itself, and wearing it does not encourage retraction. Only surgical excision removes significant excess skin. If that is what you are dealing with, the appropriate consultation is with a board-certified plastic surgeon — and surgeons generally want weight stable for months before operating.
During active weight loss, buy small quantities. Premium basics bought at the halfway point of a size change get worn for a few months.
What loose skin actually is, and the honest options
Skin has elastic properties but they are finite, and they decline with age. After substantial or rapid weight loss the skin that accommodated a larger body may not retract fully, particularly where the loss was large, fast, or in someone older.
Some retraction happens over months — which is why the standard advice is to wait a year or more after weight stabilises before judging the outcome or considering surgery.
What genuinely influences it: losing weight at a moderate pace rather than as fast as possible, preserving lean muscle through resistance training and protein so there is tissue underneath, staying hydrated, and not smoking. None of those reverse established loose skin, but they affect how much you end up with.
What does not work: creams, wraps, supplements, and non-invasive tightening devices for anything beyond mild laxity. Those are widely sold for this and the evidence does not support them.
Where shapewear genuinely helps
It changes how clothing sits, which for many people is the actual practical concern rather than the skin itself. Smoothing under a fitted garment is a real function and there is nothing wrong with wanting it.
Comfort-first construction matters here more than it sounds. The old category compressed hard enough that people did not wear it, which made it useless. A garment you will actually keep on for an evening does its job; one you remove after an hour does not.
Extended size ranges also matter during weight loss, because you are moving through sizes and a brand that stops at your current size in three months is one you buy from once.
Buying basics while your size changes
This site's standing advice is to buy clothing sparingly and postpone anything expensive or tailored until weight has been stable for a few months.
Underwear and bras are the exception, because ill-fitting versions cause chafing and shoulder discomfort rather than just looking wrong. Replace those as you go, in small quantities.
Shapewear sits in between — it is a fitted garment and it will stop fitting, so buy one or two rather than a drawer, and expect to replace them.
Pros and Cons
Strengths
- Comfort-first construction, which is a genuine improvement on older shapewear
- Unusually extended size range, useful when moving through sizes
- Range spans shapewear, underwear, bras and loungewear
- Smoothing under clothing is a real function honestly delivered
Drawbacks
- No health, medical or weight-loss relevance
- Does nothing for loose skin, which is what many buyers are actually addressing
- Premium pricing on garments that will stop fitting during weight loss
- Fitted items are a poor bulk purchase mid-change
Who Should Pick It — and Who Shouldn't
Good fit
Someone who wants smoothing under clothing, values comfort over aggressive compression, and buys one or two pieces rather than a drawer while their size changes.
Look elsewhere
Anyone buying it to address loose skin. That is a structural change shapewear conceals rather than affects, and significant excess skin is a plastic surgery consultation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does shapewear help with loose skin after weight loss?
It smooths the appearance under clothing while worn. It does not affect the skin itself and does not encourage retraction. Significant excess skin is only removed surgically.
Will my loose skin tighten on its own?
Some retraction happens over months, which is why the standard advice is to wait a year or more after weight stabilises before judging the result. How much depends on age, genetics, and how much was lost how quickly.
What actually reduces loose skin after weight loss?
Losing at a moderate pace rather than as fast as possible, preserving lean muscle through resistance training and adequate protein so there is tissue underneath, hydration, and not smoking. Those affect how much you end up with. Creams, wraps and supplements do not.
Should I buy shapewear while still losing weight?
Buy one or two pieces rather than a drawer — fitted garments stop fitting as you change size. Underwear and bras are worth replacing as you go because the wrong size causes chafing and discomfort rather than just looking wrong.
Considering SKIMS?
Shapewear changes how clothes sit, which is a real thing to want. It does not affect loose skin — if that is the concern, the honest next step is a plastic surgery consultation once your weight is stable.
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Product range read from skims.com on August 24, 2026 and subject to change. SKIMS is an apparel brand with no medical function. Rx Saver Hub earns a commission on purchases made through links on this page.