Ever since that one pair of butt-lifting leggings went viral on TikTok, it seems like every brand now has their own version of a booty booster. That can make it hard to decide what leggings are just hype and which ones are really worth buying.
So, we’ve done the hard work for you. IcYDK, the secret is all in the seams, says textile expert and educator Deborah Young. “The magic is in the strategic placement of stitchings, ruching, and spandex,” she explains. Many butt-lifting leggings have ruching to separate the booty cheeks and create an illusion of a perkier behind.
Butt-lifting leggings usually have a high amount of spandex or elastane too, she adds. Most garments typically include two percent spandex, which is “usually enough to add a little liveliness,” Young says. But in the case of most athleisure (including butt-lifting leggings), brands want to create apparel with a four-way stretch, which requires anywhere from 12 percent to 30 percent spandex, she explains.
Another feature butt-lifting leggings may pack is a honeycomb knit structure—the technical term is a “weft knit”—”which is a great camouflage agent,” Young says. It helps smooth everything out, hide any lumps or bumps you may want to conceal, and overall “provides a rather flattering look.”
Keeping all of this in mind, we did our research to build a list of the best leggings made with butt-lifting design, like ruching, and that have a high amount of spandex content. Below, shop the 20 best butt-lifting leggings, according to tips from trainers and textile experts.
TikTok called it first, but these leggings are the real deal. They earned our ‘Best Overall’ spot because their backfold design excels at giving the appearance of a fuller bottom, thanks to its ruched butt detail. The ruching creates compression giving your backside a toned and lifted look. But they also perform excellently in all the other areas activewear should—they’re great at moisture-wicking, pass the squat test, and don’t restrict movement, making them appropriate for all kinds of workouts.
Katie Dunlop, an Orange County-based fitness trainer and founder of Love Sweat Fitness, says she’s a huge fan of these leggings. “When it comes to the booty, I always look for a bit of scrunch,” Dunlop says. “This combo is the most flattering I’ve found while still being totally practical [while] working out.”
Read more: Best Compression Shorts For Women
Buttery soft and super lifting, the Alala Barre Seamless Legging holds your booty tight and firm. Made of nylon and elastane, this baby sports a luxurious feeling that elongates your legs and gives your bum a perkier appearance. The seamless design and slight ribbing elevates your look, while also being comfortable and practical. Available in 11 different colors, these leggings are the ideal everyday pair. Whether worn to complete our Women’s Health Glute Gains Challenge or for running errands, these tights will become your new go-to.
Approved by Dunlop, these CSB leggings are a closet staple for their figure-hugging fit, ruching, and buttery feel. “I basically buy every color in these CSB scrunch bum [leggings],” Dunlop says. “The scrunch and cut really just flatters your booty and makes you feel so cute!” Plus, with no front seam, you can avoid any potential camel-toe mishaps.
Gymshark’s Flex High-Waisted Legging is contour for your derriere. Featuring innovative physique-shaping shading, the design of this bottom instantly makes your behind look rounder, fuller, and raised. The nylon and elastane fabric makes it lightweight and breathable, too, while still holding you in and sculpting your legs. Ideal for weightlifters, the legging is durable, and stands up against squats, lunges, and more.
There’s a reason this legging has ‘airlift’ in the title. Thanks to its compressive and supporting fabric and its strategically placed seams, this tight hugs and lifts your peach in the most flattering way. The luxury of this baby comes down to more than its booty-lifting ability, though. It also sports a beautiful sheen that elevates its design and gives it a sleek look. It is truly the crème de la crème of leggings.
Lululemon is known for their high-performing leggings and the ability to make anyone’s glutes look great. This pair is no exception. Constructed from Everlux, this yoga pant stabilizes your movement while keeping you cool. The waistband is made with an internal drawcord that allows you to snatch your waist, accentuating your butt’s curves. The perfect blend of function and fashion, you’ll be hitting your next training session feeling more confident and lifted than ever.
Featuring a booty-framing design pattern that mimics your body’s natural physique, this legging flatters your silhouette while offering enough support to get you through your squat set. The design pattern creates a shadowing effect that contours and optically enhances the shape of your butt. Plus, it isn’t see-through, so you don’t have to worry about limiting how low you go.
This legging comes highly-recommended by Chelsey Rose, a Los Angeles based fitness trainer and host of the Strength to Build podcast. Despite the midi length, the legging still manages to elongate your legs and make your glutes look perky—partly due to the tight seam that separates the butt cheeks. The high waistband is non-restrictive and the buttery material aids in comfort. “I live in my leggings from 6:00am to 6:00pm,” says Rose. “Even though they are geared towards yoga, they hold you in such a flattering way, while allowing you to move.”
If you dislike the sweaty feeling of yoga pants, you must give these a try. With built-in mesh ventilation, this glute-hugging legging will keep you feeling dry and cool throughout its wear. Its seams are placed in a way they support your midsection, while lifting the booty up. Breathable, secure, and stylish, it also sports a secret pocket ideal for your credit cards and key.
This sleek legging features minimal design, but don’t let that fool you. The ruching detail on the butt creates an amazing illusion of a larger, more lifted derriere. What’s more? This specific legging comes in 18 different colors and a large size range, so there is sure to be something for everyone. Plus, it’s available at a great price point.
Beyond Yoga’s Spacedye performance material encapsulates the idea of comfort, while providing your body subtle sculpting. The ultra-soft feel ensures that you can spend hours on end in it without feeling too restricted. The real kicker is the overlap waistband, which creates a soft V-shape along your midline that perfectly enhances your curves and hugs your body in all the right places.
Looking for bottoms that fit like a glove and perform well? “The Gymshark Vital Seamless Leggings are probably the tightest leggings I wear, but they’re still very breathable and allow me to do full squats without feeling restricted or having to adjust my leggings after,” Rose says. “[They] use a subtle design…that gives the glutes a great shape.” Another spotlight is its ribbed high-rise band, which holds your figure in without feeling too constricted.
When looking for butt-lifting leggings, one thing comes to mind—scrunch leggings. This bottom is the ultimate booty lifter. Its material holds you in without digging into your skin, and the scrunched adornments immediately create a bigger and perkier bum. Whether you wear it to run errands or your next barre class, it will become a staple in your everyday wardrobe.
The honeycomb fabric on this legging instantly helps accentuate your natural curves, giving your glutes a rounder effect. The print also helps to smoothen out your midsection and butt if that’s what you’re looking for. These leggings are a secret bum-lift in a pant. It’s no shocker they went so viral on TikTok.
This printed legging from Sweaty Betty is sure to catch eyes. Available in bold prints like tie-dye and leopard and pretty hues like teals and purples, this pant is fun and whimsical. Coming in two different length options and over 40 different colors and patterns, you can find a print personal to your style. Plus, it’s designed with ultra-flattering seam lines to sculpt your bottom and elongate your legs.
Leggings are just as good for lounging as they are for any workout. So why not look toned and sculpted while doing so? This legging is designed using Alosoft fabric, which feels luxuriously smooth on the skin while still maintaining its shape and stretch. Even better? The V-like seam in the back contours the booty to make it appear fuller than it is.
The perfect summer legging does exist. This ultralight legging will keep you quick on your feet, while helping you beat the summer heat. Engineered from recycled plastic bottles and spandex, it’s the lightest option Girlfriend offers, and it truly feels like a second skin. Despite its super thin fabric, the legging is totally squat-proof. It does feel a bit compressive, but the compression helps to smoothen and lift the bum for a more sculpted look.
HIGORUN’s leggings are designed with form-flattering mesh contouring around the butt cheeks that gives shape to your glutes and legs. Its hefty fabric is on the thicker side, making it a great option for much-needed warmth on colder days. Plus, it comes in 34 different colors, so your options are endless.
Thanks to its ruched design and mesh detailing under the cheeks, this highly-rated legging from CFR packs butt-lifting power while delivering next-level stretch. With 43 different colors and a great price point, you may consider grabbing yourself a few pairs.
This sculpting legging from AUROLA is a fan-fave because its minimal ruching gives the rear a nice boost without overdoing it due to excessive scrunching that’s often more obvious in other butt-lifting leggings. Plus, the ultra-stretch fabric offers breathability and flexibility of movement, so you can wear it to run errands or to your favorite HIIT workout.
Meet the experts
What should I look for in a butt-lifting legging?
Size
Leggings are often supposed to fit like a second skin. Dunlop highly recommends sizing down. “I’ve found (in most leggings) the waist-to-booty ratio is a bit off, making them tighter on my thighs and butt and loose around the waist,” Dunlop says. This can lead to them sliding down during workouts. Your ideal leggings are supposed to fit tight and keep you feeling sucked in without feeling too constricting or tight that they flatten your bottom.
Material
Leggings often come in a variety of different materials such as nylon, spandex, cotton, polyester, and more. “I personally love a thinner, buttery soft or seamless fabric, over the thicker fabrics,” Dunlop says. “I want to feel like they are hugging my body and holding me in without feeling totally constricted or sweating before I even start to workout.” If, like her, you want to opt for a lightweight option, nylon, polyester, and spandex are the most breathable, stretchy, and comfortable. Cotton fabrics are a little heavier and are not exactly quick-drying or moisture-wicking , but they pack the most breathability.
Rise
Rose recommends high-rise fitting leggings, as they are the best for giving your glutes that extra lift and elongating your legs. Note: Just make sure they aren’t too constricting, especially around the lower stomach, Rose says. That might make the legging too uncomfortable for you.
Length and Inseam
Many brands offer various inseam options, ensuring that there is something for everyone. Selecting your appropriate length or inseam depends on your height. “They can’t be too long because the extra fabric starts to bunch up, which causes you to constantly pull and adjust your leggings,” Rose says. Her top choice is usually a 7/8 length, since a legging of that height will usually land just above her ankles.
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*Additional reporting by Lindsay Geller, Sabrina Talbert, and Naydeline Mejia
Amanda Rosenthal is a freelance writer who covers fashion and beauty commerce stories.
Jasmine Gomez is the Commerce Editor at Women’s Health, where she cover the best product recommendations across beauty, health, lifestyle, fitness, and more. When she’s not shopping for a living, she enjoys karaoke and dining out more than she cares to admit. Follow her @JazzeGomez.
