Celebrities Constantly Wear These $98 Butt-Lifting Leggings, but Does This Viral $18 Version Compare?

Leggings have come a long way from the thin, stretchy tights you’d only dare wear to a yoga class. In addition to trendy silhouettes and bolder colors, this category of activewear has incorporated technology to keep you warm in freezing temperatures, aerodynamic during races, and stain-free throughout sweaty workouts. Even with all these advances in mind, my favorite improvement to these classic bottoms is the ability of some to visibly lift, sculpt, and flatter your booty. After all, I didn’t complete hundreds of squats, hip thrusters, and deadlifts at the gym just to have my hard work minimized by leggings that don’t show off my behind.

The quest to find the best butt-lifting leggings has produced thousands of contouring and compressive styles — and even made a few tights famous. In fact, we’ve compared what may be the two most notable pairs, one a celebrity favorite and the other an internet sensation, to help you decide whether to save or splurge on this…asset.

Save: A Agroste Butt Lifting Leggings

Buy It: from $18 (was $30), amazon.com

Key Features:

Main Specs: These bottoms give you a serious lift thanks to an added seam below the waistband that pulls the fabric into a “scrunch,” contouring your butt upward. The textured fabric adds to this effect by compressing your waist and smoothing your rear. 

Other Features: Although this blend of polyamide and spandex is thick, it stretches enough to let you move freely through cardio and stretching workouts, and wicks away sweat while you do so. Sizes range from small (0-2) to 4X (24-26). 

What We Love:

This Amazon best seller has nearly 24,000 perfect ratings, and it’s easy to see why. The tights won acclaim on TikTok for their shape-hugging fit and booty-accentuating detail.”You may think you don't even have an ass, but put these on and magically one will appear,” raved one shopper who swears the tights make their bum looks “unbelievable.” Others add that the compressive fit around the waist and thighs is “so flattering” and others note that the thick material is “ridiculously comfortable” and “super soft” against skin. 

Keep in Mind:

The “scrunch style” is one of the most popular and effective butt-lifting techniques, but may be too attention-drawing for those searching for a more subtle look. What’s more, some wearers warn that the material becomes sheer when stretched, while others remark that the tights are completely opaque and squat-proof. 

Splurge: Spanx Booty Boost Leggings

Buy It: $98, spanx.com

Key Features:

Main specs: The secret behind Spanx’s “built-in booty lift” comes from a high-rise, contouring waistband and thick, contouring fabric around the backside. 

Other features: Like all of the brand’s performance leggings, this pair is workout-ready, thanks to sweat-wicking, breathable material, a slip-proof waistband, and fabric that stays opaque through even the deepest of squats and lunges.

What We Love:

Celebrity approval isn’t everything, but this pair happens to be worn on-repeat by ultra-fit stars like Reese Witherspoon, an avid jogger, and Jennifer Garner, who works out so hard, her  trainer compares her to a professional athlete. Aside from being an all-around great workout legging, these tights give you a lift that one Shape writer swears will have you “ditching squats.” The compressive waistband “makes your booty appear perky, lifted, and sculpted,” she adds. 

Keep in Mind:

These leggings can feel somewhat stiff and tight around the waist, especially during the first couple wears. For this reason, they’re better suited for working out than getting comfy at home. 

In Conclusion:

Without a doubt, both pairs are sure to emphasize your backside. However, the key difference mainly stems from the method each pair employs to give you that definition. Shoppers who want high-quality material with a naturally toned-effect may want to invest in a higher-priced option like the Booty Boost Legging. However, those who don’t mind the trendy, wedgie-like look of butt scrunch leggings will get the same head-turning lift with the reviewer-loved A Agroste tights.