Shopping for shapewear feels a lot like dating: You’re looking for reliable support, unwavering comfort, something that makes you feel like the queen you are, and ideally, never causes you a moment’s pain.

That’s a tall order for a person, and an even taller one for a shapewear brand.

I tried several products from Spanx and Honeylove as part of a test to see what works, what doesn’t, and what I’d recommend to others.

If you’d rather skip to the end to learn the verdict, feel free, but before we get to that, I’ll share everything you need to know about my experience, for better or worse.

Key Comparisons Between Spanx and Honeylove

Let’s take a quick look at both shapewear brands to see how they shape up against one another:

Specs:	Spanx	Honeylove
Shapewear Variety	Bras, underwear, camis, tanks, shorts, bodysuits, waist-only, swimwear, extensive clothing	Bras, underwear, camis, tanks, shorts, bodysuits, limited clothing
Pricing	Mid to high	Mid to high
Size Range	XS to 3X	XS to 4X
Return/Exchanges	30 days on non-clearance items; subject to $6 shipping fee	30 days on non-clearance items; free within US
Limitations	Not all products carried in the entire size range; some products have limited skin-tone options	No strapless, maternity, or waist-only options as of this writing; not all products carried in the entire size range
Shipping	Free within US, no minimum spend	Free within US on orders over $100

Both brands offer quality shapewear at a relatively similar price point, but when push comes to shove (or squeeze, if we’re being honest), which one comes out on top?

My Experience With Spanx Shapewear

My Spanx arrived in a pretty no-frills package but it’s worth noting that “SPANX” is printed on the outside in huge letters:

So anyone and everyone is going to know where it came from. That doesn’t necessarily bother me, but if discretion is your preference, it’s worth noting, for sure.

I ordered the Suit Your Fancy Waist Cincher and the High-Waisted Mid-Thigh Short.

My biggest problem areas are my abdomen and waist, and thigh chafing, so I figured those two would give me a pretty solid sense of how well Spanx would work for me.

The waist cincher is effective, albeit hard to put on because, unlike others I’ve tried, this one slides on. So rather than wrapping it around your waist and clipping into place with hook-and-eye closure, you’ve got to shimmy your way into it.

That’s not exactly easy with something that’s supposed to compress your waist, since it’s got to go over your hips first. (And you can’t put it over your head and work it downward since it’d have to go past your shoulders and breasts!)

The waist cincher is comfortable enough and the boning prevents it from rolling down, but it’s a hassle and a half to get on. The good news, though, is that once it’s in place, you don’t have to remove it to use the bathroom.

I am a little concerned about the long-term wear on this one, since the material is somewhat thin given the amount of compression it offers. I can’t predict how long it’ll reasonably last… only time will tell.

The High-Waisted Mid-Thigh Short was one I was really excited about until I took it out of the package. All the wind effectively blew right out of my sails.

That’s my hand, against the width of an XL short.
XL, as in extra large.

I know that shapewear is supposed to stretch, because of course it is, but that seemed more than a little extreme and close to impossible.

Somehow, Spanx defies the laws of physics and gravity because I did actually manage to get the shorts on. 

Pro Tip: Sit down, put one leg all the way in so the short is on your thigh. Don’t get discouraged when the width of the entire waist fits around your thigh like a glove. Put the other leg in, position the short around that thigh, and then slide the rest of it up. You may need to jump and shimmy around, but it’ll get there.

The compression on this one was decent, although not as intense as Honeylove’s shorts (more on that in a bit).

As with the waist trainer, though, I don’t know that I’m going to get a lot of wear out of these in the future. So far, so good, although I can’t help but think back to the horror story a friend of mine shared some time ago, where her Spanx literally blew out on her across the belly in the middle of the day.

While she was at work.

We had a good laugh about it later, but she wasn’t laughing when it happened.

Pros & Cons of Spanx

Pros

• Offers strapless and waist-only shapewear options, along with maternity support wear
• Full line of clothing (even jeans!) in addition to its shapewear offerings
• Sizing ranges from XS to 3X only
• Free shipping on all orders within the US, with no minimum spend
• Thirty-day returns or exchanges on non-clearance items

Cons

• Names its compression levels in ways that aren’t super clear to novice shoppers
• Returns may be subject to a $6 shipping fee
• Although slimming, the construction (at least the pieces I own and tried) feels like it’s not long for this world.

My Experience With Honeylove Shapewear

I purchased the Low-Back Bodysuit, SuperPower Short, and Crossover Bra with matching brief and loved every single piece.

The Low-Back Bodysuit is my new favorite thing. I don’t have a lot of luck with single-piece full-body shapewear because if it fits my hips and waist, the bra area isn’t usually large enough to contain Thelma and Louise, if you know what I mean. 

This one changed everything. Not only is it easy to put on, it compresses comfortably and fits me perfectly, everywhere.

It’s flattering under dresses and I’m especially excited about it because there are certain summer outfits I struggle to find underthings for. Anything with an open back or low back, I’d usually opt for a contrasting tank top or something that would allow me to wear my normal bra underneath.

The Low-Back Bodysuit solves this problem, and I’m still beside myself. Although it offers fantastic support, it almost feels like I’m wearing nothing beneath my clothes.

It’s a keeper, and one I can’t recommend enough.
The SuperPower Short from Honeylove is the strongest shapewear I’ve worn. While it did take quite a bit of effort (and several minutes of frustration) to put on, the compression across the tummy and waist is unbeatable.

And despite the amount of tugging and yanking I had to do, I can already tell the piece was designed to withstand that kind of abuse. The material and seams are strong like you wouldn’t believe… because they have to be.

The short is flattering and comfortable. The only real “drawback” with this one is that you’ll need to master using the open gusset for bathroom breaks.

This is not a shapewear short that you’re going to be able to pull down or pull back up easily.

Finally, the Crossover bra and matching brief are perfect for daily wear. I don’t usually wear bras with soft cups; I’m an underwire fan because that provides me with the lift and support I need.

That said, the Crossover bra actually supports the girls a lot more than I anticipated it would. Plus, it’s sleek and smooth beneath clothing, like your favorite T-shirt bra.

The matching briefs are incredibly comfortable, and although they offer some smoothing, the compression level is light. Which means they’re perfect for all-day wear under your normal clothing.

I’m actually going to buy a few more pairs in additional colors, despite my love for boyshorts and hipsters, because they feel that good against my skin and they’re seamless, even under leggings.

Pros & Cons of Honeylove

Pros

• Online shoppers can use an interactive quiz to find the right size
• Every product description lists a support level details for you to assess the garment’s compression beforehand.
• Size options range from XS to 4X, although many products only go up to 3X
• Shipping is free on orders over $100 within the US
• Offers 30-day returns and exchanges for free (in the US) on all products except those on clearance
• Similar price point compared to Spanx

Cons

• No strapless, waist-only, or maternity support products as of this writing

• Limited clothing options compared to Spanx

The Final Verdict

It probably goes without saying at this point, but Honeylove vastly outperformed Spanx in every way except for maybe the size of their selection. 

Honeylove’s construction, in particular, is so much stronger and being offered at a similar price point to Spanx, it just makes sense to buy the brand that’s built to last.

When I put Honeylove shapewear on, I feel supported and smoothed, but I also feel like it’s actually got my back. Or rather, it’s got my tummy and waist and hips.