Nuuds vs. Skims: Which brand should you buy?

Nuuds focuses on minimalist, sustainable basics with an emphasis on comfort and eco-friendly materials, often at a more accessible price point. In contrast, Skims is known for its fashion-forward, inclusive approach, offering a vast range of sizes and shades in shapewear and loungewear designed to sculpt and enhance the body.

Let's compare everything you need to know to choose the right brand for your wardrobe.

Nuuds: Sustainable, Minimalist Basics

Nuuds is a brand for those who value simplicity, comfort, and sustainability in their everyday essentials. It caters to the environmentally conscious consumer who wants high-quality, understated pieces like seamless underwear, bralettes, and loungewear that feel as good as they look. The aesthetic is clean and modern, focusing on neutral tones and timeless designs that form the foundation of a versatile wardrobe.

• Product mix: A focused collection of intimate apparel and loungewear, including seamless underwear, comfortable bralettes, and simple layering pieces designed for daily wear.
• Price point: Sits in the mid-range segment, with most products priced between $15 and $50. This makes their sustainable approach accessible to a broader audience.
• Quality & Materials: The core of the brand is its use of eco-friendly fabrics like recycled nylon, organic cotton, and biodegradable elastics. The seamless construction enhances comfort and durability.
• Style & Aesthetic: Minimalist and timeless. Expect neutral color palettes and simple silhouettes that are easy to layer and style for any occasion.
• Sizing/Fit: Nuuds generally offers a true-to-size fit focused on comfort. Their seamless items are often forgiving and adaptable to different body shapes.
• Sustainability: This is a key brand pillar. Nuuds is transparent about its use of eco-friendly materials, dyes, and ethical manufacturing processes.

Nuuds is the go-to for shoppers who want well-made, eco-conscious basics that don't compromise on comfort or minimalist style.

Shop Nuuds: nuuds.com

Skims: Inclusive, Fashion-Forward Shapewear

Founded by Kim Kardashian, Skims stormed the market with its wide-ranging approach to shapewear, loungewear, and underwear. The brand’s mission is centered on body positivity and inclusivity, offering solutions for every body type with an extensive size and shade range. Skims blends functionality with on-trend designs, creating pieces that both support and make a statement.

• Product mix: An extensive lineup covering everything from high-compression shapewear to comfortable loungewear, bras, underwear, and sleepwear. Renowned for its body-sculpting bodysuits and sets.
• Price point: Positioned in a mid-to-luxury bracket, with prices ranging from around $20 for basics to over $70 for more structured shapewear or loungewear sets.
• Quality & Materials: Skims uses innovative, technical fabrics - often nylon and spandex blends - designed for exceptional stretch, recovery, and a shaping effect. The materials feel soft yet supportive.
• Style & Aesthetic: Modern, sleek, and often bold. While they offer neutral basics, Skims is also known for fashion-forward collections with unique textures and on-trend colors.
• Sizing/Fit: This is where Skims excels. With sizes typically spanning from XXS to 4X, the brand is one of the most inclusive on the market. Their fit is compressive and designed to contour the body.
• Return policy: Skims offers a standard return window for unworn items with tags attached, making it easy to find your perfect size.

Skims is the top choice for anyone seeking high-performance, stylish shapewear and comfortable essentials with an unmatched commitment to inclusive sizing.

Shop Skims: skims.com

Nuuds vs. Skims Comparison

Price Comparison

Nuuds is generally more affordable, making it a great option for building a collection of quality, sustainable basics without a hefty investment. Most of their core items, like underwear and bralettes, fall in the $15 to $50 range.

Skims is priced slightly higher, reflecting its technical fabrics, broad size range, and celebrity brand status. You can expect to pay between $20 and $70 for most individual pieces. While Skims offers great value for its performance, Nuuds provides a more budget-friendly entry point for daily essentials.

Quality & Materials

Nuuds centers its brand identity on sustainable materials. They use recycled nylon and organic cotton, which appeal to the eco-conscious shopper. Their seamless construction is comfortable for all-day wear and holds up well over time, prioritizing a gentle feel against the skin.

Skims focuses on fabric innovation to achieve specific shaping and smoothing effects. Their materials, from buttery-soft modal to compressive nylon blends, are engineered for performance. The quality is high, with garments designed to retain their shape and provide consistent support after many wears.

Style & Aesthetic

The Nuuds aesthetic is minimalist, clean, and understated. Their neutral color palettes and simple silhouettes create timeless basics that are easy to integrate into any wardrobe. It’s a "less is more" approach focused on function and versatility.

Skims offers a more fashion-forward and sleek aesthetic. While they master nude basics for all skin tones, they also release frequent collections in bold colors, on-trend styles, and unique textures. Their designs are meant to be seen, enhancing your natural silhouette and making a modern statement.

Fit & Sizing

Nuuds offers a comfortable, true-to-size fit. Their designs are intended to move with your body without constriction, making them ideal for everyday lounging and wear. The sizing is reliable but not as expansive as Skims.

Inclusivity in sizing is Skims' defining feature. With a range often extending from XXS to 4X, they cater to a much wider array of body types. The fit is designed to sculpt and can be compressive, so it’s important to consult their size chart. Many customers recommend sizing up if they are between sizes or prefer a less restrictive feel.

Product Selection

The Nuuds collection is tightly curated and focuses on doing a few things exceptionally well - namely seamless underwear, tees, and bralettes. Their selection is intentionally limited to essential basics.

Skims boasts a massive inventory with a solution for nearly every need. Their product range includes loungewear, sleepwear, swimwear, and an extensive array of shapewear for different levels of compression and various garment types.

Sustainability & Ethics

Sustainability is a core mission for Nuuds. They are transparent about their use of recycled fabrics, organic materials, and eco-friendly manufacturing processes. Shoppers who prioritize environmental impact will find Nuuds’ ethos compelling.

Skims has taken steps toward sustainability by incorporating recycled materials and exploring more responsible packaging. However, their primary focus remains on size inclusivity and fabric innovation. For a shopper whose number one priority is sustainability, Nuuds has a stronger platform.

Which One Should You Choose?

The right choice comes down to your personal priorities in style, fit, and values.

Choose Nuuds if:

• You prioritize sustainability and want to support a brand with an eco-conscious mission.
• You prefer a minimalist, understated style with timeless, neutral pieces.
• Comfort is your main goal, and you're looking for soft, seamless basics for everyday wear.
• You prefer a more accessible price point for high-quality essentials.

Choose Skims if:

• You need inclusive sizing and struggle to find your fit with other brands.
• You are looking for functional shapewear that sculpts, lifts, and smooths your silhouette.
• You enjoy a modern, fashion-forward aesthetic and like to have pieces in trendy colors.
• You want a wide variety of options, from high-compression shapewear to cozy loungewear.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Nuuds or Skims more expensive?

Skims is generally more expensive than Nuuds. Nuuds prices usually range from $15 to $50 for their minimalist basics, while Skims items typically start around $20 and can go up to $70+ for their more technical shapewear and loungewear sets.

Is Nuuds sizing similar to Skims?

Not exactly. Nuuds offers a standard, true-to-size fit focused on everyday comfort. Skims is known for a very compressive, shaping fit, and many shoppers suggest checking the size guide carefully or even sizing up for a more comfortable feel. Skims also offers a much more expansive size range, typically from XXS to 4X. The biggest difference is Nuuds' focus on comfort versus shaping compared to Skims.

Which brand is more sustainable?

Nuuds places sustainability at the forefront of its brand identity, using recycled and organic materials and promoting transparent, ethical production. While Skims has incorporated some sustainable practices, Nuuds is the clearer choice for consumers whose primary concern is environmental impact.

Is Nuuds shapewear as good as Skims?

Nuuds doesn't specialize in shapewear. Their focus is on comfortable, seamless basics like bralettes and underwear that offer light support. Skims is a leader in the shapewear market, offering a wide range of products with varying levels of compression designed to sculpt and support the body. If you need true shapewear, Skims is the better option.

Which is better for everyday wear?

Both brands offer great options for everyday wear, but for different purposes. Nuuds is ideal for those who prioritize pure comfort and a minimalist aesthetic in their daily basics. Skims' 'Fits Everybody' collection is also extremely popular for daily wear due to its stretch and buttery-soft feel.

Which brand has more color options?

Skims is famous for its extensive range of nude shades designed to match a wide variety of skin tones, along with frequent releases of seasonal and limited-edition colors. Nuuds focuses on a more curated palette of classic, neutral tones.

What is the main difference between Nuuds and Skims?

The main difference lies in their core focus. Nuuds is about minimalist design and sustainability, offering comfortable essentials for a conscious consumer. Skims is about inclusivity and innovation, offering fashion-forward shapewear and basics for every body type.