Having an Instagram page is basically a job requirement for celebrities these days. While some stars are still holding out, most take advantage of social media to help cultivate their image. Some celebrities use their social media accounts to try to seem more relatable (the Jennifer Garner approach), while others use them to remind us mere mortals that they are much, much sexier and richer than the rest of us (the Kardashian approach, basically).
While most celebrities are careful to post images where they look good, there are some who are fully into posting snaps that can only be described as thirst traps. Now, for the unfamiliar, a thirst trap is a sexy picture that is intended to capture the gaze and to make the viewer think something like, "Hot damn, that person is HOT."
While it might sound like we are being a little judgy calling a celebrity a thirst trapper, we're actually kind of impressed at how equal opportunity the celebrity thirst trap can be. We've got male and female celebs, gay and straight, and bodies of all sizes represented on our list of the top 20 celebrity thirst traps on Instagram. So grab a beverage and scroll on — it's time to get thirsty!
Lizzo
Can a person be a body positivity icon and a crazy talented singer and a classically trained flutist and a chronic poster of thirst trap photos? Well, according to Lizzo, the answer appears to be a resounding yes! We're not gonna lie, we think she looks good as hell.
Ricky Martin
A tour of Ricky Martin's Instagram page has several highlights. Ricky in the tub. Ricky with a beard and glasses, looking sexy in a sweater. Ricky on the beach. Ricky in a tux. We appreciate his commitment to showcasing all the ways that thirst trapping can be deeply effective.
Kylie Jenner
Kylie Jenner may be lying low on social media at the moment (thanks to the recent arrival of her baby boy), but we predict it will only be a little while before she is back to her thirst-trapping ways. It makes sense: She's made literally hundreds of millions of dollars, thanks in large part to her devoted social media following of super thirsty fans.
Chris Hemsworth
Fans of biceps (such lovely biceps) and adorable Australian good cheer have many reasons to enjoy the thirst traps that Chris Hemsworth posts on Instagram, usually mixed in with some wholesome family content. His thirst traps are both appealing to fans of general hotness and for dudes who are looking for gym inspiration.
Megan Thee Stallion
A performer doesn't score a massive hit with a song like Hot Girl Summer and then not post regular pictures of herself on Instagram looking like, well, a hot girl. Megan Thee Stallion also recently graduated from college, proving that hot and smart go hand-in-hand!
Luke Evans
Welsh actor Luke Evans might be known for his roles in films such as Beauty and the Beast and several of the Fast & Furious movies, but we think the 42-year-old should be better known for his genuine commitment to rocking a Speedo and a devilish grin in many, many Instagram pictures.
Kim Kardashian
If there is such a thing as the OG thirst trapper, it just might be Kim Kardashian. Not only is she one of the top 10 most followed accounts on Instagram, but she appears to have a bikini and body oil budget that is roughly equivalent to the GDP of a small country. All the better to catch everyone's attention.
Channing Tatum
It might be hard to be thirsty with this much water happening in a picture, but Channing Tatum manages to pull it off. A picture where we can see the tan lines on the extreme upper thigh area is a whole vibe and, honestly, we're not mad about it.
Cristiano Ronaldo
Cristiano Ronaldo is one of the most famous soccer players in the world and one of the biggest thirst trappers on Instagram. Anyone who might find themselves wondering, "Hey, does Christiano Ronaldo still have perfect abs?" only has to open his social media feeds to find out that yes, yes he still does. Gotta love that he is so determined to make sure nobody has to worry about the state of his abs for longer than 3.5 seconds!
Kourtney Kardashian
Kourtney Kardashian may be the oldest of the Kardashian sisters and a mother of three (including son Mason, who'll be a teenager soon, in case anyone wants to feel old), but she's not afraid to remind folks that there is no age limit on thirst trapping. And unlike her sisters, she's currently thirst trapping with a bit of a goth twist.
Ashley Graham
The female body is a magnificent thing and the focus of many thirst trap pictures. As Ashley Graham demonstrated throughout her recent pregnancy (with twins!), there is no reason that having an awesome baby bump should stand in the way of a good, sultry bikini picture.
Hailey Bieber
Some people think of Hailey Bieber as a model and some think of her first and foremost as Justin Bieber's wife, but whatever her identity is, she's a thirst trapper too. Her Instagram feed is full of pictures that show off her extensive bikini wardrobe, which honestly just makes us jealous that she's that warm this time of year.
Khloé Kardashian
Just like her sisters, Khloé Kardashian loves to post thirsty pictures on her social media. Unfortunately for her, she often gets both appreciative responses from her fans and clapbacks from her detractors for her heavy hand with photo edits and filters on her sultry pictures.
Shemar Moore
Shemar Moore's Instagram bio starts with the words "let's flirt," and our response is simple: OK! His social media is filled with pictures of him in a police uniform from his show SWAT, so it is full of eye candy for fans who love a handsome man in uniform.
Zac Efron
Well, helllllloooooo abs! Zac Efron has come a long (sexy) way since his start as a cutie-pie Disney channel star and he's not afraid to use his social media feed to show off exactly how hot he grew up to be. He's also super into travel, so he serves up some top-notch content for those of us who want to dream about being on a beach somewhere.
Britney Spears
Now that she has been released from her long-standing conservatorship, Britney Spears has been using her newfound freedom to post pictures of herself feeling sexy and free, including a few that are definitely NSFW. Fans don't have to wonder if she's feeling confident and in good physical shape, so we're all rooting for her to be in just as good mental and emotional shape, too.
Cardi B
We love that Cardi B doesn't do anything small. She's all about big hair, long nails, major curves, and total ownership of her sex appeal. She is not afraid to be sexy and even gave a short video tutorial on how to perfect the perfect thirst trap. We love a thirst trapper who isn't shy about sharing her tips!
Megan Fox
Va va voom! There are some celebs who are all about the bikini thirst trap, but Megan Fox goes for more of a sultry, almost old-school pin-up girl vibe. She's all about focusing on the eyes and lips in her photos, proving that it isn't always about skin in the thirst trap game.
Dwayne Johnson
Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson is known for many things, including his ridiculously built body. On his Instagram page, he offers plenty of sweaty pictures showing off exactly how he gets those bulging muscles. We could pretend we're looking at them to pick up fitness tips, but let's be honest, we're just here for the thirst traps.
Beyoncé
We're going to put Beyoncé in the category of "classy thirst trap." She's not the one for page after page of bikini pictures, but she's for sure careful to cultivate an Instagram feed that makes it clear that Beyoncé is sexy, curvy, and — to paraphrase her own lyrics — basically flawless 24/7.
