Photoshop-Inspired Beauty: Cellulite Creams

The baby boomer generation of women don’t understand why generation X cares so much about cellulite. I guess that’s because they weren’t dating in the age of Photoshop. We are supposed to feel like men appreciate women with curves but everyone prefers firm to flabby. Genes do ultimately define our shape but how toned we are is something we can control, a bit at least, with a healthy diet, regular exercise, and a little help from some lotions. NIH Medline defines cellulite as “fat that is deposited in pockets just below the surface of the skin, usually around the hips, thighs, and butt.” The closeness to the surface of the skin is why it looks a bit unsightly.

There are spa treatments to help eliminate the appearance of cellulite, also dubbed cottage cheese skin or the orange peel look, but they are costly and require maintenance. Most sources say people should eat enough fruits, veggies and fiber, drink a lot of water, dry brush, avoid yo-yo dieting, cut smoking (if you still do), and exercise regularly–yes, the same things we read everywhere! Some may also offer certain exercises to help, but the quickest solution, if maintained, is swapping your body cream out for a topical that will help lessen, but not eliminate, the appearance of cellulite. Here Trendcetera presents some of the newest options in the cellulite cream category. They won’t make it disappear, because as Medline reveals, once you have it, it’s not going anywhere and the majority of women have it. But, using a topical daily might tighten skin a bit to make bathing suit season and lights-on sex a bit more carefree.

Though Nude was recently acquired by luxury goods giant Louis Vuitton Moet Hennessy, it was until recently, an indie British skincare brand. Packaged in sleek modern bottles, the body and face products are free of parabens, sulfates, silicones, mineral oil, GMO, and phthalates, and come in recyclable bottles made of 40% post industrial recycled plastic. Translation: bottles made with less plastic and products made without chemical nasties. The line also differentiates itself with a beat that’s focused on probiotics. The Smoothing Body Refiner ($70) is comprised of organic mountain ash, phytoactive ginger, green coffee, gingko and organic fig. The company claims that clinical trials resulted in all participants losing about six pounds after use twice a day for three months. The weight loss translated to about 1″ loss from the waist, and almost an 1″ off the hips and each thigh.

Liz Earle makes a bust oil and a thigh gel but I prefer the latter. The Hip and Thigh Gel ($33) is worth a shot; if a woman plans to have children and nurse, I think only good bras, hope, and plastic surgery can bring back the shape of youth up top. Founded in 1995, Liz Earle was recently acquired by Avon. The products are earthy and usually feature a handful of essential oils and plant extracts, which explains why using them makes one suddenly want to garden or take a botany class. The Hip and Thigh Gel product doesn’t promise to eliminate cellulite but to help firm and tone certain areas. The company has an ingredients policy that bans the usage of GMO and petroleum, as well as mineral oil.

Lubatti from Tracey Malone is a boutique beauty brand sold at Space NK stores. The Anti-Cellulite Oil ($59) has an herbal scent thanks to the inclusion of orange blossom, lavender, lemon, and peppermint. While the oil does include mineral oil, the base is also made of jojoba and wheat germ oils, which collectively claim to “revitalize and tone” cellulite through regular applications. Instructions recommend warming the oil by rubbing it in your hands and then massaging onto skin, in upward motions.

Osmotics Cosmeceuticals’ Blue Copper 5 Age Repair Body Lift ($95) is an addictive gel-cum-cream is marketed as an “anti-aging body treatment” for the breasts, tummy, and bottom. The “treatment” is comprised of a copper peptide, a few other peptides, green bean extract and rutin, and biopeptides, which collectively are said to halt the development of stretch marks, stimulate collagen production, and improve the firmness of skin by improving elasticity. Bottom line, I experienced the fastest results with this product, with a noticeable firmness on the rear of the thighs within a few weeks to a month of using it.

Like the rest of the products in this category, the items available from St. Ives require regular usage, but at this price point, that is feasible for everyone. Available at all major drugstores, “the anti-cellulite regimen” from St. Ives is made with the “MicroSmooth Complex” that reportedly reduces the appearance of cellulite in two weeks. The regime involves using the Cellulite Shield Gel Crème, which contains menthol and caffeine, and then the Cellulite Shield Advanced Body Moisturizer, which contains shea butter, among other ingredients. The first product, the gel creme, contains caffeine for micro-circulation, green tea to fight free radicals, tangerine and lemon peel extracts to energize the skin, and other botanicals that claim to moisturize and “hydrate the skin.” The body moisturizer is made of caffeine, green tea to fight free radicals, and a blend of glycerin, silicone and shea butter to hydrate.

CelluFIGHT ($15) is a buildable self-tanner from Tarte Cosmetics that shows a gradual tan after multiple applications. It is designed so there is enough time to firm the skin and deal with cellulite issues before the color gets too deep and appears over-bronzed. Tarte is a trend setting cosmetics company and is always ahead of the gang, so it’s no surprise they were one of the first to create a combined self-tanner and anti-cellulite product. The blend of caffeine and retinol is aimed at tackling cellulite while a gradual tan forms.

Finally, one of the newest products in this category on the market is L’Occitane‘s Almond Delightful Shape ($38). A clinical study of 50 women showed a loss of 1.3 inches around the thighs after four weeks of consistent usage, after which the “appearance of cellulite” reduced too.

Whatever your choice, now is the time to start using a cellulite topical, if you think it’s worth it. Of course, it’s important to stay within your budget and stick to a healthy diet and exercise at least a few times a week, for mental and physiological health.

Got another cellulite treatment plan you prefer? Let us know by Tweeting us at @Trendcetera