Most often found on the thighs, buttocks, stomach, and lower region of the body, cellulite can mar skin’s appearance and more often, your self-confidence. But with hemlines getting shorter and summer steadily approaching, we’ll teach you how to smooth skin and fight cellulite the healthy way.
1. Drink Lots of Water
Water can help your body defeat a number of ailments, so it’s no surprise it’s key in the fight against cellulite. “Anytime the skin is well hydrated, it will look suppler and healthier,” Lona Sandon, R.D., a spokeswoman in Dallas for the American Dietetic Association, told Self.com. She recommends drinking eight and a half eight ounce glasses of water a day. Besides fighting cellulite, drinking water helps skin’s elasticity, rejuvenates tissue growth and fights fatigue. Bottoms up!
2. Invest in Creams With Caffeine
Caffeine can help reduce the swelling around fat deposits, making skin appear smoother and suppler. When choosing a “slimming” or cellulite fighting cream, look for those that contain antioxidants and anti-inflammatory ingredients to help stimulate blood flow. While not a permanent solution, applying caffeinated creams are an effortless way to prep your skin for an upcoming trip or event. Bliss’ popular “FatGirlSlim” cream ($32) helps firm skin to reduce the appearance of dimples. During a study conducted over a 28-day period, 87% of users saw a firming effect, 85% felt a slimming effect, and 73% noticed a reduction in the appearance of cellulite. Moisturizing never looked so good.
3. Avoid Salt and Sugar
Reducing the appearance of cellulite can be as easy as avoiding copious amounts of salt and sugar (which is part of maintaining a healthy diet). Dr. Oz says sugar gets stored in fat cells, causing them to expand, while salt causes you to retain water, making cellulite appear more defined and prominent. Instead of salty and sugary snacks, opt for foods that are rich in water like apples, grapes, and cucumbers to keep you hydrated and reduce the appearance of cellulite.
4. Get a Cellulite-Reducing Massage
Massages do more than release tension and relieve stress, they stimulate circulation and a cellulite-reducing massage is a relaxing way to fight cellulite. By increasing blood flow, this massage can help soften fat deposits and release them over time. It can also expel excess water your body may be retaining. If you can’t spring for a professional massage just yet, opt for a hand-help massager (like this Cellulite Massager from Sephora, $16), which will temporarily smooth the appearance of uneven skin.
image: victoriassecret.com
