Cellulite is nothing but normal fat tissue, visible as bumpy, uneven skin due to breakdown of connective tissue. It doesn’t look good, but is perfectly normal, and more than 90% women have it. It is not harmful in any way, except perhaps to a model’s livelihood. Still, many women hate it, as it makes them feel unattractive and self-conscious. The fact that it is impossible to get rid of, and even skinny women get it, just makes it even more unpopular.
Most conspicuous on the thighs and buttocks, it can also occur on other body parts, especially the lower abdomen, arms, and ankles. While the reason that makes it much more visible in some women are not fully understood, age, diet, and physical activity play a big role, along with your genes. Though you may not be able to get rid of it completely, there are ways in which you can minimize it and improve your skin’s appearance.
Although you might be tired of hearing it, but a good diet and exercise regime are the best things to counteract cellulite and get a beautiful, clear skin. Other things include staying hydrated, exfoliation, and massages. Here is how they work.
Many experts have linked cellulite to an unhealthy diet. Junk and processed food are speculated to accelerate cellulite. Another thing that might contribute to cellulite is frequent and extreme crash dieting. A regular, healthy diet full of green vegetables and proteins is recommended to reduce the appearance of cellulite.
Regular exercising, especially cardio and weight training is also linked to lower cellulite. Being physically active minimizes cellulite in three ways:
- A toned, firm body shows less dimples.
- It will improve your circulation and give you a glowing skin.
- It increases your metabolic rate, which means your body burns fats faster.
Exfoliants, such as body scrubs, stones, and brushes work by removing the dead cells on the body, which gives it a smoother and glowing appearance. They also improve circulation.
Body brushing works by stimulating the lymphatic system, which is responsible for flushing out the toxins. Simply start brushing the body from your legs, and in long smooth strokes, move towards your heart. Do this every day, just before you shower for five minutes to get a clearer skin.The Good: Involving no chemicals or invasive procedure, this treatment is as natural as you can get it. Plus, it’s cheap and convenient; all you need is a sturdy hand and a body brush.
What’s Not Good: This treatment requires daily brushing and tons of patience.
Sugar scrubs essentially remove dead, dull skin from your body, revealing the soft, smooth skin underneath. They will also boost circulation, giving you a nice, warm glow. Brown sugar is slightly coarser than white, so don’t use on delicate areas, like your face.
Brown sugar – 2 cups
Sea salt (Optional―to add some exfoliating power) – 1 tablespoon
Olive oil – 1/2 cup
Almond oil (Optional: To give extra softness) – ¼ tablespoon
Lavender oil – 1 teaspoon, or a few drops out of Lavender extract (Optional―to make it smell heavenly)Combine sugar and salt in a glass jar. Pour the oils, and let them soak through. Mix all the ingredients well, and then transfer it to an air-tight container.
How to Use: Massage the scrub using firm but gentle pressure in circular movements for about five minutes on the affected areas. Shower and seal in the moisture with a good lotion. Add or increase the quantity of sea salt if you want extra exfoliation, and skip altogether if your skin is sensitive.
The Good: The sugar granules scrub off the dead skin, while the almond and olive oils provide nourishment and moisture, giving your skin not just a younger look, but also a silky, smooth feel. Made from simple ingredients, this scrub is super convenient and easy to make, and it’s also ready in minutes.
Caffeine is a common ingredient in many anti-cellulite creams and scrubs and is said to reduce water retention and the appearance of cellulite. Here is a simple recipe for a coffee-sugar scrub.
Coffee grounds – 2 cups
Cane sugar – ½ cup
Olive oil – ⅔ tablespoonCombine all the ingredients in a bowl and mix thoroughly. If you are planning to use the scrub later, store it in an airtight container.
How to Use: Take some scrub on your fingers and gently rub in circular motion on areas with cellulite. You can also use this scrub on varicose veins, but be extra gentle as this is a delicate area. You may utilize used coffee grounds, but don’t use decaffeinated coffee for this scrub.
The Good: Caffeine is a natural stimulant and is said to dilate the blood vessels, boosting circulation. It also helps in reducing the appearance of varicose veins. Another benefit of this scrub is that you will smell delicious all day!
One way to improve the appearance of skin is massaging the area with essential oils, such as juniper, rosemary, etc. The emollients soften and moisturize the skin, while the massage stimulates the cells, aiding in flushing out the toxins and firming up the area.
Known for its beneficial effect on the circulatory system, cypress oil can be massaged onto the skin with a carrier oil like almond or olive oil. It is also known to reduce water retention and varicose veins.
Juniper oil is said to stimulate and strengthen the connective tissue, thereby, reducing the appearance of cellulite and giving you a firmer skin. For an effective treatment, massage the affected area daily with half a teaspoon of juniper oil mixed with half a cup of olive oil or almond oil. Some people might be allergic to juniper, and it is also not considered safe for pregnant women.
Coconut oil can be used on its own or combined with other essential oils to massage and tighten the skin. It will also make your skin super soft and silky. Follow the massage with dry brushing, to get one of the most effective treatments for reducing cellulite at home.
Grapefruit oil, along with its refreshing aroma, also has a toning effect on the body. It stimulates the lymphatic system and aids in removing toxins from the body. Just add a few drops to any carrier oil, like coconut or almond and massage for 5 – 10 minutes on the affected areas.
Relaxing and detoxifying, body wraps are one of the most soothing beauty treatments out there. They are also said to reduce cellulite, as clays absorb the toxins and the wrapping tones up the skin. But the success of this treatment largely depends on how good you bandage yourself, which is quite difficult to do, especially on the arms. It is also very messy and requires you to be bandaged for an hour, so tons of patience and a good book are essential accessories of this treatment.
Clay is said to absorb toxins from the body and purify it, while the seaweed is said to nourish the skin.Ingredients
Bentonite clay – 1 cup
Seaweed powder – 1/2 cup
Olive oil – 1 tablespoon
Water – 3 cups
Bandages
Boil the water in a pan, then add the clay, seaweed powder, and olive oil and mix well. Keep aside to let it cool.
How to Use: Take a body brush and exfoliate in long strokes moving towards the heart. When the mixture is cool enough, apply it evenly all over the body in circular motions. Wrap firmly with bandages; however, take care as wrapping it too tight might restrict circulation and make you dizzy. Wrapping too loosely might not give you optimum results. Wait in a warm room for one hour, and then shower to wash off the clay in warm water. Follow with a light body lotion.
This is an easy-to-do wrap, and combines the skin tightening properties of caffeine with the nourishment of olive oil.Ingredients
Coffee grounds
Olive oil
Plastic wrap
Mix the ground coffee (it must be caffeinated) with olive oil to make it spreadable. Apply on the desired area, and bind tightly with the plastic wrap. Again take care, and don’t wrap it too tight. You may also use hot towels to wrap. Keep for 5 – 10 minutes, followed by a warm bath and moisturizing.
You may use any combination of essential oils and carrier oil for this body wrap; just take care that you do not have any strong reaction or allergies to the oils. Also, do not use more than 5 essential oils at a time, and see that they are sufficiently diluted. Here is a wrap made from grapefruit oil and almond oil.
Make sure you are using good quality, pure, and natural ingredients as any impurities might make the treatments ineffective, or might even harm you. Also, note that essential oils are very potent and need to be diluted in carrier oils. Some people, even those without any history of allergies, react strongly to essential oils.
These are some home remedies for treatment, but these will only work in minimizing the appearance of cellulite. The best way to combat cellulite is by following a good diet and healthy lifestyle. Lastly, remember that having cellulite is normal and natural. Even perfectly toned celebrities are thought to ‘suffer’ from cellulite.
