Editors' Choice: 14 Best Firming Body Creams

Do you dream of losing weight in your belly, getting rid of your sides and reducing your waist? Start doing exercises for a flat stomach at home today! To train your abs, you will need minimal equipment and some free space in the room.

We offer you a selection of high-quality exercises for the abdominal muscles, which are guaranteed to help you tighten your abs and get rid of fat from the waist area.

Body Cream, 3LAB

Tested by BeautyHack editor-in-chief Karina Andreeva
March and April are the time to actively take care of your body and prepare it for the summer beach season. And here both nutrition and sports, as well as competent and thoughtful skin care, are important. This cream has become my eternal companion in the gym. After training, shower and sauna, I apply it to the stomach, buttocks and riding breeches area. The texture is reminiscent of raspberry yogurt and pleasantly cools the skin when applied. The aroma is spicy, very pleasant, but unobtrusive. Based on the results of March, I can say that after a month of use, the skin became more toned, elastic and at the same time perfectly hydrated. Contains orange and coriander (promote the breakdown of fat deposits), Swiss apple stem cells (work as an anti-aging ingredient), sunflower seed oil (to nourish the skin), oat polysaccharides (provide a tightening and firming effect). And impatient I am dancing with happiness, because the product is absorbed in one or two! The packaging is large (200 ml) - I’m sure it will be enough for another month of test drive.

Price: 21,935 rub.

Perfect belly in 3 minutes a day

Perfect belly in 3 minutes a day

+ Step-by-step introduction of exercises with increasing load

+ Significant time savings

+ No expensive memberships and endless trips to fitness centers

A unique, thoughtful course will help YOU find YOUR waist and transform it beyond recognition in the shortest possible time!

That's all! We hope we have discovered for you a new effective and inexpensive way to get rid of extra pounds, which you will use to the benefit of your body!

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Tuesday, April 09, 2013 17:42 + to quote book

For the correction and prevention of cellulite, essential oils have 4 main directions:

- lipolysis - breakdown of fat cells; — lymphatic drainage – stimulating the outflow of fluid from tissues and removing toxins; — stimulation of blood circulation along the periphery, improvement of tissue trophism; – lifting – regeneration, stimulation of collagen synthesis.

Oils with a lipolytic effect include citrus oils, oils with a lymphatic drainage effect include pine and umbelliferous oils, warming oils include spice oils, and lifting oils include resin oils and floral oils.

In addition to similar properties, each oil is unique in its own way; this must be taken into account if several oils are mixed. Anti-cellulite essential oils can be used in massage mixtures or added to honey for a honey massage for cellulite.

Oils with lipolytic action (citrus fruits)

Lemon essential oil Smoothes and whitens the skin, removes age spots and freckles, and also eliminates the visible pattern of blood vessels. Eliminates various rashes. Has an effective effect against cellulite.

Tangerine essential oil Evens out skin texture and prevents the appearance of stretch marks if body volume increases. Prevents the blurring of body contours and the accumulation of extra pounds. Has a good effect against cellulite.

Orange essential oil Promotes the formation of collagen fibers that maintain skin elasticity. Removes toxins from the skin, reduces wrinkles and whitens. Makes rough skin softer. Reduces swelling, stimulates lymph flow, and has an excellent anti-cellulite effect.

Bergamot essential oil Refreshes and tones the skin.

Grapefruit essential oil Reduces weight and normalizes fat metabolism. It has lymphatic drainage and lipolytic effects and is used to treat cellulite.

Oils with lymphatic drainage effect (umbrella and pine)

Cedar essential oil Helps you look young and maintain a healthy appearance, increases skin turgor. It is a strong antioxidant, helps wound healing and promotes rapid regeneration. It is used in the treatment of cellulite and individual fat deposits. Cedar normalizes lipid metabolism, keeping the figure fit and slim.

Cypress essential oil Restores the elasticity of dry and aging skin, improving blood circulation. Helps tighten pores and smooth out skin imperfections. Has anti-varicose and anti-cellulite effects.

Pine essential oil rejuvenates the skin, increasing its barrier functions, smoothes out wrinkles. Helps normalize the physiological susceptibility of sensitive receptors.

Juniper berry essential oil The main property that the oil has is improving circulation on all layers of the skin. Helps remove free radicals and toxins from the skin. Has a powerful healing effect. Helps eliminate cellulite and stretch marks.

Cumin essential oil has anti-cellulite properties and is effective against metabolic disorders and obesity.

Fennel essential oil Helps eliminate skin sagging, promotes skin renewal, and gives the skin a homogeneous color. Makes the stomach, hips and bust elastic, this is a good remedy for “contouring” of the body and face.

Dill essential oil Helps eliminate swelling.

Oils that stimulate local blood circulation (spices)

Cinnamon essential oil A preventative against the accumulation of excess weight and the appearance of cellulite. Eliminates skin pallor. It is an anti-traumatic agent and heals bruises.

Black pepper essential oil Acts as a stimulant on the skin, but may cause irritation. Regenerates, tightens and rejuvenates the skin, making it fresh and soft.

Thyme essential oil is a powerful antiseptic, helps cope with weeping eczema, skin ulcers, infiltrates, herpes, scabies and lice. Eliminates skin itching, promotes wound healing, healing of insect bites, removes swelling, pain, burning and redness.

Clove essential oil Good for skin care. Helps eliminate acne and ulcerative lesions, furunculosis. Helps heal cuts, burns and bruises. It is a good way to tone up tired or aging skin. It has a warming effect and is used as part of mixtures for anti-cellulite massage.

Sculpt Expert modeling cream, Guinot

Tested by BeautyHack founder Ekaterina Domankova
If you use the cream in addition to regular exercise, you will 100% see a quick effect. I apply the product after training, visually the skin immediately looks smoother and more toned. And then the active components of Guinot begin to work: hydroxyproline, which stimulates the synthesis of collagen and elastin, and brown algae, which prevents their destruction in the future. After a week of use, along with pleasant smoothness, noticeable elasticity of the skin appeared. I liked the texture of the cream, not sticky, but not too liquid, easy to apply right in the locker room, threw it in my bag, got dressed and ran about my business!

Price: 5,360 rub.

General recommendations for performing exercises for the abdominal muscles

For effective training, as well as not to harm your health, you should follow some rules:

do not start physical exercise without first warming up;
do not start exercising when you feel hungry, or immediately after a heavy lunch - wait 2 hours before and after eating;
For the entire period of exercise, exclude sweets, flour, and alcohol. Consume the appropriate amount of calories for your weight and lifestyle;
When exercising, breathe correctly: inhale before starting the movement, exhale during the process;
during exercise, strain your abdominal muscles, try to pull them towards the spine, make sure that the muscle you are training is working;
After training, be sure to stretch the muscles you worked.

Contraindications for abdominal muscle training

Please pay attention to possible contraindications in which training may harm your health:

pregnancy and postpartum period;
prolapse of internal organs;
recent operations;
hernia;
malignant tumors of the pelvic organs;
critical days. In some cases, increased physical activity can affect the volume of discharge.

Anti-cellulite detox body oil Cellutox Active Body Oil, Elemis

Tested by BeautyHack senior editor Anastasia Speranskaya
The beautiful blue bottle (it looks like the Genie is about to jump out of it) hides a powerful weapon to combat visible signs of cellulite. It contains lemon and juniper essential oils, as well as buckthorn and fennel extracts - together they not only make the skin more elastic, but also remove toxins. After two weeks of use, the skin was noticeably tightened - I applied the oil to problem areas after a shower. By the way, the product also serves well as a massage oil. It has a lymphatic drainage effect, makes the skin smooth and silky, and smells very appetizingly like lemon marmalade.

Price: 3,690 rub.

Aromatic bath

The properties of aromatic baths were known back in ancient times. Everyone has heard that Cleopatra loved to pamper herself by bathing in milk and was famous for her beauty and velvety skin. We will take note of her method. We can’t do without milk in our case either. So, take a full bath of hot water and prepare fragrant mixtures:

7 drops of bergamot oil, 6 drops of juniper and lemon, 8 drops of lavender and rosemary oil. We combine all this together and dissolve it in a small amount of honey and milk. If you are just planning to drop all this into the bath, then we strictly do not recommend this: the consistency of the oils does not dissolve in water, but contributes to their accumulation on the surface of the bath. When you dive into water, you will get burns on your body, so you should be careful.

We soak in the bathroom for about half an hour, then take a cool shower. To make defeated cellulite run away like a coward, reinforce the effect of water treatments with hip exercises and massage with a dry brush.

The above recipe is conditional, you have the right to choose what you like. Combine these options:

4 drops rosemary and grapefruit;
2 drops lemon, cypress and ginger;
3 drops of mint, juniper and black pepper;
4 drops of lavender, grapefruit, geranium and bergamot.

Body lifting cream Lift Memory Corps, Salin de Biosel

Tested by BeautyHack founder Ekaterina Domankova.
Each product from the Italian brand Salin de Biosel is based on the Biosequentielle formula. It was developed by the creator of the brand, cosmetologist Christian Kolot, who came up with the idea of combining herbal medicine and oriental medicine. A good half of all components of Salin de Biosel products are of plant origin. For example, this cream contains mint and horse chestnut bark extract, which both soothe the skin and improve lymphatic drainage. I recommend it on vacation and during sudden temperature changes. The main thing is to wait until the product is completely absorbed - the shea butter and sweet almond in the composition are felt on the skin.

Price: 5,180 rub.

Daeses Firming Body Milk, Sesderma

Tested by BeautyHack special correspondent Alexandra Grishina
I have known the Spanish brand for a long time and love it for its facial products that really work. My favorite is the C-Vit Revitalizing Gel Cream, which I talked about here. The founder of the brand, Gabriel Serrano Sanmiguel, devoted his entire life to medicine: a dermatologist by training, a businessman by vocation, in 1989 he created a world-famous brand whose goal is to find effective solutions for treatment and skin care.

A week ago I came across milk from the Daeses line, and it became the first body product from Sesderma. Because of its texture, I would classify it as a cream-gel: it doesn’t run, it’s thick and dense, and it’s easy to apply. Absorbs quickly, but not instantly. Before getting dressed, give it time to absorb - wait at least five minutes.

The active component of milk is dimethylethanolamine (DMAE for short) - a naturally occurring nutrient obtained from seafood. Thanks to it, the skin instantly tightens.

The Daeses line is suitable for any skin type and for those who notice the first signs of age-related changes and lack of skin tone.

Price: 3,920 rub.

Lipolytic gel against cellulite Expert Correction For Stubborn Cellulite, Thalgo

Tested by the founder of the BeautyHack portal Margarita Lieva.
I have been using Thalgo products for a long time. I like the creators’ attentive approach to detail: the composition of each treatment is carefully worked out (and the ranges for the body and face are large), and the focus is on working with individual zones (there are products for hands, feet, skin on the abdomen, treatments for the sauna). This gel is designed to speed up the process of burning fat and reduce the appearance of cellulite (and the first results are promised in two weeks). I don't have cellulite, but my goal was to make my skin firmer.

I apply the gel morning and evening to my arms and thighs, do a light massage, the product has a light consistency, but it is not quickly absorbed and leaves a sticky film - you need to wait 10 minutes before getting dressed. At the moment, the impressions are extremely positive, I see a pronounced lifting effect, the skin looks more toned.

Price: 3,570 rub.

Physical training

An effective way to combat excess weight is running. It allows you to keep muscles toned, burn fat and remove excess weight. But often women over 40-50 years old find it difficult to cope with such loads. In this case, we recommend the following exercises.

We suck in our stomach. Stand up straight, lower your arms along your body. One of the palms can be placed on the stomach. Pull your stomach in as if you were “gluing” it to your spine. This simple exercise allows you to remove fat from the abdomen and sides, and also works the transverse muscles.
Pendulum. Perform near support. Tighten your abs. One hand lies on the belt, the other holds on to the support. We lean back, feeling the tension of the oblique muscles. We return to the starting position. Repeat 5 times. Then change your hand.
We train the lower abs. You need to lie on your back with your hands under your tailbone to relieve the load on your lower back. Both legs should be raised approximately 15-20 cm from the floor. From this point we raise our legs until our feet are parallel to the ceiling. Repeat 10 times. This exercise effectively tightens the lower abdomen.
Plank. Static and effective exercise. We take a position as for push-ups, but our hands rest on the floor with our elbows. Legs slightly apart. The body from head to toe looks like a straight line. So you need to hold out as long as possible. The side muscles, upper and lower abdomen, chest, legs are strengthened.
Dumbbells. Exercise for the abdomen and chest. Lie on your back and stretch your arms with dumbbells behind your head. As you exhale, tense your abs and pull your arms from behind your head until they are parallel to the floor. Alternately lift your shoulders and chest behind your arms. Perform 20 times, 2 approaches.
Holding your legs. Lie on your back, raising your legs at about a 30° angle from the floor. Hold them in this position for at least 30 seconds. Lower it. Repeat at least 10 times. The lower abdomen is strengthened.
From a lying position, lift your knees bent, holding a water bottle or ball between your feet. Then bend and straighten your legs.

It should be borne in mind that not everyone over 50 years of age is healthy enough to immediately begin performing complex exercises. Exercising in the morning will remove sagging muscles and prepare the body for more serious stress. [ads3]

Intensive anti-cellulite serum, Concentre Anti-Captions, Payot

Tested by BeautyHack special correspondent Ana Lipartia
The fight against cellulite can be compared to war. It seemed to me almost impossible to achieve the effect not in “a hundred years”. But the serum-oil from Payot amazed (and transformed too). For me, this is one of the most powerful weapons against annoying cellulite. The product is specifically designed for intensive correction of problem areas. I observed a noticeable transformation and effect after several uses. The skin became smoother, noticeably tighter and more beautiful.

Dry oil has a very delicate texture (great for massage). The good news is that the product is quickly absorbed and does not leave a greasy film on the skin. Contains green tea extract, which soothes the skin.

I use the oil 2-3 times a week, after a shower. I apply it to problem areas that need to be corrected and rub in with massage movements.

Price on request

Body balm Vine Body Butter, Caudalie

Tested by BeautyHack editor Yulia Kozoliy
Body Batter - not quite the right name in this case. The care has a rather delicate creamy texture, due to which it spreads well on the skin. Actually, its task is not to help you lose a couple of kilograms (although this is welcome), but to moisturize your skin as much as possible. Immediately after application, you feel freshness due to the aroma - a mixture of orange tree extract and orange blossom water. And then - pleasant smoothness of the skin and a complete absence of tightness - the result of constant temperature changes. Don’t be lazy to take the “barrel” with you on vacation - it will be especially good after sunbathing.

Price: 2,200 rub.

Anti-cellulite body oil, Anna Gale

Tested by BeautyHack editorial assistant Anya Khobotova
Anna Gale is a Russian brand of premium cosmetics. The brand relies on quality ingredients and honest composition.

For example, the components of this product include nine different oils. Apricot makes the skin soft, wheat germ and almond tone it and increase elasticity. Orange essential oil helps break down fats and reduce the “orange peel” effect.

It is better to apply the product after a shower on steamed skin and rub in with massage movements. The oil leaves no residue and is quickly absorbed. For a better effect, after application you can wrap your skin in cling film and wrap yourself in a blanket - I do this once a week.

Price: 2,800 rub.

Lifting body cream Mezolux, Librederm

Tested by the founder of the BeautyHack portal Margarita Lieva,
the Mezolux series from the Russian brand Librederm is anti-aging, so the active components in the product compositions are aimed at smoothing, strengthening the skin, and the synthesis of collagen and elastin. Lifting cream must be applied morning and evening to problem areas (stomach and buttocks) - in fact, that’s what I did.

Unlike Thalgo Mezolux gel, it is quickly absorbed and does not leave a sticky layer on the skin. The product promises a lot - up to a visible effect 15 minutes after application and effectiveness comparable to salon procedures that remove excess fluid from the body. It contains really working ingredients: algae, hydroxyethyl urea, vitamin E. I have identified significant advantages for myself: it perfectly moisturizes and tones the skin efficiently. And the price of the cream is very reasonable!

Price: 1,370 rub.

Let's summarize

As you may have already noticed, in order to tighten the skin in the abdominal area, there are quite a large number of methods. And most importantly, you can do almost all of them safely at home. Naturally, the result will not appear in just a couple of days, or maybe even weeks.

You need to be long and persistent with these procedures for several weeks, or maybe even months, if you want to get rid of a flabby belly.

And it’s better to take a complex, that is, watch your diet, do body wraps and exercise together! So let's pull ourselves together and go ahead and fix our belly!

If you liked the article, share it on social networks! Thank you!

Warming thermal body balm, Dr. Stern

Tested by BeautyHack editorial assistant Anya Khobotova.
The product will help eternal “weight losers” and those struggling with pain in the spine and joints.

I apply the balm to my thighs and wrap the skin in film. After just 10 minutes you will feel a slight burning sensation and a pleasant tingling sensation. 25 minutes of such a “sauna” is quite enough. The skin immediately appears tightened, and unevenness disappears over time.

The thermal effect is created thanks to the composition: camphor and hot pepper extract activate microcirculation and thermoregulation of the skin, essential oils of mint, eucalyptus and juniper are responsible for the anti-inflammatory effect.

Price: 457 rub.

Modeling thermal cream Thermo Сream, Comfort Zone

Tested by BeautyHack editor Natalia Kapitsa
As soon as it gets +10 outside, I fall asleep and wake up with one thought: “It’s time to go to the gym and work off the cakes and buns that I ate without a twinge of conscience, which brightened up the gray winter evenings.” And the “maniac” awakens in me, buying anti-cellulite creams, brushes and oils. This time, a miracle from Comfort Zone fell into my tenacious hands. I’ve loved the brand for a long time – I can talk for hours about the brand’s philosophy and the incredible herbal aromas of the products. Thermokrem is a very “hot” (in the literal sense of the word) guy. After application, you remember your childhood, when after hiding in the nettle thickets, your skin burned and glowed like a red banner! But the feeling is not unpleasant - you feel that the cream really works and makes the buttocks firm and toned. The product is very gentle and light - it is absorbed. Main active ingredients: caffeine, algae, carnitine. They remove orange peel, help remove excess fluid and tighten the skin. I noticed the result after two weeks. I will continue!

Price on request

How to eat to improve skin elasticity

In response to the question: how to tighten your skin after losing weight at home, doctors often recommend following a diet of foods that increase skin elasticity.

The basis of this diet is buckwheat, which contains rutin and unsaturated fatty acids , which in turn maintain skin elasticity. Buckwheat porridge is relatively inexpensive and widely available. This list is also supplemented by fish that are rich in omega-3 acids. It contains the largest amount of collagen.

To produce collagen, you need to eat foods such as eggs, meat, milk and cheese. Silicon, which is found in cabbage, carrots, greens and various types of cereals, plays a significant role in maintaining skin condition.

Loss of elasticity is affected by low levels of iron, zinc and selenium in the body. You can replenish your iron deficiency with buckwheat, meat and egg yolks. Selenium can be obtained from coconuts, fish, and garlic. Mushrooms and beef are responsible for replenishing zinc.

Toning body serum “Wind of the seas”, Little Butterfly London

Tested by the founder of the BeautyHack portal Margarita Lieva
Little Butterfly London was founded by a young mother Gudrun Wurm. Having given birth to her son Lucas, she set her sights on creating the UK's first organic cosmetics brand. Mischief managed! In Russia alone, the brand is represented in more than 20 beauty locations. And it’s impossible to count all Little Butterfly London’s partners in the world.

The first thing I noticed when testing the serum was that it does not have a cosmetic smell.
A little later I found out that it consists of 98.9% natural ingredients (all Little Butterfly London products are Ecocert certified). The serum is instantly absorbed, does not stick and does not leave a greasy layer. It's great that it can be used during pregnancy and lactation - it is 100% safe! Price: 4,075 rub.

What's special about stretch mark cream?

The main effect of all creams for stretch marks (to prevent them, as well as eliminate small and fresh ones) is based on maximum hydration of all layers of the skin, as well as on saturating it with various active substances that enhance the regeneration of collagen fibers.

However, it should be understood that in many respects the process of stretch marks does not depend on external factors, but is determined by genetic conditions.

Striae, figuratively speaking, are tears in the skin due to the fact that it does not have time to regenerate at the rate of growth of the abdomen.

Therefore, you should understand that it is difficult to influence this process, especially when stretch marks have already formed. The most effective methods in this case are methods that allow you to remove the epidermis as deeply as possible, as far as the safety of such a procedure allows. For example, deep peeling, or better yet, laser treatment.

Factors that provoke the appearance of stretch marks:

Heredity, which determines the properties of the skin. Women with thin skin are susceptible to stretch marks, more often it is thin. The content of collagen fibers and elastin is important: the more, the better all layers stretch.
Age. Over time, all recovery processes in the body slow down. The older a woman is, the higher the likelihood of developing stretch marks.
Skin condition. Well-moisturized collagen fibers are not so susceptible to various pressure fluctuations, they are less injured. Consequently, less striae are formed.
Multiple pregnancies and the development of a large fetus are almost always accompanied by stretch marks.
Speed of weight gain: the more kilograms “come”, the more stretch marks there will be.

It becomes clear that any cream is unlikely to radically correct the situation. Therefore, some question their effectiveness.

Watch the video about stretch marks in women: