To look after your skin when you have cellulite, it pays to know the facts and separate truth from myth! The word “detox” is everywhere, and it often comes up alongside the orange peel effect. Yet your body doesn’t need a special programme to function well day to day. No programme, juice or herbal tea will make cellulite disappear. On the other hand, simple, budget-friendly everyday habits can help you feel more comfortable in your body, and that’s already a lot. Here’s what you need to know, tip by tip.
Detox cures: what you need to know
You may be tempted to try one of those much-talked-about detox cures. If the idea appeals, think of it as a few days to get your eating back on track, without extreme restriction. The weekend is ideal, as you’ll have more time to rest and cook homemade meals! The idea is to drink water regularly, cut back on very fatty, very sugary or very salty dishes and make plenty of room for raw vegetables, fresh fruit and greens, without cutting out whole food groups such as dairy or protein.
What matters most isn’t the cure itself, but the habits you keep up day to day afterwards. Herbs such as parsley, rosemary or nettle have their place in the kitchen, for their flavour. Before taking any herbal supplement, ask your pharmacist or doctor for advice.
Anti-cellulite products: what’s often mentioned
- Seaweed: you’ll find it in skincare products and on your plate.
- Caffeine: a common ingredient in massage creams. In your cup, it’s best enjoyed in moderation.
- Lemon juice in a glass of water in the morning: a pleasant way to drink more water, with no particular “detox” effect.
- Massage oils: they help your hands or the cup glide smoothly during a massage.
- Horse chestnut: products containing it are sold in pharmacies. Always follow the leaflet and ask your pharmacist if in doubt.
- Fruits: they have their place in a varied diet, ideally eaten whole.
- Chia seeds: these tiny seeds are a source of fibre, best introduced gradually and with enough water.
Good everyday habits
- Avoid wearing very tight clothing and high heels all day: they’re uncomfortable, especially if you’re prone to water retention.
- Drink still water regularly throughout the day; unsweetened herbal teas are a pleasant way to ring the changes.
- Get moving every day and build a few workout routines into your daily life: walking, taking the stairs, strength training.
- After your cupping sessions, finish your shower with a splash of cool water: a pleasant, refreshing moment.
Fasting: proceed with caution and medical advice
Fasting is on trend, but it isn’t suitable for everyone and it won’t make cellulite disappear. Before trying any form of fasting, always speak to your GP first. Our diet is often too rich and out of step with our relatively sedentary lifestyles: that’s what is really worth rebalancing, one meal at a time.
The cream that smooths the appearance of orange peel skin* and tones the skin
*Consumer test on 22 volunteers over 2 weeks, participants' self-assessment.
- Smooths the appearance of orange peel skin on the thighs, buttocks and stomach
- Caffeine & Green Coffee, the two benchmark active ingredients in body care
- Melting texture: absorbs in seconds and leaves the skin feeling comfortable
To understand what happens when you don’t eat, here’s a quick summary of how your body draws on its reserves:
- It first uses the last nutrients from your previous meal
- It then draws on sugars stored in the liver
- Next, it turns increasingly to fat reserves
- During longer fasts, it eventually draws on proteins, including muscle proteins: one reason why long fasts should never be undertaken without medical supervision
If your doctor agrees, the gentlest way to try it is to use the night, when your body is at rest. Have a light dinner a little earlier than usual, then have breakfast slightly later the next morning. Some people go as far as 16 hours without eating, but there’s no obligation to: listen to your body. In the meantime, make sure you stay well hydrated with water, tea or unsweetened herbal infusions.
One last tip: looking after yourself never means depriving yourself. Never fast for longer than your doctor has advised, as your body needs its reserves, fat included. And if the urge to fast comes with guilt around food, take it seriously and talk it through with your GP.
Green juices, just for the pleasure of it
Green juices are a tasty way to eat more plants. Made with all kinds of fruit and vegetables, green juices require a juicer or centrifuge to extract the juice and leave the pulp behind. Without the pulp, much of the fibre stays in the machine, so a juice is no substitute for whole fruit and veg, and fruit-based juices are still sugary. The occasional glass is plenty, simply for enjoyment.
For your green juice, you can use all kinds of vegetables: cucumber, kale, celery or spinach. A little fruit adds sweetness: apple, pear, raspberries, kiwi. Stick mainly to vegetables to keep the sugar down.
Pro tip: if you’re prone to water retention, take a look at our everyday tips for water retention, which go well beyond what’s in your glass.
Bath time: a moment to unwind
Why not make a bath your weekly moment to unwind? Choose water that’s warm rather than very hot, for your comfort. To make this moment even more enjoyable, here’s a simple recipe for bath salts scented with essential oils.
- In a bowl, pour the equivalent of 3 large handfuls of coarse salt (Guérande, Himalayan, Epsom or Dead Sea salt).
- Make a well in the centre and add a natural vegetable oil (such as sweet almond oil, for example).
- Then add a few drops of Atlas cedar essential oil and grapefruit essential oil.
- Mix everything together with a spatula so the salt is well coated with the oils.
- Transfer the mixture to a sealed jar.
- For each bath, add a generous handful of your bath salts to warm water.
Essential oils are potent products: follow the precautions on the packaging and ask your pharmacist for advice before using them.
Meditation: take a break!
Wellbeing also starts in the mind… Modern life and its relentless pace are often a source of stress, which can affect our sleep, appetite and mood, and even our motivation to take time for ourselves. So here’s a small piece of advice: give yourself a few quiet minutes each day to meditate. Pair this moment with slow abdominal breathing, which many people find helps them relax and take a proper break. A healthy body goes hand in hand with a healthy mind, as the saying goes! Build these moments of disconnection into your life, not just for one week, but as a lasting habit.
You can also use your meditation time to reflect more broadly on your lifestyle. Changing your habits for a week is great, but the small changes you keep up over time count far more than intense efforts followed by a relapse!
The Cellublue Cup in your massage routine
What? You haven’t ordered your Cellublue Cup yet? This little cup lets you massage areas with cellulite at home, in just a few minutes. Pair it with a massage oil to help it glide, and use it regularly for 5 minutes: consistency is what counts. Always follow the instructions in the product leaflet and ask your pharmacist if in doubt.
Be sure to check out this video and all our tips on the Cellublue Cup to master the right techniques and feel even more at ease!
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Useful categories: Anti-Cellulite Tips.
The cupping tool that replicates pinching and rolling, 3 minutes per zone
- The professionals' technique, at home: you lift, glide, and release, and the tool grips the skin fold like a manual pinching and rolling
- Soft silicone that fits thighs, buttocks, stomach, and arms
- 3 minutes per zone, every day, always with a massage oil so the tool glides
The scrub that leaves skin smooth and skin texture refined*
*User test on 21 volunteers over 4 weeks, based on participants' feedback.
- Olive & apricot kernels: these natural grains gently sweep away dead skin cells
- Caffeine & monoi scent, so your shower instantly smells like a holiday
- In the shower, two to three times a week, massaging your thighs, bottom and stomach
