The Gloss Report: Body firming creams

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The Gloss Report: Body Firming Lotions

Whether you’re fighting gravity or you’re just worried about your wobbly bits, we’ve all got parts of our body that could do with a little nip, tuck and tighten. So, this week the Glossy Posse have been trialling and testing body firming creams to see if they can help get us taut, toned and ready for summer.

In all honesty, we’ve been feeling rather sceptical towards the idea that there are non-invasive products that can cast away the cellulite.  But on the other hand, applying cream is a damn sight easier than hauling ourselves down to the gym every evening, so we’re willing to be open minded and give it a go...

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Perricone MD Cold Plasma Body

Price: £79.50

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Feedback: "Cold Plasma Body from NV Perricone is an all–over body treatment formulated to help firm, tighten and tone the appearance of skin, while smoothing imperfections and hydrating for a radiant glow. It claims to work to minimise the appearance of cellulite and dimpled skin and also to revitalise the look of dehydrated and sagging skin.

"My only, but nonetheless, rather unpleasant gripe was that the lotion smelled, for lack of a better word, fishy. I’m not a massive fish fan anyway but I doubt I’d be alone in saying that I’m not too keen in lathering myself up with eau de seabass morning and night time - just saying.

"However, I can’t really fault the actual performance of the product. Having been using it for over a month now my skin is without a doubt smoother, more supple and the most hydrated it’s ever been. However, I don’t have delusions of grandeur and I’m aware my ‘wobbly bits’ haven’t just disappeared, but the finish and texture this lotion leaves certainly does give the look and feel of more toned and honed skin. The only problem is, you might just have to remortgage your house to afford it."

Did your skin look or feel noticeably firmer?

"It certainly looked more even and toned but I think this effect was largely superficial. The cellulite is definitely still there, it’s just buried under layers of luxurious cream."

Was it worth the money?

"No - whilst it’s a lovely product the effects just aren’t thorough enough to justify this big of a spend."

Would you recommend this to a friend?

"Only my super duper rich ones and on the basis that it’s a fab cream for nourishing the skin, not for banishing blubber."

Reviewer: KR

Score: 8/10

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Natura Bissé C+C Vitamin Body Cream

Price: £78

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Feedback: "From the packaging to the ingredients to the fragrance (not to mention the product name), it doesn’t take a beauty sleuth to work out that this body cream is BIG on oranges. In this case, oranges are indeed the only fruit, and if you don’t like them, this citrus-rich cream is best avoided. If you’re partial to fruity fragrance, however, this lavish yet light lotion might be right up your street. I just hope you live on an affluent one - this firming cream doesn’t come cheap.

"This cream goes full circle in a bid to banish orange peel - using orange extract derived from vitamin C and magnesium to brighten and fight free-radicals. Vitamin C is well-known for its protective, collagen-boosting properties, so applying it to the body, especially post-sun exposure, makes a lot of sense. Combine it with the cream’s natural free form Elastin Amino Acids, and in theory you have a recipe for tight, smooth derrière."

Did your skin look or feel noticeably firmer?

"This is a tricky one. It certainly felt smoother and more taut, but I think that any visible tone is more the result of conditioning classes rather than a body cream. That said, the cream hydrates and nourishes dryness and sunburn very effectively, improving the visible appearance and texture of the skin almost instantly."

Was it worth the money?

"Time will tell - if it holds skin sagging in its tracks it’s certainly better value than more extreme methods! From initial use though I’d say unfortunately not, although the bottle is generous, the scent is refreshing and the moisturising efficacy is impressive."

Would you recommend this to a friend?

"Maybe not to a friend, but my mum and her gym buddies would love it. I’d say it was ideal for any exercise fan or beach bum - it would complement workouts and sunlounger sessions nicely."

Reviewer: AH

Score: 8/10

4 / 7

Legology Air-Lite Daily Lift for Legs

Price: £60

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Feedback: "Just. Wow. This firming cream is unlike any I’ve tried before. It left my legs feeling lighter, smoother and my skin more toned. Whether your pins are feeling a little sluggish or swollen pre or post a long-haul flight, this wonder cream will definitely give them a leg up in the right direction.

"A post-shower ritual which has me addicted, simply massage from the feet upwards to increase circulation, aid lymphatic drainage and hydrate dry skin. My thighs certainly feel firmer, however I’d warn against using it as a substitute for a good diet and exercise to get rid of cellulite. Think of it as an aid rather than a replacement to give your bikini body plans a boost in the right direction."

Did your skin look or feel noticeably firmer?

"Yes."

Was it worth the money?

"Yes."

Would you recommend this to a friend?

"Absolutely."

Reviewer: AM

Score: 9/10

5 / 7

Caudalie Contouring Concentrate

Price: £24

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Feedback: "Did this firming oil leave my skin softer? Yes. More supple? Yes. Firmer? Kind of...

"Beautifully scented and wonderfully nourishing, this was a treat to look forward to every day after a shower. My skin was left feeling hydrated with a subtle sheen after massaging it in, and it gave my dry skin an immediate moisture surge and subtle glow that looked healthy and dewy. I can’t say that I saw a noticeable difference in the firmness of my skin though unfortunately - I would probably opt to use this more as an intensive dry skin treatment than as a cellulite cream."

Did your skin look or feel noticeably firmer?

"No."

Was it worth the money?

"No."

Would you recommend this to a friend?

"For cellulite, no. But for dry skin, yes."

Reviewer: AM

Score: 6/10

6 / 7

L’Occitane Almond Tonic Body Oil

Price: £35

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Feedback: "Packed with natural active ingredients, this Almond Tonic Body Oil claims that it has what it takes to get you from wobbly woes to taut and toned. The oil is a blend of five essential oils; immortelle, palmarosa, mint, carrot, and cypress combined with pink pepper oil to make the body firmer and resculpted. Once applied, the oil’s non-greasy formula instantly absorbed into the skin, making it easy to incorporate into my morning and evening routines.

"While I have to admit that it didn’t leave my body looking or feeling noticeably tight, my skin has become a lot softer over the trial period. Its added ingredients of silicium derivative, micro exfoliating lemon extract and almond nuts will leave you with skin that is both supple and hydrated. The addition of almond also gives it a beautiful scent that subtly lingers on the skin.

Did your skin look or feel noticeably firmer?

"No, it didn’t make any difference to the firmness of my skin at all."

Was it worth the money?

"No. Even if you wanted to buy this for softer skin, there are a lot more on the market that can do that for cheaper."

Would you recommend this to a friend?

"No."

Reviewer: HI

Score: 5/10

7 / 7

Soap & Glory Sit Tight Saddlebags

Price: £16.50

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Feedback: “A firming cream that does what it says on the tin (or bottle) is notoriously hard to come by, so I was interested to try the new Soap & Glory Sit Tight Saddlebags out for size and kept everything crossed that this would be my miracle cure. The product claims to help visibly firm and tighten skin, smooth problem areas and reduce roughness. Soap & Glory recommend applying it twice a day and waiting 2-3 minutes before getting dressed."

Did your skin look or feel noticeably firmer?

"After applying the formula and allowing it to dry, the skin around my legs and thighs did feel slightly tighter to the touch. However, this feeling wore off pretty quickly and in terms of the skin’s apperance I saw no visible difference. After prolonged use I did start to feel some difference in my upper legs and the skin felt slightly firmer. This may have been due to the roller-applicator rather than the formula itself however, which stimulated the area and felt as though it was it was shifting stubborn build-ups as I ran it over the skin."

Was it worth the money?

"Compared to other firming creams on the market, Soap & Glory’s version is a more budget alternative and definitely one to try first if you’re new to firming creams. It makes the skin feel, if not look, noticably firmer, and at £16.50 is worth giving a go if you’re determined to try this type of product out."

Would you recommend this to a friend?

"For the price, I probably would recommend it to a friend as it does improve the feel of the skin generally. It would probably be most effective at adding finishing touches to ‘problem areas’ that had already been worked on through exercise and good diet, and I would definitely recommend it to anybody (without bad cellulite) who was looking for slightly firmer skin but not hoping for a miracle."

Reviewer: EJ

Score: 5/10