A little while back, I talked about my body care routine over on my YouTube channel. In that video, I briefly mentioned firming products, and now that spring is just around the corner, bringing with it the possibility of going bare-legged for the first time in months, I thought it might be a good time to share a few more in-depth thoughts on some of my favourites.

Products that claim to firm and tone up the body are something I've only got into fairly recently. For a long time, I dismissed them as something of a fad, until it occurred to me - I use products that claim to firm up and smooth the lines on my face, so why not those that will firm up my body and smooth cellulite? (Not that I have any of course, cough cough.) Now, I wouldn't be without them. Just like anti-ageing creams for the face, these products might not work miracles, but combined with a good diet, exercise and generally taking care of myself, they definitely help. With the warmer months on the way, these are what I'll be using to whip my body into shape.

I mentioned this brush in my body care video and it definitely deserves top billing in this list. It might not look very exciting, but it's one of the best investments I've made in terms of body care and it only set me back a few pounds. I use this about three times a week before my morning shower to exfoliate my skin and get the circulation flowing, using upward strokes towards the heart, starting at my feet and working my way up. Not only is dry body brushing great for exfoliation, it's also one of the most effective things you can do to reduce the appearance of cellulite. If you have any problem areas, concentrating on them by using circular motions with the brush can really help to make them look smoother. Essentially, this action helps to redistribute the uneven fat cells which cause skin to dimple. Not particularly technical, I know, but it works! I find that using my body brush like this, combined with a few targeted butt exercises, makes the most difference to my lower body area in terms of its overall appearance. (I recommend fitnessblender on YouTube for the exercises - even their five minute butt workouts have produced noticeable results for me when done regularly.) 

I have always loved body butters and the way they leave my skin feeling hydrated and super soft. While I will probably always be seduced from time to time by more luxurious variations than this, you really cannot beat it. It's very affordable (on offer at Boots for under £4.00 last time I checked!) and manages to be rich and nourishing without sitting heavily on the skin or leaving it feeling greasy in the slightest. Containing cocoa and shea butter, this is a great all over body moisturiser, and affordable enough to use for that purpose on a daily basis. However, you get the added benefit of collagen and elastin which help to firm the skin while you moisturise. Plus, it has that addictive, cocoa butter scent to it and comes in an effortless pump format. Palmer's advice is to massage over the whole body twice daily, concentrating on thighs, legs, stomach and bust. Indeed, focusing a little harder on areas where you are likely to get cellulite (such as thighs and stomach) is always a good idea when applying any product, even just a regular moisturiser. Much like the dry brushing action, the massaging of the area is important in redistributing the fat cells, so the act of thoroughly rubbing the product into your skin can be just as useful as the product itself.

Brazilian Bum Bum Cream

The delightfully named Brazilian Bum Bum Cream (pronounced "boom boom" cream apparently). This has become a bit of a cult product and there was so much hype around it that I just couldn't resist buying it. I went for the smaller tub to try it out first because it's pretty expensive - I paid £18 for 75 ml. I'm a big fan of the cute packaging and an even bigger fan of the scent - hard to describe but "tropical paradise" is the best I can do, and suffice it to say that you will want to keep sniffing it! This is a thick cream but it feels light on application and absorbs very quickly. Containing guarana extract, it claims to tighten and smooth "like no other", and it certainly leaves my skin feeling incredibly soft - like silk. Is it worth the money? Well, it is a beautiful product, and I will probably buy it again, but due to the cost I won't be using it on an everyday basis. Instead I will reserve it for those special days when I want to feel like silk and smell like a tropical paradise!

As the name of this product suggests, it's an oil rather than a cream and because of that I prefer to use it in the evenings after a bath instead of during the day. It also has a beautiful scent of geranium and rosemary oil, the kind of scent that makes you feel instantly relaxed. Because it's an oil, you naturally massage it in more to help the skin absorb it, which is helpful for those lumpy and bumpy areas. Containing magnesium-rich kelp, and omegas 6 and 9-rich algae, it helps to improve the skin's elasticity as well as adding nourishment and moisture. It's not cheap at £35 for 100 ml, but I find that a little of it goes a long way and one 100 ml bottle should last a good few months.

This is the first body firming product I ever tried and it's still one of my favourites. In terms of improving the appearance of cellulite, I'd say this is probably the most effective of those I've mentioned, apart from the dry brush. The down side of it is that it is a targeted anti-cellulite product and not really suitable for use as an all-over moisturiser, so you can't really multi-task with this one like you can with the others. In my opinion, it's the least pleasant to apply, as it's gel-like in consistency and thus a tad sticky before it's absorbed completely. Also, it doesn't smell lovely like the other products I've mentioned, although it by no means smells bad. So why is it on my favourites list? Well, as I said, it's impressive in terms of results and really does make the whole area appear smoother and even a little lifted with regular application. One of the main ingredients is caffeine, which is supposed to burn away fat cells, and it also contains Indian forskolin (nope, no idea what that is) which apparently stimulates microcirculation. It's just under £20.00 for 150 ml so middle of the road in terms of price. If you're really looking to blitz cellulite rather than generally firm up, this is the one I would recommend.

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What are some of your favourite body firming products? And do you have any top tips for staying smooth, peachy and cellulite free? Feel free to share!

Kate x

*Gifted product. Some links may be affiliate links. This poses no extra cost to you, the customer. All opinions, as always, are my own.