Have you ever scratched your upper arm in the filtered light of a window at dawn only to look down and see – fingers pressed into the skin – faint evidence of burgeoning cellulite?
HAVE YOU?
That would sure stink, wouldn’t it?
Well, luckily for most people cellulite mostly magically appears on the gluteus maximus and thigh regions – much easier to cover up. That doesn’t make it easy to live with, though.
While cellulite’s not a real health risk (though it can indicate poor health habits), it’s a telltale sign of aging. If you’ve ever read any articles or how-to-get-rid-of-cellulite exposes at all, you know that the A-number-1-Best-Selling Tip is to exercise. So I’m not going to tell you to do that.
I’m also not going to tell you that drinking more water will help tremendously.
I’m going to give you, right here, the easiest ways to get rid of cellulite without sweating, chugging, or otherwise changing your complete lifestyle.
I won’t tell you that adding regular exercise and increased water consumption will take care of the bulk of your cellulite issues. Nope. I won’t tell you that at all. (Ahem.)
Ways to Get Rid of Cellulite Without Breaking a Sweat
1. Coffee for Cellulite – On Your Body, Not In Your Mouth.
So here’s a conundrum for you. Coffee in your mouth could be a cellulite culprit, but coffee on your body is definitely a cellulite buster. Doesn’t seem fair, does it? Let’s pretend I didn’t say anything about how drinking coffee could cause cellulite, mkay? Because never, ever, no never would I ask you to give up your coffee. However, here are two things you can do with it that don’t involve drinking.
- Turn the Coffee into a Shower Scrub: After you’ve made your morning pot, place the grinds in a bowl and cover them with olive oil, sweet almond oil, grapeseed oil (or any kind of oil you’d like, really … just try to stick to cold-pressed and avoid ANYTHING that’s partially-hydrogenated). Stir the mixture and let it sit for a few minutes to allow the coffee time to infuse into the oil. In the shower, scrub your body with this mixture, focusing on the tricky dimply parts. Rinse well.
- Kick Your Lotion Up a Notch with Coffee: Take some dry coffee grounds and toss them back into the grinder or food processor. Let them grind into a fine powder. Add this powder to your favorite lotion and apply to troublesome areas. This is best used at night or anytime you’re going to be home for a good block of time. Otherwise, the coffee might show on the fancy little white dress you chose to wear for date night. You’re so hot.
2. Make Your Own Massage Oils
This is actually super easy, and all you need is an essential oil or two and a carrier oil (like jojoba, sweet almond, olive, or coconut oil). For every 1/4 c. of carrier oil, use 10-12 drops total of essential oil. Combine them well in a glass jar or bottle and massage into icky cellulite-y spots for 10 minutes a day.
Essential oils that treat cellulite most effectively (the top two are the absolute best):
- Juniper
- Fennel
- Grapefruit
- Rosemary
- Sage
- Lemon
- Cypress
3. Dry Brush Your Body Daily
Invest in a good body brush. You’ll be glad you did. Make it a daily habit to give yourself a good body brushing, starting at your toes and always moving upwards (you want to brush toward your heart to really help with revving up circulation).
This is, perhaps, the most helpful, healthful tip I’ve given. Ever.
Dry brushing detoxifies like nothing else, exfoliates all the bad stuff of a HUGE portion of your skin, gives you energy, aids in skin cell renewal, increases circulation and, of course, helps your body break up cellulite.
Just like any habit, it’s one you have to consciously form, but doing this daily will seriously – and I mean this – change your life for the better.
I don’t have a particular favorite. I bought a cheap body brush at Walgreens about two years ago. It seems to work fine, but I’m open to recommendations if anyone has any.
Bonus! Extra! More Ideas! Yay!
Does Kiwi Get Rid of Cellulite?
Or so the story goes, according to a Puerto Rican folk remedy. In my opinion, using kiwi to get rid of cellulite sounds messy (or is messy – I know, I tried it yesterday) and really expensive. You’d be better served using part of the kiwi as a facial mask and eating the rest. If, for some reason, you have limitless supply of kiwi at your doorstep, this is how to do it:
Mush the kiwi with a fork and rub onto cellulite areas. Circle it with plastic wrap and leave on for 20-30 minutes. Remove, and shower it off.
Is there ANYTHING Apple Cider Vinegar Doesn’t Do?
ACV is good for so many things (treating heartburn, toning the skin, cleaning … everything), and it’s also effective in treating cellulite. Probably the easiest way to use it is to take 2-3 tsp. of ACV in water – with a little honey, if you don’t like the taste – each day.
But you can also apply it directly to the cellulite areas and leave it on. Be careful, though, as it can dry your skin out. Dilute it with some water if your skin starts to dry (and add a little vegetable glycerin to the mix for extra moisturizing).
Seaweed Isn’t Just for Spas Anymore
There’s a reason why so many people are covered in seaweed at spas. It’s skin-nourishing and it’s great for treating cellulite. These days, you don’t have to go dredging up junk from the bottom of the ocean to use it. Just visit your local natural foods store, or MountainRoseHerbs.Com, and handily order yourself up some powdered seaweed.
Make a paste with water and spread onto the dimply areas. Leave on for 30 minutes (or more) and shower off.
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When was the last time you freaked out about cellulite – or even the small, shadowy possibility that you might have it?
Would you rather try these ideas, or throw down big moolah for bottled treatments at the department store counter?
In smooth-and-sexy crunch!
Your Natural Medicine Cabinet : Home Remedies for Coughs and Colds
I don’t drink coffee so I quickly picked some up at the store and then notice when I go home home it is instant coffee. I used it with lotion and will also try it in the shower and let you guys know how it goes 😛
got any ideas for scars? i have a ton, because i used to pick off my scabs when i was little….. and i have a huge purply ugly one from a few years ago when i fell and gashed my knee open…..
Going to have to try this. Got anything for stretch marks? I’m afraid I have those, too, though I’ve never noticeably gained weight. But, I used to dance regularly, and the shape of my body has changed slightly since it had to be cut out of my schedule. Any crunchy Mederma solutions?
Awesome site, really helpful stuff! Found you through Pinterest.
Girlfriends Are Like Shoes
I thank God I don’t have much cellulite. there’s a little but only visible with my clothes off and even still just a pinch. (OK was that TMI Or what? LOL)
I wouldn’t however do skin brushing every day. It’s a little like exfoliating. You aren’t really exfoliating but the brush does remove some
Skin brushing twice a week should be sufficient but that’s my humble opinion 🙂
Michelle
This is great! I have recently become painfully aware of cellulite on my thighs and tummy…and I’m not overweight. It shows up worst in the bright sunlight (like you said!!), especially since I’m quite pale. I’ve never paid attention to body brushing, but am on it as of tonight! Great ideas…as always!
Cool! I will have to invest in a body brush, sounds like something I would totally do and tell all my friends. Just more reason for them to call me “weird”. Ya, I’m weird for wanting to care for my body with earth’s treasures!
Haha. I know what you mean. Eventually, they just learn to accept it. The first few times I popped over to my neighbors with a hair and face mask on, she laughed until she was blue. Now she asks me to bring her some!
Cellulite is such a pressing issue that I have to leave two comments on the same blog in the same of five minutes.
Firstly, it is full like you read my mind. Just the other day I was whinging to myself about cellulite and my wish to wear outrageous short shorts or tshirts as a dress. Hemlines should be disregarded.
I hadn’t heard about AVC before so I’ll give that a try.
Regarding body brushes. I have one from the Body Shop (which my dog has thoughtfully left a few bite marks on) and I like it although I’ve been lazy about it recently. The reason is supposed to be so good is because it has cactus bristles. So I imagine that a bodybrush with cactus bristles from another brand should be just as good.
Lastly heres a bodyscrub recipe with coffee. I haven’t tried because I’m too broke for the ingredients but I plan to do when I have the money. I’ve been using an abbreviated version and love waking up to coffee scented showers.
Firming coffee scrub
The scrub is gentle enough for everyday use and leaves skin silky smooth.
1½ cups cane sugar
¼ cup ground coffee beans
¼ cup shredded coconut
¾ cup macadamia nut oil or olive oil
1 tsp. honey
3-5 drops essential oil of choice
Mix sugar, ground coffee beans, coconut, and oil in a bowl until fully combined. Add honey followed by the essential oil.
Transfer the mixture to a plastic container with a lid. (The scrub will keep for 1 to 2 weeks sealed at room temperature.)
Rub a generous scoop of the scrub over your arms, legs, stomach, chest, and bottom, scrubbing medium to hard depending on your sensitivity. (Skin should be moist when applying the scrub.)
Rinse off in the shower under warm to hot water, ensuring the sugar crystals disintegrate completely. Pat dry to allow the oils to soak into your soft, glowing skin.
Note: Those with very sensitive skin may wish to use pure cane sugar because it is less abrasive than raw.
Oooh, love it, as always. I LOVE the idea of using actual shredded coconut in a recipe. I may have to break out my creative brain soon and see what else I can come up with.
Are the cactus bristles painful at all? That just sounds like it hurts? Heh.
Big love!
Yes, dry brushing is the BOMB!! and so why have I slacked on it?? not sure, but this post has definitely motivated me to get back to it – thanks for the reminder….oh and I most definitely drink coffee…and I most definitely LOVE it! even though my husband tries to get me to switch to tea, which is fine too, but I’m just not giving up my java!
Excellent tips … many which I’ll need to try. I have to admit to laughing — really — about the seaweed, though. I used to work at a salon … and did the seaweed wraps … and hated it profusely … and wrote a post not long ago about how very, very much I hated it. Truly my worst job ever! (But not necessarily because of the seaweed.)
Not a coffee drinker so I could def use up those grains in my cabinet that are waiting patiently on guests that I never invite over.
Seriously, these are great tips! Never heard of dry skin brushing but I googled it and I do believe I will be starting soon! LOVE that I learn something new with each post!
Now I need to know what kind of brush.
A body brush, Lori.
That kind.
They sell ’em in most personal care aisles (around the bath stuff) of stores. They’re the really soft-bristled, long-handled brushes that you never quite know what you’re supposed to use ’em for (until now, anyway). Although I did notice today that there are some available that sit in the palm of your hand. Not sure how you dry brush your back that way, though.
Unless you’re really flexible.
I’m a dry brush virgin too….sounds intriguing. I do have to admit that tihs summer when the super fit leader of my triathlon training group stripped down to her bikini I was a little satisfied when I noticed that she wasn’t immune to the little dimples too.
I double dog dare you to give her a dry brush for Christmas.
And then get yourself one. They really do give you energy.
(Although when I use it, I have this really weird obsession about how my invisible skin cells are flying off all over the bathroom. Sometimes I even look for them.)
Dry skin brushing? I have never heard of that before. Must get one now. And yay! Something I can make with coffee without having to drink it! (Sorry, I don’t like coffee. I know, it’s weird.) Of course, now I’ll have to buy some.
I am seriously shocked by how many people here don’t drink coffee. It’s a travesty! (Or luck on your part, ’cause a coffee addiction is … well, it’s an addiction.)
I’m also really surprised you hadn’t heard of dry brushing before. Makes me REALLY happy I posted this – ’cause if you, of all people, haven’t heard of something like this, probably a lot of peeps haven’t.
You’re my very own litmus test, girlie.
I don’t have any cellulite! What exactly are you suggesting? But I do need to get back into the skin brushing.
This post made me laugh out loud. I’m not a coffee drinker, but I certainly WOULD forget about it if I did that! 🙂
Love these tips, I’m thinking this week I’ll be trekking to Walgreens…
Sarah M
Hope they still have the brushes there! If not, they’re pretty much anywhere else you can buy body care stuff. I hear the Body Shop has a really stellar one, but I can’t recommend based on experience.
PS – Be glad you’re not a coffee drinker. I wasn’t one for 32 years of my life. And now … it has its watery brown claws deep in my heart.
Heh.
yeah, I think it would have happened by now…I worked as a barista in a coffee shop for 3 years! If that didn’t work, I don’t know what would do it. 🙂
S
Dry skin brushing changed my life! I also highly recommend it. When I get lazy and skip a few days my skin starts looking dry, flaky and dull. Also I find it’s the best way to truly absorb the oil/moisturizer you’re using. Thanks for the awesome tips!
~ GGG
Right? Last winter, I dry brushed every day – and my skin was amazing (especially for it being the dead of the winter). For some reason, I fell out of the habit … trying to get myself back in it!
There’s nothing better than dry brushing before the shower, using a sugar or salt scrub in the shower, and then dusting with scented arrowroot when you get out.
Heaven!