When you don't "work"...

In the first part of our article on why most anti-cellulite creams don’t seem to work, we examined why sometimes the user is responsible for the cellulite cream not working. This can be the case when the user does not follow a healthy diet and exercise regime, does not apply enough quantity of cream, does not use the cream regularly, and does not use the cream for long enough time in order to see any meaningful, long-term results. We also mentioned that some times expectations are too unrealistic, being based on advertising hype than common sense.

In this article we will examine why a lot of well-meaning women who do all the above still do not get results, due to the shortcomings of most anti-cellulite creams available on the market today.

When the cream itself doesn’t work...

A cream may not "work" due to a variety of reasons, analysed below. Of course all the observations made here about cellulite creams also apply to cellulite lotions, gels an serums.

The cellulite cream does not work because it contains too low a concentration of active ingredients

You would be amazed if you knew how many anti-cellulite creams on the market contain next to nothing in the way of active ingredients, with the majority of the contents being good old water, oil fractions, emulsifiers and bulking agents. The label of a cream may quite often be “decorated” with the names of new and exciting or old and established active ingredients, yet when you look at the list of ingredients or analyse a sample you may find that the concentration of active ingredients is too low to make any real difference to your cellulite.

Unfortunately, this is an area where the consumer cannot do anything about, as the formulations are confidential and no manufacturer is supposed to disclose if a cream contains a high or a low concentration of active ingredients. The only thing a consumer can do is look for companies that voluntarily disclose the level of active ingredient concentration in their creams, as a total, or for individual ingredients.

Most anti-cellulite creams do not work because they are based on just one, two or three active ingredients

Given that cellulite is a skin condition that comprises several components (fat accumulation, skin looseness, water retention, toxin infiltration and inflammation, among others), trying to work with one ingredient on only one aspect of cellulite, will not provide any significant results, even if that ingredients is found in the cream in high concentrations. In fact, to tackle even one aspect of cellulite, such as fat accumulation, we may need to work with several active ingredients that block the fat accumulation cycle and accelerate the fat release cycle at several different stages. The same could apply to water retention, skin firmness etc. So what is really needed, is a multitude of active ingredients that act on several aspects of cellulite, in several ways. Fortunately there is a small number of creams on the market that satisfy this criterion, but unfortunately many of them do not satisfy the first rule we mentioned above (high concentration rule). As a consumer, what you can do is look for an anti-cellulite cream that contains 10x or even 20x different active ingredients, and in addition look for the total amount of actives, as described in the previous paragraph.

Some cellulite creams do not work because they contain irrelevant ingredients

Many cellulite creams may contain a decent amount of active ingredients, and a small minority may even contain those ingredients in high concentrations, but unfortunately some of those ingredients are irrelevant. I have seen cellulite cream compositions based on ingredients that may help with detoxification, fluid retention or overall fat loss if taken internally (by supporting on the liver, kidney or thyroid for example), but those same ingredients are irrelevant at the local level where the cream is applied. In this case, the practical recommendation for you is to look for research that shows that the specific ingredients contained in the cream have been tested on fat/collagen cell cultures, on fat/connective tissue, and/or on live volunteers.

Some cellulite creams only work temporarily because they focus on a temporary water drainage "diuretic" effect, not on long-term results

These creams only contain quick-fix ingredients (basically fluid drainage ingredients) that offer short-term results that satisfy the typical cellulite cream customer's quick-fix mentality. However, working with temporary water management only and neglecting the much more difficult to treat "fat factor", will do nothing to permanently change cellulite. As a consumer you should be looking for creams that contain active ingredients that work on the fat accumulation and for those that exert a repairing action on the blood vessels, the lymphatics and the skin, in addition to the quick-fix water management ingredients.

What you can practically do to make sure that you buy the best cellulite cream and make the most of it

Unfortunately, the majority of the cellulite creams available today are not there because someone decided he/she really wanted to help you get rid of your cellulite, but to maximise the profits of the company that produces it. In fact, the single most important factor that sells a cellulite cream is not quality, concentration or comprehensiveness of active ingredients, it is marketing, PR and advertising.

The only thing that you can practically do in this case is to carefully research the various creams available, in terms of a total number, relevance and concentration of active ingredients, and when you are satisfied with your choice and make a purchase please make sure you make the most of your cream by using a lot of it, by using it very regularly, by following a healthy diet and exercise regime, and - if you can afford it - by combining it with a quality cellulite treatment.

Go to: Why cellulite creams don't work? Part I: The things you do wrong!