Beach Patrol! Get Behind Your, Uhm, Behind With Nivea’s Good-Bye Cellulite Line

Chances are you ladies spent some time at the beach or the pool during the holiday weekend. And hopefully, you felt confident and sexy in your bathing suits — whether you were frolicking around in a bikini or a one-piece. I certainly did! But one thing I realized about the summertime: as much as I love this season, there’s always an irksome sense of dread that accompanies slipping into a swimsuit. Sure, I’m proud of most of my jiggly parts and I do believe that women aren’t meant to have harsh, angular figures (female bodybuilders scare me, incidentally), but there’s something about the thigh, hip, and buttocks region that makes me wince a bit when beach time rolls around. And that, my friends, is called cellulite. The word itself is so taboo, but let’s face it: whether you’re skinny, chubby, or at your ideal weight, you probably have some pockets of cellulite. As hush-hush a topic as it is, data shows that 80% of post-pubertal women grapple with cellulite. Which means, of course, that we are by no means alone with out dimply patches of skin.

Skincare companies have been researching the causes of this condition and while no long-term treatment to eradicate cellulite is yet available, there are some firming and tightening creams that provide visible short-term results. Enter Nivea’s Good-bye Cellulite line of products launched earlier this spring.

The collection includes two powerhouse products. First, there’s the Nivea Good-bye Cellulite Advanced Formula Gel Cream, which features Lotus Leaf Extract ad L-Carnitine, both of which allegedly reduce the appearance of cellulite. The gel-cream vies to deliver firmer skin in two weeks and a visible reduction in the appearance of cellulite in four weeks. Second, there’s the Good-bye Cellulite Fast Acting Serum, which has an ultra concentrated version of the Lotus Extract and L-Carnitine formula, and which, according to the accompanying advertising and marketing materials, can minimize the appearance of cellulite in just 10 days.

Okay, now, let’s move beyond marketing materials and buzz words used in ads. Do these deliver results? Well, I’ve been using both the serum and the gel-cream for about 3-4 weeks now and, while I can’t say I see a huge difference, I have noticed that the products tighten and smooth out the skin within hours of application, so they do make me feel a bit more confident if I apply them prior to any occasion where there will be a major “reveal” (like a trip to the beach). Plus, I’m secretly addicted to the pool blue color of the lightweight gel cream and its dewy floral scent — not to mention how much it softens and smooths the skin (cellulite concerns aside).

All in all, these are affordable short-term solutions but, hey, I’ll take that!

Nivea Good-Bye Cellulite Fast Acting Serum, $15.99; and Nivea Good-Bye Cellulite Smoothing Cellulite Gel-Cream, $13.49. Available at food, drug and mass merchandisers. Visit Niveausa.com for more information.