The 11 Best Cellulite Creams for Firmer Skin, According to Doctors
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Cellulite doesn’t discriminate: Anyone, no matter their age, weight, diet, body type, or fitness level can experience cellulite. It’s so common that up to 98% of women have cellulite. Seriously ... it's not just you! Cellulite creams are your best at-home treatment for minimizing the orange-peel appearance associated with this skin condition.
To help demystify some of your concerns, we chatted with a few medical experts for the real story on cellulite. The doctors share details on what causes cellulite, what to look for in a cellulite cream, and their go-to product recommendations.
Best Cellulite Creams and Treatments
- Best Overall: Body Merry Cellulite Defense Cream
- Caffeine-Filled Formula: Bliss Fabgirl Firm Body Cream
- Fast-Acting: Nivea Skin Firming & Toning Gel-Cream
- Tingling Effect: Soap & Glory Sit Tight Super Intense 4-D
- Warm and Sweet Gourmand: Sol de Janeiro Brazilian Bum Bum Cream
- Evens Skin Tone: Juice Beauty Green Apple Firming Body Moisturizer
- Non-Greasy Feel: Clarins Body Fit Anti-Cellulite Contouring Expert
- Budget-Friendly: Palmer's Cocoa Butter Formula Daily Skin Therapy Body Lotion
- Lifts and Hydrates: ISDIN Body Lotion Uradin10
- Works on Chest Too: BeautyBio The Sculptor Cellulite Smoothing Body Cream
What Causes Cellulite?
According to board-certified dermatologist Dr. Jason Emer, M.D., there are a few factors contributing to cellulite. “This is often genetic — and frankly, bad luck — as nobody truly knows the exact cause,” he says. “We do know, however, that often with skin sagging and weight loss, cellulite becomes more visible."
As far as what cellulite actually is, Ember says, “Cellulite involves fibrous connective cords that tether the skin down, creating dimples between the skin, fat, and muscle. This creates an uneven surface or dimpling and waves.”
How Effective Are Cellulite Creams?
Cellulite creams improve collagen production for firmer, smoother, and thicker skin, according to board-certified plastic and reconstructive surgeon Dr. Jaimie DeRosa, M.D. “Although these creams are not actually ridding the body of cellulite, they may help decrease the visibility of the underlying cellulite,” she explains.
Cellulite creams are effective against mild cellulite, but it'll take you several months before you notice visible results, notes DeRosa. She advises you to slather on these creams up to twice a day — in the morning and evening — for best results.
How to Treat Cellulite at Home
Though there are many in-office treatments available to tackle cellulite, they can be pricey. So, why not try and firm your skin at home?
Best Ingredients
All of the medical experts we consulted view caffeine as the ultimate powerhouse ingredient for tackling cellulite. Caffeine creates a tightening effect by dehydrating the skin and increasing blood flow. It also improves overall circulation, altering the water content of the fat cells in your skin, explains board-certified cosmetic dermatologist Dr. Michele Green, M.D.
So, what are other effective ingredients to look out for in a cellulite cream? Green and fellow board-certified dermatologists Dr. Nava Greenfield, M.D., of Schweiger Dermatology Group and Dr. Azadeh Shirazi, M.D., share the best ones.
Alpha hydroxy acids (AHAs):
- Glycolic acid
- Lactic acid
- Mandelic acid
Emollients:
- Hyaluronic acid
- Glycerin
Collagen-boosting:
Hydrate and brighten:
- Cocoa butter
Firm and improve your skin’s elasticity:
- Peptides
- Amino acids
How We Chose
Of course, you want expert results: So, we asked doctors to share some of their favorite at-home cellulite blasters. We also added a few of our own essential cellulite creams and treatments, which also have rave reviews on retailers like Amazon, Walmart, Ulta, and more. All of these recommendations include derm-approved ingredients to ensure their efficacy.
These are the best cellulite creams on the market right now.
Nicole Saunders is the beauty editor at Women's Health and has over eight years of experience researching, writing, and editing lifestyle content. She specializes in breaking down complicated topics, like red light therapy for hair growth and LED face masks, into easy-to-understand guides. Saunders takes great pride in heavily researching and testing featured beauty products, such as strengthening shampoos and body washes for dry skin on our site.
Previously, she was the beauty editor at Best Products where she tested quite literally thousands of launches for her quarterly column and the Best New Beauty Awards package. She also launched the beauty and wellness coverage at NBC News and contributed to CNN, Cosmopolitan, Billboard, The Hollywood Reporter, and Harper's BAZAAR.
You can follow her on Instagram to stay in the loop on her product testing adventures.
Jennifer is the former beauty editor for BestProducts.com, where she’s testing out everything from the latest lip gloss to the craziest skincare trend sweeping the online beauty-verse. Her work has been featured in Allure, Byrdie, HelloGiggles, and more. When she’s not swatching eyeshadow all over her arms, you can find the NYC-based editor scouring for hours on end for vintage finds, eating pad thai, and hanging out with her cat, Chunks.

Katie McBroom is an award-winning content creator and freelance writer. Prior to contributing to Biography, she served as Content Editor for Google and Beauty Editor for Best Products. Her work has also appeared in publications including CNN, WWD, Business Insider, Forbes, and Men's Health, among others.


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