5 DIY ANTI-CELLULITE Tips & Tricks

Copyright Herb & Hedgerow Ltd. All Rights Reserved.

About the Author Hello! I’m Lorraine Dallmeier and I run DIY Beauty Diva (www.diybeautydiva.com). Thank you so much for downloading my free eBook on 5 DIY Anti-Cellulite Tips & Tricks. I’m a Botanical Skincare Scientist & Biologist with a love of herbs. I’ve been writing my own skincare recipes for years and regularly share my knowledge and skills through my articles and recipes. As well as running DIY Beauty Diva and my Herb & Hedgerow skincare science blog, I am also the Director of Formula Botanica, the Lorraine Dallmeier Botanical Skincare Scientist international online Organic Cosmetic Science School. We have taught over 400 students in more than 35 countries around the world how to make their own natural & organic skincare and have watched dozens of brands launch and grow because of their training with Formula Botanica. I also sell BeautyCraft app for iPhone, which contains over 90 fun recipes for DIY beauty products that you can easily make with ingredients in your local supermarkets and has been downloaded in over 60 countries. I hope you enjoy this free eBook and that it helps you tackle cellulite with these great natural techniques and recipes. www.diybeautydiva.com

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Table of Contents

Tip 1: Understand the Science……………………… Page 4 Tip 2: Body Brushing…................................................. Page 7 Tip 3: DIY Coffee Body Scrub……………………….. Page 9 Tip 4: DIY Chocolate Body Masque……………….. Page 11 Tip 5: Diet & Lifestyle……………………………………. Page 13

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Tip 1: Understand the Science I always think that in order to be able to change something in your life, you need to understand the science behind it. Cellulite is no different. If you want to reduce the appearance of your cellulite, it’s best to understand what you’re dealing with first. Let me start off by saying that you are not alone: 80-90% of women have cellulite. In other words: there is nothing wrong with you if you have cellulite, you are perfectly normal. But what exactly is cellulite? Cellulite is caused when fat cells poke through weaker parts of connective tissue in our skin, effectively causing a tiny hernia of fat. It describes the ‘orange peel’ effect on your skin which has a pitted appearance, showing off fat deposits just under the skin. It is most frequently found on your thighs and bottom, but can also be found on your hips, stomach and even upper arms. There are varying degrees of cellulite too – some people only find it visible if you pinch an area of skin together whereas others find it is visible all of the time. Skin without Cellulite

Skin with Cellulite

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Tip 1: Understand the Science There seems to be a hormonal component to the underlying cause of cellulite, although scientists still aren’t entirely sure how this works. Men also sometimes get cellulite but this is generally only thought to happen if they have higher levels of oestrogen in their body. Another explanation for the differences in cellulite between men and women might simply be that men’s skin is thicker and doesn’t show cellulite as much. However, we can’t just blame our cellulite on our gender and our hormones as there are other factors which can also play a role. These include: • Genetics – you may simply be prone to cellulite, as were the generations of women before you. • Dieting too hard or too fast – fast weigh gain and loss can loosen the skin and make cellulite more obvious in appearance. • Eating the wrong diet – too much fat, carbohydrates or salt or too little fibre in your diet seems to increase your chances of getting cellulite. • Lifestyle factors – smokers, people who don’t exercise and people who live a sedentary lifestyle may also have increased risk of getting cellulite. • Ageing – as you age, the collagen and elastin in your skin are reduced which means that your skin isn’t quite as taut and your cellulite becomes more visible.

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Tip 1: Understand the Science There is a school of thought that says you can never eliminate cellulite as it is impossible to break down the fatty deposits underneath your skin and re-strengthen the connective tissue. There is some scientific support for this too as it is very hard to rebuild collagen and elastin in the skin once they have been affected by ageing. No products are known to replenish collagen and elastin in our skin, but some ingredients are known to stimulate their production, such as Vitamin C or retinoids. Nonetheless, even if you can’t fully get rid of it, there are certain things you can try at home to improve the overall appearance of your cellulite. In this free eBook we’re going to look at some DIY recipes and treatments for you to try at home.

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Tip 2: Body Brushing Plenty of studies have been done to look at the treatment of cellulite using a variety of invasive and non-invasive methods, but one of the most effective treatments was found to involve deep massage. A study that looked at a particular technique of anti-cellulite massage found that new connective tissue was being created, strengthening the skin in the process. However, I want to make clear right now that this study was undertaken on pigs, not on humans, so you can never be sure that the same results will happen in human skin (and I obviously don’t condone any testing on animals!). A study that was undertaken on humans found that massage was more likely to be effective than using a cream and another study found that massage using an electro-mechanical handheld device improved the overall appearance of cellulite. It looks like massage should be your first stop when trying a DIY anti-cellulite technique, particularly as it’s something simple which you can easily incorporate into your daily beauty routine. So Tip 2 in this DIY Anti-Cellulite eBook is going to look at body brushing.

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Tip 2: Body Brushing Body brushing involves brushing over the skin in sweeping motions using a firm bristled handheld brush with a long handle. It is said to help eliminate toxins from the system. You should spend a couple of minutes every day body brushing in order to improve circulation and help stimulate your lymphatic system. The main rule to remember is to always brush towards the heart. Start with your feet and use long rhythmic strokes to brush the sole of one foot. Move upwards, brushing up towards the ankle and onto your lower leg, knee and up onto your thigh. Make sure you cover all parts of your leg and as you move upwards, concentrate on the areas that need most attention. Brush over your bottom all the way up to your waist. Then go back down and start on the other foot, working your way back up again. Next, brush from the top of your bottom in long upwards strokes along your back up to top of your shoulders. Never brush sensitive areas of skin such as your face or breasts. Body brushing will stimulate blood flow and give you an energising DIY skin massage that may help with the appearance of your cellulite. It will also help loosen dead skin cells and exfoliate your skin. It should help get you going every morning and give your skin a wonderful glow.

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Tip 3: DIY Coffee Body Scrub Now we’re going to look at two DIY anti-cellulite recipes for you to make at home. The first of these recipes is a DIY Coffee Body Scrub. As we all know coffee contains caffeine, a powerful stimulant. Caffeine is actually found in virtually every single cellulite-reducing lotion on the market, so what does caffeine do to target cellulite? A 2013 study showed that caffeine easily penetrates the skin barrier and prevents excessive accumulation of fat in cells. It also has potent antioxidant properties and slows down the process of photoageing of the skin. It increases circulation of blood in the skin and even stimulates hairgrowth. Caffeine also works as a diuretic, which means that it removes moisture from the skin, temporarily firming the skin and its connective tissue. This temporary firming process makes it harder for those little fat cells to poke through weaker areas of skin, reducing the appearance of cellulite. The key word here is ‘temporary’. Unfortunately scientists believe that no caffeine-based cream is going to create a permanent or even long-lasting effect. In order for the skin to remain firm, any caffeine-based product will need to be re-applied regularly. However, caffeine is a double-edged sword as its ability to reduce fluid retention may even worsen the appearance of your cellulite in the long-run by dehydrating the skin… so go easy.

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Tip 3: DIY Coffee Body Scrub You can easily make yourself a DIY Anti-Cellulite Body Scrub at home using fresh coffee grounds. Don’t add in used coffee grounds as most of the caffeine will have already leached out of those and all of your anti-cellulite goodness will be percolating in your coffee maker instead! You will need: •  25g fresh coffee grounds •  25g brown sugar •  25ml milk •  5 drops of rose geranium essential oil

Blend together the coffee grounds and brown sugar to ensure they are fully mixed. Next blend in the milk and make sure there are no lumps. If you want the mixture to be slightly runnier, trickle in a little bit more milk. Finally, mix through the essential oil droplets. Apply this DIY Coffee Body Scrub in the shower. Scrub firmly over your body in a circular motion, avoiding the face. Rinse properly with a washcloth and pat yourself dry with a towel.

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Tip 4: DIY Chocolate Body Masque This recipe is for a DIY Chocolate Body Masque which you paint onto your thighs and other cellulite-prone areas before rinsing it off in the shower. This recipe contains cocoa powder, a powerful antioxidant and great skincare ingredient. Cocoa powder contains lots of minerals including calcium, potassium and zinc. It also contains high levels of caffeine and theobromine which are only present in trace amounts in cocoa butter. We are already know from Tip 3 that caffeine easily penetrates the skin barrier and prevents excessive accumulation of fat in cells, making it a good ingredient for any DIY anti-cellulite treatments. Theobromine functions in a similar way, although it is not as potent as caffeine as a stimulant.

Much like caffeine, theobromine is a diuretic. Theobromine is also able to break down fats and can have draining properties on fatty cells. All of these skincare properties mean that cocoa solids can be used to target cellulite when applied to your skin. Read more about cocoa and its uses in natural skincare.

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Tip 4: DIY Chocolate Body Masque Go get that cocoa powder from your kitchen and make yourself a fabulous DIY Chocolate Body Masque with these simple ingredients. Not only will it smell divine but it may also help firm up your skin and make your cellulite less visible. You will need: •  50g raw cacao powder •  50g Rhassoul mud •  50g aloe vera gel •  50-75g strong green or white tea (cooled) •  10 drops of rose geranium essential oil Blend together the cacao powder and Rhassoul mud and then mix through the aloe vera gel until it is fully blended. Gently trickle in the strong green or white tea until you get a masque consistency that you can paint onto your body without it being too thick or too runny. Finally, blend through the rose geranium essential oil. Using a cosmetic brush or even a paint brush, paint this body masque onto your thighs and any other body parts where you have cellulite. If you have any left, you can also use it as a powerful anti-ageing facial masque. The masque will slowly dry and after 15-20 minutes you can rinse it off completely in the shower. Clean your skin properly with a washcloth and pat dry with a towel.

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Tip 5: Diet & Lifestyle As we saw in the previous four Tips in this DIY Anti-Cellulite eBook, cellulite can be minimised or even avoided in certain parts of the body when the skin is strong and healthy. In order to achieve this, you need to keep the connective tissue in your skin functioning properly. Luckily DIY beauty treatments work from the inside out too and there are plenty of diet and lifestyle changes you can make in order to help your body build up cellulite in the first place. Here are my four top tips for changes you can easily make to help avoid or improve cellulite. 1. Firstly, it’s important to keep your body and your skin hydrated. Drink water and avoid drinking too much alcohol. Your skin needs hydration in order to function properly and without water it might start to look dry and flaky. If you keep your body hydrated then you not only help your skin to look its best but you might also take years off your face. 2. Don’t smoke! Not only is it horrible for your health and the health of everyone around you, but it also decreases the strength of the connective tissues in your skin. Smoking lowers the levels of vitamin C in the body. The more you smoke, the more vitamin C you lose from your tissues and blood as the vitamin is broken down and excreted by the body. Vitamin C plays an important role in making new collagen, so not only will smoking age your skin, it will also increase the chances of you getting cellulite.

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Tip 5: Diet & Lifestyle 3.  Don’t get too much sun exposure. A certain amount of sunshine is good for the skin but if you start to overdo it then the radiation decreases the elasticity of the skin, ageing you quicker than you thought possible and helping to form cellulite at the same time. 4.  Eat foods rich in antioxidants which can help stimulate your body to make new collagen and strengthen the connective tissue in your skin. Fresh fruit and vegetables are always going to do you good. In particular, look for foods rich in Vitamin C and Vitamin A which help synthesise new collagen.

5.  Another good recommendation is to drink green and white tea which contain compounds called ‘catechins’ known to improve collagen in the skin. You may also be pleased to hear that a study done in 2006 found that women who drank cocoa had thicker, denser and better hydrated skin which was more tolerant to UV sunlight exposure, so make yourself a nice hot cup of cocoa occasionally too. With a few simple changes to your diet and lifestyle, you may find that you can minimise the development of cellulite in the first place. These four diet and lifestyle changes will also do great things for your overall health and wellbeing, so you have nothing to lose! www.diybeautydiva.com

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"The  course  broadened  my  exis@ng  knowledge  of  skincare  and  enabled  me  to  connect  my  background  in   phytotherapy  and  aromatherapy  with  my  love  of  natural  skincare.  It  gave  me  the  confidence  to  launch   Merionwen  as  professional  business  and  step  up  from  a  hobbiest  level.  The  thing  I  like  best  is  the  ability   to  create  directed  skincare  for  different  skin  types.  Trea@ng  everyone  as  an  individual.  I  also  enjoy  having   the  ability  to  raise  the  ethics  of  natural  skincare  I  provide."       -­‐  Helen  Reeves-­‐Howard,  Merionwen  Skincare  

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Disclaimer The author and publisher of this eBook do not accept responsibility for any loss, harm or damage that may result from your use or misuse of this eBook or your failure to seek appropriate professional consultations with qualified practitioners. The author and publisher of this eBook accept no liability for actions inspired by this book. The reader of the information provided by this site assumes all risks from using the information provided herein. Be sensible when using the advice in this eBook . This eBook makes every attempt to provide good, honest advice about beauty product ingredients. We make no guarantees of success, but strive to provide you with good quality advice for homemade beauty products that can help improve your beauty and skincare regime. Please be aware that the advice provided in this eBook is not intended as a replacement for professional medical/ dermatological treatment and advice for any skin or health problems. Some herbs and/or their essential oils may interact with prescription drugs. Should you indeed suffer from any skin or health problems and seek to use these natural beauty ingredients as self-medication, we strongly advise you to consult a medical practitioner before using any of these beauty ingredients, especially if you have an existing medical condition, are taking medication, are pregnant or are breastfeeding. Please be aware that the advice provided in this eBook is intended only for application to the skin and hair. Do not apply the beauty ingredients described in this eBook to other parts of the body. Do not use any of these beauty ingredients on children under the age of two and check the cautions on any specific ingredients before using on older children. Any individual can be allergic to even the most benign of natural ingredients. Don’t use any ingredients to which you know you are allergic. Always do a 24-hour skin test before using to check for allergies, particularly if you have never used one of the ingredients before. When doing a skin test, apply a small amount to your inner arm, just below the elbow, or on your wrist, cover with a lint-free dressing and leave for 24 hours. If there is any soreness, redness or irritation, your skin is having an allergic reaction and you should not use the ingredient. It is recommended to buy organic ingredients, wherever possible. Fruit and vegetables are often sprayed with pesticides and these can be harmful irritants, particularly when applied directly to the skin. Always wash fruit and vegetables properly before use in any DIY beauty treatments. Home-made cosmetics have no preservatives to give them a long shelf-life, unlike the ones you buy in the shops. The advice in this eBook has been written under the assumption that these ingredients will be used immediately. If you do choose to store your beauty products for a few days after you make them, please note the following instructions: •  Make sure that your storage jars and/or bottles are completely sterile. You can sterilise glass storage containers by washing them thoroughly in hot soapy water, then placing them in a warm oven (130°C) for half an hour. •  Always follow the guidelines for storage. Home-made beauty products keep for longer when stored in the fridge. Make sure to discard any beauty products that smell bad or have changed in texture.

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