Healthy Hollywood: Try It Out Tuesday – Banish Cellulite Now!

Healthy Hollywood always perks up when it hears or reads about the latest weapon in the fight against cellulite. There are tons of creams, exercises, and diets – but to date, there is no proven method to smooth out spongy skin.

Like 90 percent of women, I hate to admit, but I have cellulite – sad but true. And, it doesn’t matter if you’re thin, overweight, rich, or famous – cellulite is unfortunately a woman’s thing.

Powerhouse trainer Jillian Michaels and supermodel icon Cindy Crawford have both admitted they’ve got it too. Feel better? Well, maybe, just a bit!

Healthy Hollywood recently got invited to try out a new anti-cellulite treatment at New York’s Caudalie’s Vinotherapie Spa. I ran (not walked) to accept this offer and give it a go!

Caudalie’s anti-cellulite treatment isn’t a miracle potion, but a special type of massage that breaks up fatty deposits and helps drain excess water. “Water retention acts like a blockage, slowing down the overall circulation, thus forcing water and deposits to sit and create an uneven texture,” explains Mathilde Thomas, founder of the Caudalie Vinotherapie Spa. She also adds, “The purpose of the treatment is to release these areas and create healthy flow and movement through the body, which over regular sessions, will smooth the silhouette and effectively reduce cellulite.”

The treatment lasts one-hour and the biggest difference I noticed from other massages is that the therapist deeply kneads your skin, as opposed to rubbing.

My session began with me lying on my back and the therapist started off by applying an essential oil and kneading my stomach area, and then proceeded to my arms and legs. At times, it felt as if she was pulling hard and tugging at my skin, but not in a hurtful way. I was just very aware I was getting an intense rubdown. Apparently, the French call this technique ‘le palpe roule’ and it is known as the ultimate slimming massage because it increases waste elimination and enhances blood flow.

Next, the therapist had me roll on to each side to be massaged, and then did my back and finished off by returning to the stomach area. Call me hopeful or just maybe I am kidding myself, but a few days after the treatment, I noticed my backside and there was visibly less cellulite. Kid you not!

“After the first [massage] you will feel better and perhaps lighter, but this treatment should be considered more of a workout for the body. Similar to fitness regimens, it is recommended for up to 3 times per week,” adds Mathilde.

At $185 per session, my budget won’t allow for much (or any) upkeep. Yet, there are similar anti-cellulite therapies we can all do at home. “The Caudalie Crushed Cabernet and Caudalie Slimming Concentrate are a key part of at-home upkeep as they both feature anti-cellulite essential oils of juniper, rosemary, and geranium, as well as draining organic essential oils of lemon, lemongrass and cypress. At home, you can wrap key areas after application of these products with Saran wrap and while skin warms, pores will open, allowing the essential oil to deeply penetrate,” shares Mathilde.

Also, you can try a self-massage in the shower, adds Mathilde, “While standing up with one foot on a stool and working from knee to hip, grab the outer side of the thigh and walk hands up thigh – kneading as you go…Go over that same section multiple times – up to 5 minutes.”

For more on Caudalie Vinotherapie Spa and products, check it out at www.caudalie-usa.com.

— Terri MacLeod