Firm Favourites

If any of you are going away this year or like preparing your skin for its summer unveiling then you've probably been eyeing up firming creams. Most of you may be too young to worry about keeping things tight and supple and hay, I'm only 21 but I don't think it is a crime to start these things early. I'll hold my hands up and admit when it comes to body moisturising I just don't commit. I might do it a couple of times a month which I know is bad but I just don't see it as a priority. It takes so long to do your entire body and then sit around waiting for it to sink in. So, for me to really engage with a body lotion it has to be something special. And if that means doing something other than simply hydrating skin then chances are I'm going to stick to it a lot longer. So, here are my three firm favourite body lotions for people who don't really do body lotions. You can use these for phases infrequently throughout the year for when you need them most or all year if you catch the bug for it!

Nivea Rich Firming Body Moisturiser - This super cheap product from the Nivea Q-10 range is such a beautiful product. It says it is for dry skin which I guess is down to the macadamia nut oil found under the ingredients so I tend to use this more during winter but the gorgeous fresh fragrance makes me want to use it during the summer. So, for pre-tanning this is a great lotion for those dry areas like your elbows, knees and ankles. All over it can take a little while to soak in, like all of these creams, but it is such a pleasant experience it is darn worth it. It is actually meant to tighten your skin in two weeks if used twice a day every day because it adds Q-10 to the skin, a natural component that helps to keep skin firm. I don't think the levels are high enough to see drastic results but for a couple of pounds your skin certainly feels better.

Nivea Firming Good-Bye Cellulite Gel-Cream - Like the first Nivea product this also comes under the Q-10 range but is a very different feeling, smelling and looking product altogether. This is a gel-like consistency which has a light blue hue. It has Q-10 as well as L'carnitine which is present in skin already and helps to convert fatty acids into energy. This is because this cream's selling point is its fight against cellulite. It also has natural lotus which according to Nivea is shown to help reduce the formulation of new fat cells. The proven results is firmer skin in two weeks and a reduced appearance of cellulite in three. Now I did this every day for very nearly three weeks and did see a small improvement in the overall tone of my thighs and my skin definitely felt firmer and looked healthier. I wasn't expecting miracles but was impressed. If you really dedicated yourself to doing it twice a day for a month lets say I think this would improve further. It has some amazing reviews on Boots and some are a bit out there. Some people saw no change at all. I guess you just have to be open minded, committed and see what happens for you!

St.Ives Healthy Brilliance Firm and Glow - Probably my favourite out of the lot is this classic from St.Ives. A bugger to get hold of now but normally found in Superdrug or discount beauty warehouses this is a firming lotion which doubles up as a gradual tan. So, you don't need to worry about spending time whacking on the fake tan too. However, it does take a while for this develop. I see a good level of colour after a week and the good thing is that it gets to a point where it no longer gets any darker so you can keep on lotioning with peace of mind your not going to turn into a tangerine. But that won't happen anyway because the colour is really beautiful natural golden glow to the skin. Caffeine and ginseng work together to tighten, tone and improve skin health. It is a really thick and fragrant formula that takes ages to cover all over the body down to the pump dispenser giving out a small droplet of cream. So, a tip is just to unscrew and pull out the top and dollop to cream on that way. But with perseverance, like all of these you'll reap the benefits.