Would you like the good news or the bad news on banishing cellulite? Let's get bad out the way first - there is no permanent cellulite cure. The good news - you can reduce its appearance. Well that's kind of the point of wanting to banish it in the first place right?

Round, pear, svelte or skinny, cellulite can affect anyone. It can be predicted with two words - fat percentage. It's not about weight so much as the amount of fat that dances with the upper layers of skin. In females the connective tissue is quite inflexible so when our body fat increases our fat cells expand and the inflexibility of these tissues allows them to move nearer to the skin's surface.

Hormones, metabolism, genetics, diet and lifestyle choices are all believed to influence the occurrence of cellulite. The only way you can dramatically reduce the orange peel appearance is to use a combination of exfoliation, oils/creams aimed at improving circulation, reducing calorie intake, increasing exercise and loving your body (this last one always makes for a kinder reflection in the mirror).

When it comes to lotions and potions to reduce cellulite it's always best to go for the natural and organic variety, not least because they avoid the chemicals found in conventional remedies. Ingredients like ruscus, birch, juniper berries, cyprus and Bayberries are used in many natural formulations to combat cellulite. A few products we recommend are:

- The Organic Anti-Cellulite Body Care Set by Madara
- Body Firming Oil by Spiezia
- Active Control Firming Body Lotion by Lavere
- Triple Action Cellulite Lotion by Green People
- Perfect Peach Cellulite Massage Cream by Barefoot Botanicals
- Birch Cellulite Oil by Weleda

These products contain plant extracts to naturally stimulate the body's own regenerating processes to improve the skin's texture and smoothness.