I must admit that I have some cellulite on my thighs. I have tried quite a few creams and lotions hoping to reduce the effect, tighten the skin or something, anything. After months of using Love Handler, I thought to myself, this is it.
Love Handler is another one of Bliss' cellulite reducing and body toning products. I don't really know the difference between this and their Fat Girl Slim except that Love Handler is a gel and Fat Girl Slim is a cream. I am only going to review Love Handler today since I have not tried most of the other products. If you have never heard of any of these Bliss products, here is what Bliss claims about the Love Handler:
A liquid workout for lazy abdominals!
Why we love it
•stimulates skin surface for improved firmness and contour
•energy releasing amino acids firm and burn with creatine
•caffeine stays active for up to 8 hours!
Want to whittle your wiggly waist, tone tummy pudge and keep back fat at bay? Wage war on those not-so-hard 'core' areas with this genius gel, formulated for extended 8-hour caffeine release. With cooling mint oil and naturally-derived amino acid ingredients.
clinical studies show:*
• 54.5% saw a reduction in the appearance of bloating in the abdominal area
• 50% reported an improvement in tone and contour
• Testers saw a trimmer waist in just 2 weeks
*Results reported from an independent clinical study conducted over a 6 week period.
It must have taken me at least four bottles and over two years to realize that this product didn't flatten my stomach, erase my cellulite or remove any
pudge. But don't let that turn you off from it completely. There are good reasons I kept coming back to this product despite its high price ($36 for a 8.5 oz. bottle).
First and foremost, I must warn you that Love Handler is a very runny gel with a strong minty scent. It doesn't smell
bad, but
strong. That isn't much of a problem for me because I rather like mint, but those sensitive to any sort of medicinal or minty scents should beware. It also
feels really minty once applied.
I apply the gel from my ankles to my waist when I feel generous but usually concentrate on problem areas like my thighs and tummy. Immediately, I feel a cool, minty sensation. And that is the feeling that tricks you into believing that something is happening; that it is working.
The product dries very quickly and doesn't leave my skin sticky... but it is no lotion. It will do absolutely nothing to moisturize your skin. So if it doesn't work for you, you can't even depend on it to be a good moisturizer. The scent does not linger too long, but the cooling sensation goes on for half an hour or more, depending on how much you apply.
So does it work? Well, it surely does something. If you apply it religiously (as I had) for several weeks twice a day, you will notice that your skin will appear firmer. It will not take off any fat or reduce your size in any way, but it does seem to miraculously tighten that bit of loose skin. Maybe massaging twice a day contributed to that, but it does tighten. No noticeable cellulite reduction though. =(
The ultimate downfall of Love Handler is that the tightening effect won't last. Like many products of its kind, its effect wears off after you stop using it. So if you want to maintain optimum tightness, you'll have to keep repurchasing this gel. One bottle won't even last you a full month if you are applying as much as you should. Personally, I don't think it is worth the trouble and money.
I still have half a bottle of Love Handler left in my possession. I am not using it right now, but I keep it just in case I have a big pool party or beach trip coming up. I would probably use it a week or two prior to the event so I could look
better on that day.
What are your experiences with body firming or anti-cellulite products? Anything you would recommend? Pretty please. I will give up on them if you don't recommend.