Bikini Best: Summer Cellulite Solutions

Summer means a lot of things--cooling off and doing cool things with your friends. For me, it represents an opportunity to make my yearly trek to Lake Arrowhead, Calif., where I seek peace and solitude in mountain resort living.

It's an amazing place to shed your cares while participating in hiking, boating and swimming activities. However, I still get a little shy about showing more skin during this time of the year. Dimpling on the thighs or backside can fizzle my sizzle, so I pack plenty of products that help stifle cellulite. They improve circulation, tone and firmness with ingredients such as caffeine, fruit enzymes, capsaicin, camphor and cocoa seed extract.

Sun, surf and sand--here we come! Be your bikini best with the following body contouring products. Note: If you're pregnant or suffer from high blood pressure, make sure you consult a physician before use. 

SHINE: Bio-Therapeutic SLIM. BEAUTY: Detoxifies problem areas and stimulates blood circulation with eucalyptus oil, menthol and camphor. BEACON: No animal testing. Supports the South Sound Alzheimer’s Association.

SHINE: Dermelect Cosmeceuticals Lipo-Conquer Body Toning Cream. BEAUTY: Caffeine, gingko biloba and papain (papaya proteinase) boosts elasticity and promotes the reduction of fatty deposits. BEACON: No animal testing.

SHINE: Nature Pure Labs LipoMelt Self-Heating Contouring Cream. BEAUTY: Minimizes the appearance of cellulite with caffeine, cocoa extract and capsaicin. BEACON: Contains no parabens, or artificial colors and fragrances. No animal testing.

SHINE: Shea Terra Organics Anti-Cellulite Deep Tissue Massage Oil. BEAUTY: Pomegranate seed oil, green coffee oil and black pepper essential oil help detoxify, stimulate and decrease areas of cellulite collection. BEACON: No animal testing.

Read in the Bathtub Day: Nourishing Body Care

If you haven't played hooky from work or school yet this year, today might be the time to do it. It's National Read in the Bathtub Day.

R&R stands for read and relax--with no guilt attached. So feel free to act like you don't have a care in the world as you curl up with a good book and soak in the tub with no time restrictions.

In your pursuit of peacefulness, consider the following bath and body products--and enjoy your home spa day.  

 SHINE: Babor Vitamin A-C-E Body Cream (Body Line Thermal). BEAUTY: Sweet almond oil and vitamins A, C and E protect against environmental stress and strengthen skin's elasticity. BEACON: Supports Dolphin Aid.

SHINE: Burt's Bees Naturally Nourishing Milk & Shea Butter Body Wash. BEAUTY: Replenishes moisture with non-fat dry milk and shea butter. BEACON: No animal testing. Free of sulfates, parabens, phthalates and petrochemicals.

SHINE: Elemis Tranquil Touch Creamy Body Wash and Quiet Mind Relaxing Bath Elixir. BEAUTY: The body wash utilizes sweet almond, cedarwood and patchouli oils, while the bath elixir uses eucalyptus leaf, lemon peel and patchouli oils to promote tranquility and skin conditioning. BEACON: No animal testing. Free of animal-derived collagen, synthetic perfumes and coloring, mineral oil, alcohol and silicones.

SHINE: Lather Yuzu Bergamot Body Wash and Manuka Body Butter with Grapefruit & Juniper. BEAUTY: The body wash features yuzu peel and bergamot fruit oils, as well as cucumber, green tea and rosemary extracts, while the body butter utilizes grapefruit peel and juniper berry fruit oils to cleanse and moisturize the skin, and uplift the senses. BEACON: Contains no sulfates or parabens.

SHINE: Malie Organics Body Cream. BEAUTY: Hydrates and soothes the skin with coconut, kukui and macadamia nut oils, and aloe vera leaf juice. BEACON: No animal testing. Free of parabens, sulfates and petroleum.

SHINE: Shea Terra Organics Ultimate Moisturizing Body Creme (Rubi Rose Hips). BEAUTY: Softens skin and reduces scaling with rose hips seed oil and shea butter. BEACON: No animal testing.

SHINE: Weleda Pomegranate Regenerating Body Oil and Pomegranate Creamy Body Wash. BEAUTY: The body oil utilizes pomegranate and jojoba seed oils, while the body wash features pomegranate, sesame and macadamia nut seed oils to promote skin renewal. BEACON: Free of synthetic fragrances, colorants, preservatives and raw materials derived from mineral oils. 

SHINE: Whish Body Wash and Body Butter. BEAUTY: The body wash uses aloe vera leaf juice, pomegranate oil and cucumber fruit extract, while the body butter features shea butter, raspberry juice and lavender oil to purify, firm and moisturize. BEACON: Free of parabens, sulfates and petrochemicals.