Sculpting creams are one of the more controversial beauty categories, with lots of debate from professionals and consumers alike about whether or not they actually work—and if a topical cream could ever have the power to visibly tone the skin. While no cream has the power to melt body fat, there are ingredients powerful enough to visibly firm, smooth, and snatch the skin—and that is all that we're really looking for.
I embarked on this testing journey skeptical but intrigued by the new formulas on the market and the ingredients, caffeine, for example, being used. At the end, I was left with 5 sculpting creams that I think are worth trying—and that I will definitely continue to use for an extended period of time.
Ahead, 5 of the best body sculpting creams on the market.
Best Sculpting Cream For Drainage: Biologique Recherche Liposculpt AC
Best Gel Sculpting Cream: Sisley Paris Le Sculpteur
Best Hydrating Sculpting Cream: Clarins Masvelt Advanced Body Firming + Shaping Cream
Best Sculpting Cream For Sensitive Skin: Clé De Peau Beauté Synactif Body Cream
Best Affordable Sculpting Cream: Sol de Janeiro Brazilian Bum Bum Cream
Best Sculpting Cream For Drainage: Biologique Recherche Liposculpt AC
This cream is formulated with lipolytic and draining ingredients that are powerful enough to deliver noticeable results. Caffeine and xanthine break down fat, artichoke leaf extract supports drainage and reduces water retention, and palmaria palmata and corallina officinalis extracts improve microcirculation.
Best Gel Sculpting Cream: Sisley Paris Le Sculpteur
My personal favorite of the bunch, this Sisley cream will noticeably firm the skin with continued, committed use. The herbal smell is refreshing, making using this post-shower a sensorial experience, and caffeine, white ginger extract, cedrol, and pink berry oil define, firm, and tone.
Best Hydrating Sculpting Cream: Clarins Masvelt Advanced Body Firming + Shaping Cream
This Clarins cream, intended to target fat on arms, abdomen, knees, and hips, is formulated with a bunch of ingredients that really pack a punch: mitracarpus to visibly firm, celosia to visibly slim and contour, and aloe vera to hydrate.
Best Sculpting Cream For Sensitive Skin: Clé De Peau Beauté Synactif Body Cream
While ginger rhizome extract reduces puffiness, minus sylvestris cone extract purifies the skin, and hyaluronic acid, scutellaria baicalensis root extract, and peptide complex provide moisture, the most crucial ingredient is alpina speciosa leaf extract for supporting elastin.
Best Affordable Sculpting Cream: Sol de Janeiro Brazilian Bum Bum Cream
This cream's hero ingredient, caffeine-rich guaraná, stimulates microcirculation and visibly tightens and smooths the skin. Additionally, acai oil protects the skin from environmental stressors. While that alone sounds like everything I would want from a firming cream, this one also provides a good dose of hydration. Coconut oil, squalane, and cupuaçu butter make the skin feel soft to the touch.