Fight the flab without going under the knife

We'd all love to look like a Victoria's Secret Angel. A beautifully toned body without a slice of orange peel in sight... Short of finding a genie in a bottle, here are some alternative ways to work your curves.

The latest generation of slimming creams visibly tone up and firm our bodies. They're designed to attack fatty deposits in cells and have a targeted action. Gorged with active ingredients such as caffeineor vitamin A they're able to slim down our tummies, hips and thighs. Some have a firming effect to tone up curves, tighten skin or reduce waistlines. Others combat cellulite and contour our figures. Unless otherwise stated, slimming creams are best applied in the morning. To help them penetrate, massage on your cream, as this will give your circulation a boost.

High-tech advances in the slimming world have led to numerous machines that shed fat. Laser lipolysis uses a laser to heat up and destroy fatty cells, zapping cellulite in a flash. Morpho liposculpture is a contouring technique where a hypoosmolar liquid is pumped into specific zones, with impressive results. Ultrasonic techniques combine low frequency sound waves with infrared rays to contour the body. Lipomassage firms up skin using mechanical rollers that lift and knead - one firms, one slims and the third sculpts.

Cosmetotextiles are basically a clothes meets slimming hybrid! Using a process called micro-encapsulation, textiles are impregnated with capsules containing active ingredients. These active ingredients are freed and penetrate the upper layers of the epidermis when the textile rubs against our skin. Tights, knickers, bodies, shorties, leggings, jeans... all you need to do is slip them on. That said, diet and exercise count. Eat low fat, high protein dishes and get moving. No need to slog it out in a gym - twerking around a dance floor will do just fine!