Why Susanne Kaufmann's Firming Body Duo Is Worth It

Welcome back to Worth It, a bi-weekly breakdown of the new beauty products I’ve tested and adored: I’m talking that drain-it-to-the-bottom-and-tell-my-friends-I’ve-found-The-One kind of love. If it's featured here, consider this my permission to splurge on it. Read on for the product you don’t want to live without, and catch up on the latest Worth It breakdown here.

THE PROMISE

It almost sounds too good to be true, but this product pair was formulated to firm, tighten, and tone the body in just a month. They don't have to be used together for major results—the serum alone showed a noticeable 13-percent increase in firmness in a 28-day clinical study, while the cream showed 16 percent—but doubling up makes this feel like a full-on spa treatment.

The secret sauce in both formulas is the brand's patented Pro Contur complex, a blend of caffeine, tiger grass, and the South American plant boldo to smooth skin, target the breakdown of fat cells, and boost skin metabolism. It also helps stimulate the lymphatic system, which helps detoxify the body and reduce puffiness. If you're looking to try just one product to start, it's all about your textural preferences: the body serum has a light, airy formula that sinks right into the skin, while the rich cream has a luxurious, emollient finish that'll cocoon the skin for hours.

WHY I'M OBSESSED

Listen, the concept of the 'bikini body' isn't real. Your body is your bikini body, all year round. However, as I'm now in my late twenties and no longer able to treat my body like shit and expect it to look as taut as it once did, I'm not going to say no to a product that'll make things a little more... sshhhhlwoop. (That's me making a vague 'tightening' sound while making a squeezing motion with my hands.) I've tried many formulas that promise that firming, lifting shlwoop, and very rarely do I notice an actual difference. But this serum-cream combo? They work. Noticeable change, in just two months. (You don't get photos because I'm not a masochist, so you'll have to trust me on this one.) After every shower for eight weeks, I applied the serum all over, carefully massaging the skin to promote lymphatic drainage until the formula absorbed. I'd immediately follow up with the cream, which left my skin crazy soft. After a month, I noticed less dimpling and more even tone in my thighs and butt, and after another four weeks, I was shocked at the substantial difference in smoothness. My arms looked firmer, and even the appearance of the small stretch marks on my décolletage were improved. Needless to say, I have scraped both the bottle and jar down to the last drops. The verdict: a resounding shlwoop.