You will no doubt have come across the athleisure trend which made its debut in the fashion world a few years ago and shows no signs of abating. From the rise of Sweaty Betty on the high street to athleisure catwalk collections from Chanel and Louis Vuitton, fashion-infused sportswear is worth over £7bn in the UK. Never one to be outdone by fashion, beauty has also received the sporty treatment with Tarte’s athleisure beauty collection and the launch of CliniqueFit earlier this year. And at this weekend’s Balance Festival I discovered Sport FX makeup and skincare ranges featuring sweat-proof products that are kind to skin. Along the same vein but not marketed as athleisure beauty, I recently came across e’lifexir natural beauty after being sent a couple of PR samples. Peppered with fitness language such as ‘lifting’, ‘firming’ and ‘sculpting’, there’s an athleisure theme going on, but are these body care products worth including in your gym bag?

Elifexir The Brand

Developed by a Spanish group called Phergal Laboratories, e’lifexir is a range of bodycare products targeting each part of your body and the concerns usually associated with these areas (eg. a firming cream for the stomach area). All products are certified natural by Ecocert, the first certification body to develop standards for natural and organic beauty products and one that enjoys better awareness on the continent than in the UK, where the Soil Association tends to dominate. Every product in the range boasts 99.6% natural ingredients and 5.1% organic, with specific plant and fruit extracts to tackle each concern. The products are also vegan and free from parabens, colourants, mineral oils, silicones, artificial fragrances and sulfates.

Elifexir Bodylift Anti-Cellulite & Lifting Cream

I have read a hundred times that there is no miracle cream against cellulite. So out went that dream – along with the one of eradicating the pigmentation on my forehead caused by sun damage, when my dermatologist said the ONLY cure was to never again expose my face to the sun. Ever. Having said that I do still get drawn in with the promise of a cellulite-busting cream, because I want to believe in scientific progress. And a miracle cream sounds so much more appealing than a healthy diet and hours sweating it out in the gym. So I gave the Bodylift cream a go, which promises to tackle cellulite three-ways:

1. Reducing its appearance thanks to Hydrolysed Sundews leaf, a carnivorous plant which helps to smooth the skin. Does the plant’s carnivorous properties make it eat away at the cellulite, like with fish pedicures?

2. Improving skin texture thanks to Dragon Eye extract

3. Decongesting skin tissue thanks to Black Elder extract for smoother and firmer skin

For the most part e’lifexir doesn’t claim to tackle cellulite itself but rather the appearance of skin, which is more believable. So does it live up to the claims? For two weeks I apply the cream every morning on my thighs, and you have to vigorously massage it in for quite a while for it to sink in (or I may be applying too much), which probably helps to improve skin’s texture. The biggest bonus for me is the scent: deliciously fruity but with a hint of something else I haven’t managed to put my finger on… something herbal maybe. As for its effect on cellulite, I do think the dimply texture is less obvious and my skin does look smoother. It would probably work even better combined with some lifestyle changes like healthy eating, exercising and a bit of dry brushing.

Elifexir Fitness Body Contouring Gel

This one really looks and sounds like an athleisure product, with a sketch of a female runner on the front and the recommendation to apply the gel before training to improve results. The Fitness gel promises to shape, define and tone, also in three ways:

1. Tightening of the skin thanks to caffeine

2. Reducing fatty deposits thanks to Dragon Eye extract

3. Smooth and glowing skin thanks to the boost of collagen coming from the vitamin C in orange, cranberry and lemon water

With its white creamy consistency I’m not sure why the texture is referred to as a gel, to me it looks and feels exactly like the Bodylift one. And it smells just as gorgeous. I apply it on my thighs every evening and it easily sinks into skin with an energetic massage. The effect is pleasant, delivering smooth skin, though whether it provides any longer term results over and above a lovely smelling moisturiser I’m not sure. To give it a proper chance I would need to apply before exercising as recommended on the tube, which is as good an excuse as any to get back into running.

The full e’lifexir range is stocked in Holland and Barrett and each tube is priced at £15.99 for 150ml. Athleisure beauty could seamlessly work its way into my beauty regime, with an application of Fitness Body Contouring Gel before exercising to enhance the workout’s effect on my body… if I got back into a regular routine instead of counting running after an accident-prone toddler as exercise. What athleisure beauty products have you tried? Leave a comment below to let me know.

Features PR samples.