Best firming body lotion for aging skin

Beauty

Except they’re so easy, you won’t even break a sweat.

Photo courtesy of Getty Images

Last Updated
Apr 29, 2022

When it comes to our skincare routines, we all tend to focus our efforts exclusively on our faces, often forgetting about everything that exists below the jawline. But fun fact: the skin on your neck, décolletage, arms, and legs are every bit as susceptible to aging as your face, and as such, every bit as deserving of your tender loving care.

While cellulite, stretch marks, uneven skin texture, sagging, and crepiness, are all completely normal, very much expected, and very OK, it’s also OK to not be such a huge fan of their existence (we’re only human, after all). And if you find yourself in that latter category, looking for something to help firm, smooth, and rejuvenate their overall appearance, we have just the thing: skin tightening lotions. 

What Causes the Skin to Become Loose and Saggy?

Skin sagging is a very natural and, to a certain extent, unavoidable by-product of getting older, but other external factors can exacerbate and speed up the process. In addition to stress, pollution, genetics, diet, and exercise, one of the other key factors that Dr. Hartman says to look out for is UV damage (seriously, people: sunscreen is non-negotiable). 

“UV exposure plays a significant role in the breakdown and degradation of collagen,” he says. “So, not only does our body’s natural collagen production decrease as we age, but we also have these external factors that are causing the little collagen that we do have to degrade, ultimately leading to a loss of skin firmness and elasticity.” 

The other important thing to keep in mind is that the skin on our neck, chest, underarms, and inner thighs is much thinner than other areas of the body, making them more susceptible to things like cellulite and crepiness. In other words, don’t be too hard on yourself—there may only be so much that you can do to treat these delicate areas.

What Ingredients Should You Look For in a Skin-Tightening Lotion?

In choosing a high-quality skin tightening lotion, there are a couple of key ingredients to look for to ensure you’re doing more than just rubbing a nicely scented cream on your skin. 

1. Vitamin A: Unsurprisingly, every derm’s favorite anti-aging ingredient is also at the top of the list when it comes to body-firming products. “There are so many amazing benefits to using a vitamin A derivative,” says Dr. Hartman, “including the promotion of collagen production, smoothing the skin surface, and making the skin a little thicker, which becomes increasingly more important as we age. But it also helps encourage exfoliation and stops the buildup of dead skin cells, which makes for more effective cell turnover. And whenever you can make that process more efficient, you’re basically helping your skin to appear younger, firmer, tighter, and smoother.”

2. Ceramides, Peptides, and Growth Factors: Ceramides are one of the most moisturizing ingredients that also help keep the skin barrier intact, which is why Dr. Hartman recommends looking for them not only in your body lotions but also in your facial creams and serums. “As far as making a real impact on the skin surface and making it appear smoother and tighter, you’re also going to want to look for peptides and growth factors,” adds Dr. Hartman. Together, these ingredients can help boost collagen and elastin production and strengthen the skin barrier, helping maintain its youthful appearance. 

3. Antioxidants: While antioxidants are likely already a staple part of your everyday facial products, they’re also critical to protecting the skin on the rest of your body. That’s because antioxidants scavenge free radicals, which can have a detrimental effect on our body’s natural collagen production. To start, look no further than vitamin C, which can help boost these processes while also shielding your skin from further damage.

Do Skin-Tightening Lotions Work?

While skin-tightening creams can provide several skin-enhancing benefits, it’s important to remember that they are creams—not miracle workers. These products generally function at the surface level, which means it’s unlikely they can penetrate deep enough to improve the skin’s firmness and smoothness dramatically. That said, they aren’t entirely useless either. In addition to improving the skin’s hydration (essential to its overall health and appearance), body tightening creams can also provide some superficial tightening that may enhance the skin’s appearance, even if just temporarily. 

With this in mind, if you’re simply looking to give your skin a little added boost, there’s no harm in massaging in a body-firming cream each day. Ahead, we’ve rounded up the 16 best skin tightening creams, lotions, and serums to help get you started. They may not be able to turn the clock back ten years, but they can be a great way to make your skin look and feel healthier, which is even better if you ask us.

More Editor-Approved Lotion

Shop the Best Skin-Tightening Lotions

Related Reading

What is the best lotion for aging body skin?

Which cream is best for skin tightening?

Does firming lotion really work?

Does firming lotion help with loose skin?