Best skin-tightening creams 2024, according to experts

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Best skin-tightening creams 2024, according to experts

Reading the labels of endless skin care products on store shelves can be exhausting. Some claim to reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, and others claim to be tightening. But what does “tightening” even mean? Is a skin tightening cream just a quick fix to minimize the appearance of sagging skin as you apply it, or can it actually improve the appearance of skin over time?

It turns out skin-tightening creams work in a few different ways. First, they help to lock in hydration to the skin for a smoother, more plump appearance. Second, they help to promote cell turnover so dead skin sloughs off the skin’s surface to reveal brighter, tighter skin. Third, they can help stimulate collagen production.

To find out everything you need to know about skin-tightening creams, we tapped a few experts to share their wisdom. Whether you’re looking for a face-tightening cream or all-over body tightening cream, here are our top picks you can shop now.

What is a skin tightening cream? | Award-winning skin-tightening creams | Expert-approved skin tightening creams | Editor-approved skin tightening cream | What ingredients should you look for in a skin tightening cream? | How we chose | Meet the experts

What is a skin tightening cream?

According to dermatologist Hadley King, MD, “tightening creams are formulations designed to make the skin look tighter — more firm, smooth and plump,” through a number of different factors, including ingredients that help tighten the skin’s surface, promote cell turnover and increase collagen production in the skin. 

Award-winning skin-tightening creams

Budget lotion: Palmer’s Cocoa Butter Formula Firming Butter

What we like

  • Great value
  • Pleasant, light cocoa scent

Something to note

  • Mixed reviews on the dispenser

Key ingredients: Cocoa and shea butters, vitamin E, elastin | Usage: 1-2 times a day | Best for: Toning up skin, all ages

Affordable? Check. Lightweight? Check. Reduces the appearance of stretch marks? Check. What more could you ask for out of a firming lotion? Its key ingredients work together to provide you with tighter, softer skin. Plus, this pick even won “Best overall firming body lotion” in our 2024 Shop TODAY Beauty Awards.

“I tried to use this lotion daily and put it on some stretch marks from recent weight loss and they definitely did seem a little less prominent,” said TODAY senior evening editor Sam Kubota.

A subtle scent: Medix 5.5 Retinol + Ferulic Acid Age Rewind Body Cream

What we like

  • Helps smooth skin
  • Not very greasy
  • Absorbs quickly

Something to note

  • May stain clothes
  • Contains fragrance

Key ingredients: Retinol, ferulic acid, vitamin E | Usage: 1-2 times a day | Best for: Visibly restoring volume to sagging areas, tighter neck skin, all skin types

What should you be looking for in a firming lotion? Experts say that results may vary from person to person, but those with mature skin wanting to achieve results will likely see them with a retinol-based products, like this lotion from Medix.

This product has even earned the award “Best for crepey skin” during our 2024 Beauty Awards, with testers even complimenting the barely-there scent that gives it just enough of a scent without being too overwhelming.

“Luxurious” option: GoPure Beauty Tighten & Lift Neck Cream

What we like

  • Quick visible results
  • “No greasy feeling”

Key ingredients: Cupuacu butter, hyaluronic acid, caffeine | Usage: 1-2 times a day | Best for: Tightening saggy or crepey skin on and around the neck, all skin types

This “luxurious”-feeling neck cream is a bit of a splurge, we’ll admit, but testers saw true results after just two weeks of consistent use. Plus, it’s also a winner of the 2024 Shop TODAY Beauty Awards, securing the prize for “Best splurge neck cream.”

The brand says its main goal is to tighten, firm and lift the skin, all while evening out your skin tone.

Best skin-tightening creams, according to experts

Results within weeks: Nivea Skin Firming and Toning Gel Cream

What we like

  • Moisturizing and cooling
  • Makes skin feel soft

Key ingredients: Q10, L-Carnitine, lotus extract | Usage: 2 times a day | Best for: Firming skin around thighs, buttocks and stomach

This cool-to-the-touch cream promises to go on non-greasy and leave the skin with a firmer look than before. According to the brand, users will be able to see results after two weeks of consistent use.

Skin care expert Elena Marotta previously recommended this lotion to Shop TODAY and told us, “You will be pleasantly surprised at just how good it is at tightening skin and reducing the appearance of cellulite. I saw visible results within the first couple of weeks.”

Courtesy Jannely Espinal, Shop TODAY writer

Developed with the pros: RoC Derm Correxion Contour Cream for Face and Neck

What we like

  • Not greasy
  • Absorbs nicely into skin

Key ingredients: Retinol, swertiamarin, hyaluronic acid | Usage: Every other night | Best for: Visibly tighter face and neck skin, minimizing horizontal neck lines

Reviewers have high praise for this product that was crafted by both dermatologists and plastic surgeons, according to the brand. The brains behind this beauty product help ensure that is works through multiple layers of skin (not just the topmost one).

Dermatologist tested: Advanced Clinicals Retinol Advanced Firming Cream

What we like

  • Contains aloe
  • Large container

Something to note

  • Some say has a mild scent

Key ingredients: Retinol, green tea | Usage: Once a day | Best for: Sensitive skin, face and body

Again, retinol is a key ingredient in most firming lotions due to its ability to truly tighten and “refine” the skin, according to experts. When deciding whether or not to use a retinol serum or a cream, experts say creams could be the key to more hydrated and nourished skin.

This cream is ideal for those with sensitive skin, as it’s hypoallergenic and fragrance free. Not only does it boast retinol as one of its key ingredients, but it also includes aloe vera and chamomile to help prevent redness and puffiness. Plus, it’s been tested by dermatologists.

Best lightweight: StriVectin Contour Restore Tightening & Sculpting Moisturizing Face Cream

What we like

  • Keeps skin feeling soft
  • Absorbs nicely

Size: 1.7 ounces | Best for: Those with sensitive skin | Key ingredients: Proprietary alpha-3 peptide, elastin-targeting dipeptides, according to the brand

Not only is this cream a stand-out for those dealing with oily skin, but Gabrielle Harrison, is licensed esthetician, says it’s packed with elastin-targeting peptides. Plus, the lightweight formula means it won’t weigh you down, making this perfect for a morning moisturizer to wear under your SPF. 

Best with SPF: Dermalogica AGE Smart Dynamic Skin Recovery SPF 50

What we like

  • Offers ample sun protection
  • Good for oily skin

Size: 1.7 ounces | Best for: A 2-in-1 product, thanks to the addition of SPF | Key ingredients: Polypeptides, squalane, antioxidant white tea

Why not skip a step in your morning routine and use a lightweight moisturizer that’s packed with SPF 50, like this one from Dermalogica. Harrison says it “hydrates, firms and protects with SPF 50, plus combines polypeptides with white tea antioxidants to firm and fight free radical damage.”

Best for neck skin: Skinbetter Techno Neck Perfecting Cream

What we like

  • Noticeable texture difference

Something to note

  • Not great for “turnkey neck”

Size: 1.7 ounces | Best for: Dryness and sagging | Key ingredients: Heptapeptide-7, fruit extract complex, niacinamide

For someone who sees a ton of products each day, calling it one their “favorites” is high praise coming from Harrison, and that’s exactly the label she gives this neck cream.

“It’s formulated with a patent-pending protein complex in addition to a unique blend of peptides, fruit extracts and niacinamide, among other ingredients,” says Harrison. “I’ve seen great results from clients (and myself!) from adding this to my face tightening creams.”

What we like

  • Gives skin an added glow
  • A little goes a long way

Something to note

  • Has a new formula most dislike
  • Doesn’t absorb well

Best for mature skin: Skinceuticals A.G.E. Interrupter Advanced Anti-Wrinkle Cream Product Specs

Size: 1.7 ounces | Best for: Normal, dry, combination, sensitive and mature skin | Key ingredients: Wild fruit flavonoids, glycyrrhetinic acid, concentrated proxylanetm

Harrison loves this cream for clients with mature skin. She says it’s the perfect complement to use with your retinoids. Antioxidants like blueberry extract help stimulate collagen production, and “its ingredients won’t negatively interact with retinoid use, making it a great supplement for a more intensive skin tightening regimen,” she adds.

Editor-approved skin tightening cream

Prevent clogged pores: Proactiv Clarifying Night Cream

What we like

  • Doesn’t feel greasy
  • Suitable for acne
  • Helps smooth wrinkles

Size: 2.5 ounces | Best for: All skin types | Key ingredients: Salicylic acid, vitamin A, hyaluronic acid, squalane

I love that this cream has both retinol and salicylic acid so I can prevent the signs of aging while also keeping my pores clear and clog-free as I sleep. The addition of chamomile also helps soothe any lingering inflammation from dealing with breakouts. 

Skin-tightening ingredients to look for

King says you should look for a skin tightening cream that contains peptides, retinoids, growth factors (polypeptides or proteins) and antioxidants.

King also goes on to explain that retinoids are vitamin A derivatives. Therefore, they can also increase the production of collagen and support cell turnover.

Finally, King explains that antioxidants (like vitamin C) help with protection against pollution and UV rays.

In fact, Dr. Scott Paviol, MD, previously told Shop TODAY that “vitamin C provides antioxidant protection from environmental stressors — also known as free radicals — that cause increased signs of aging…”

How we chose

Shop TODAY spoke with skin care experts about what ingredients to look for in the best skin-tightening creams. They told us which creams are their go-to picks, and we even included some popular options from previous skin-firming coverage (along with a few winners from the 2024 Shop TODAY Beauty Awards).

Meet the experts

  • Hadley King, MD is a board-certified dermatologist who specializes in medical and cosmetic dermatology. She also has her own practice, Dr. Hadley King Dermatology based in New York City.
  • Gabrielle Harrison is a licensed esthetician and founder of SISH Beauty.
  • Elena Marotta is a skin care professional located in Roslyn, New York. She is the owner of BodyBrite Spa.
  • Scott Paviol, MD is a board-certified dermatologist based in Charlotte, North Carolina. He owns Paviol Dermatology.
  • Brian Hibler, MD a board-certified dermatologist based in New York, New York at Schweiger Dermatology Group.

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