There is no shortage of options for firming up your skin—anti-aging serums, at-home microcurrent devices, injectables, in-office treatments, and, for those looking for a more permanent skin-tightening solution, surgery. Not only can your choices be incredibly overwhelming, but it can also be daunting even to figure out where to start. The easiest and most immediate fix is incorporating a skin-tightening cream into your skin care regimen.
“Skin-tightening creams work by continuously supporting collagen production,” explains Marisa Garshick, M.D., F.A.A.D., a board-certified dermatologist and Clinical Assistant Professor of Dermatology at New York Presbyterian-Cornell. The InStyle team was determined to find the skin-tightening creams that actually delivered real, noticeable results. We tested dozens of moisturizers for two months each, with our testers using them at least once per day. Consider these the best skin-tightening creams for your anti-aging skin care routine.
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Why We Love It: This is a product that does it all—firms, lifts, smooths, and adds an undeniable radiance from the first use. Our tester even boasts, “This is one of the best products I have ever tested.” They saw immediate results after the application and said that they had dewy and bouncy skin that lasted for hours. Our tester also noted that the product reduced fine lines and wrinkles over the course of a few weeks, ultimately giving their skin a tighter appearance. We also love the combination of cactus stem cell extract and hyaluronic acid in the nourishing, strengthening formula.
Who It’s For: Our tester, who has oily-to-combination skin, noted that while the product has a thick, creamy consistency and packs a lot of hydration, it didn’t cause any irritation or breakouts. It’s pricey but worth it.
Key Ingredients: Moringa extract, cactus stem cell extract, hyaluronic acid | Fragrance-Free: No | Application: Twice daily | Size: 1, 1.7, 2.5 oz
Ciara, tester with oily to combination skin: “Immediately after using this product, my face looks dewy and glowing. I noticed the cream reduced fine lines and wrinkles in my skin and my under-eye dark circles and sunken-ness improved. My skin seems much smoother and softer due to the product, making my skin feel plump.”
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Why We Love It: Celebrity facialist Joanna Czech is often quoted as saying that your skin care starts from the nipples up—including your décolletage and neck. Whether you’re late to the game in caring for the skin on your neck and chest, this product is sure to help you catch up. Our tester loved its smooth and milky texture and how quickly it absorbed. The silky, soft feeling it gave definitely stood out to our tester—her neck immediately felt more supple and hydrated, and she loved that it’s unscented. And with repeated use, she saw a reduction in fine lines and firmer, tighter-feeling skin.
Who It’s For: Given how hydrating the product is, with hyaluronic acid, vitamin E, and edelweiss extract, it’s truly for everyone, but would be especially loved by dry, mature skin.
Key Ingredients: Hyaluronic acid, vitamin E, edelweiss extract | Fragrance-Free: Yes | Application: Twice daily | Size: 1.69 oz
Sarah, tester with dry to combination skin: “The skin on my neck felt hydrated upon initial use—and felt smoother to the touch. These effects lasted for several hours and continued each time I used this. This product has helped so far with skin tightness and smoothness and I’m excited to see it continue.”
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Why We Love It: A brand well-known for its clinically-tested products that address the signs of aging, this product restores some bounce and life back into your skin. It also helps even out any texture irregularities, as our tester noted. While our tester didn’t notice any dramatic firming, at the end of the day she was pleased to see her skin looked plumper and tighter. It goes on feeling very thick, but once it absorbs, our tester noted how light it felt on the skin.
Who It’s For: For anyone looking to address sagging and crepiness. The product is great on its own as a daily moisturizer but because it also leaves a matte finish, it works well under makeup. Since this product works slowly over time, you’ll need to be in it for the long haul to see best results.
Key Ingredients: Thyme extract liposomes, dipeptides, glycolipids | Fragrance-Free: No | Application: Twice daily | Size: 1.7 oz
Kathleen, tester with dry to combination skin: “After the testing period, I think the overall texture and brightness of my skin has improved. I’ve noticed a slight change in the firmness on my neck and forehead area but I’m curious to see how it continues to improve over time.”
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Why We Love It: Not only does this cream help to improve the appearance of saggy skin, but its subtle black tea scent adds a calming allure. Powered by a potent antioxidant mix and elasticity peptide, the cream offers an immediate lifting and firming effect. Our tester reported that the consistency of the cream is thick and rich, making it glide on smoothly. However, they did note it took a while for it to fully absorb.
Who It’s For: Since it takes a little while to absorb, you may want to avoid this cream at times when you’re on the go and need to get ready quickly. Our tester waited around 15-20 minutes for the product to fully absorb to apply her makeup. That said, it’s heavy on the hydration and makes a great addition to your skin care routine for the winter months or for nighttime use.
Key Ingredients: Squalene, black tea complex, goji fruit extract | Fragrance-Free: No | Application: Once daily, PM use | Size: 1.6 oz
Stella, tester with oily to dry skin: “I love how bouncy and full of life my face feels. Now that I’m in my 30s and postpartum, I feel like my face has been suffering from loss of elasticity and firmness. My skin feels more radiant and hydrated!”
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Why We Love It: A great skin care product doesn’t have to cost a lot, proven by this firming cream courtesy of a drugstore-favorite brand. It delivers considerable results, as our tester noticed a tightening effect on their lower cheeks and neck. This anti-aging cream has a soft and fairly thin consistency that makes it melt into the skin.
Who It’s For: It’s ideal for sensitive, aging skin or anyone with mild sagging and laxity issues. The moisturizing and non-irritating formula contains hyaluronic acid, an ingredient every skin type can benefit from.
Key Ingredients: Hyaluronic acid, salicylic acid | Fragrance-Free: Yes | Application: Twice daily | Size: 2 oz
Cathie, tester with dry skin: “I did not think there was any change, however, when I compared my pictures, I was surprised by the improvements in my dangling jowls as well as my neck.”
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Why We Love It: While we love a good budget-friendly product, this luxury skin care brand delivered. In fact, our tester described her skin as “moist and luminous” immediately after application and that she loved it so much that she ditched her face makeup completely while testing. The cream also earned big points for softening smile lines, and our tester described it as a drink of water for her skin.
Who It’s For: This luxe product is ideal for anyone looking to streamline their routine. It glides on easily after serums and layers underneath makeup.
Key Ingredients: Squalene, glycerin | Fragrance-Free: No | Application: Twice daily | Size: 1.69 oz
Maria, tester with dry skin: “It felt like my skin looked more youthful because of the luminosity it left me with. My skin was dull before and now I don’t see that. My skin is tighter, I see some lift, especially along my jawline, as well.”
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Why We Love It: From a brand known for its fan-favorite sunscreen, this cream promises to firm and rejuvenate while protecting the skin from the elements. Its rich consistency doesn’t feel heavy, making it great to layer. Our tester loved how her skin felt after application and how quickly the product melted into her skin. A plus, because it’s meant for AM use to smooth fine lines, wrinkles, and crow’s feet.
Who It’s For: Anyone with mild skin laxity and the beginnings of fine lines can expect immediate moisturizing and tightening from this cream—but be sure to use it consistently for best results.
Key Ingredients: Tripeptide complex, hyaluronic acid | Fragrance-Free: Yes | Application: Once daily, AM Use | Size: 1.69 oz
Jordan, tester with dry skin: “After eight weeks, my skin is softer and smoother. I love the moisture it brings to my face and it did plump my fine lines enough to minimize them.”
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Why We Love It: Great for everyday use, morning and night, this thick and creamy—and budget-friendly—moisturizer absorbs into the skin pretty quickly. Our tester loved how it filled in her 11-lines and wrinkles. Our tester compared it to other substantial night creams she’s worn that garner soft skin with consistent use. Containing tried-and-true ingredients such as copper peptides (great for supporting collagen and elastin) and DMAE, an ingredient known for its lifting and firming properties, this moisturizer is designed to give a more youthful, smoother skin over time.
Who It’s For: This moisturizer works well for all skin types. Our tester’s skin was on the dryer side with wrinkles and dark spots. Unscented, lightweight, and nongreasy, it’s ideal for someone who wants to try a skin-tightening cream at a reasonable price point.
Key Ingredients: Copper peptides, resveratrol, DMAE, kakadu plum | Fragrance-Free: Yes | Application: Twice daily, and under makeup | Size: 2 oz
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Why We Love It: The neck is one of the first places that shows signs of aging because the skin there is so delicate. This formula, which contains vitamins C and E and is meant to help fade sun damage, helps to rejuvenate your skin from the jawline down while helping to tighten, tone, and reduce the appearance of existing dark spots. After a few applications, our tester reported a small improvement in fine lines and wrinkles on her neck and softer, smoother skin. Because it applied so smoothly and evenly, and absorbed super fast, it would make an ideal canvas under makeup. The texture and consistency of the product are super creamy and absorbed immediately, giving our tester’s skin a soft, nongreasy feel.
Who It’s For: The creamy texture of this product makes it ideal for dry and combination skin. If your skin is on the sensitive side, this could also be ideal for you, as our tester didn’t notice any stinging or irritation from using it.
Key Ingredients: Vitamin C, vitamin E, hyaluronic acid | Fragrance-Free: No | Application: Twice daily | Size: 1.7 oz
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Why We Love It: Few would argue that a smooth canvas makes for a better painting; by canvas, we mean your skin, and by painting, we mean your foundation. This hybrid moisturizer-face primer helps smooth out and fill in lines. Though our tester didn’t experience any tightening with continued use, she did love how it smoothed out any texture on her face and made her face less oily—ideal skin conditions for makeup application if you ask us.
Who It’s For: Anyone looking to streamline their makeup routine. Our tester noted that it’s not super hydrating, so if you tend to be on the dry side, layer it over your favorite moisturizer for an extra boost of moisture. It’s great for anyone with oily skin because it mattifies.
Key Ingredients: Hyaluronic acid, octapeptide-3, hexapeptide-8, caffeine | Fragrance-Free: No | Application: Twice daily | Size: 1.7 oz
Jackie, tester with dry to combination skin: “The product claims that ‘makeup looks smoother and fresher all day’ and I would say that’s accurate. While I didn’t notice the tightening, I do think it smoothed out the texture.”
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Why We Love It: If you’re looking for a cream with some serious plumping action, look no further. Our tester loved the immediate results she saw, especially in the wrinkles on her forehead, which all but disappeared after consistent use. Formulated with a trio of powerhouse super-hydrators: squalene, glycerin, and saccharide isomerate (a plant-derived humectant), expect to see bounce and hydration in the skin.
Who It’s For: If your skin tends to be on the drier side, this cream helps to hydrate and smooth out texture. Though it helped control our tester’s wrinkles, especially on her forehead, it didn’t have as much of an effect on her crow’s feet.
Key Ingredients: Squalene, glycerin, hyaluronic acid, saccharide isomerate i| Fragrance-Free: Yes | Application: Twice daily | Size: 1.69 oz
Alisa, tester with dry to combination skin: “There wasn’t really a smell to the cream, which worked to my advantage as I have allergies. The cream layered wonderfully with my eye serum and makeup. I will be buying this from now on since it made a huge difference in keeping my skin soft.”
Our Testing Process
We tapped editors who were interested in testing skin-tightening creams for an eight-week trial period. We gathered dozens of the best-selling options and sent one to each person. The cream was worn at least once per day—either morning or night, depending on the product’s ingredients and directions. Winners were chosen after considering the consistency of the cream, hydration levels and appearance of the skin, and overall results. We also spoke with three dermatologists to learn more about skin-tightening creams and how to shop for the best option for your needs.
What to Keep in Mind
- Consistency: Since skin-tightening creams work double-duty to hydrate and promote collagen production in the skin, they tend to be on the thicker, richer side. You might want a heavier cream at night, but if you’re going to be wearing it during the day or under makeup, you’ll want to find one with a light feel that absorbs quickly. Avoid creams with an overly heavy or greasy feel and opt for ones that sink in, leaving skin feeling soft and free of residue.
- Your Skin Type: Is your skin extra dry? Look for a hydrating, nourishing cream with actives like hyaluronic acid, vitamins C and E, and squalane. On the oily side or acne prone? You might forgo the richer, ultra-hydrating creams for a more mattifying option. Look for formulas with salicylic acid and tea extracts. And especially if you’re going to apply your skin-tightening cream before makeup, look for a cream that imparts a matte finish to create a smoother canvas and avoid any midday shine.
- Use: Many of the skin-tightening creams we tried have immediate benefits, making skin look smoother and more hydrated at first, but their real power is how they address concerns like fine lines, sagging, and wrinkles over time. Consider if you’re up for a product that you can use every day, and be prepared to wait a matter of weeks or months to see noticeable results when it comes to tightening and firming. Using the product consistently, in the A.M. or P.M., depending on the product, will make for softer, smoother skin and fewer fine lines and wrinkles over time—particularly if it includes over-the-counter retinol, an effective active but one that certainly comes with a latency period.
Your Questions, Answered
How do skin-tightening creams work?
Specifically, skin-tightening creams work through multiple mechanisms to create both immediate and long-term effects on the skin, says Pooja Rambhia, M.D., a board-certified dermatologist at UnionDerm. Many skin-tightening creams contain “retinoids [which] are particularly powerful as they bind to specific receptors in skin cells to increase collagen production while accelerating cell turnover. Alpha hydroxy acids (AHAs) like glycolic and lactic acid work by gently exfoliating the surface layer of skin and stimulating new collagen formation in the epidermis. These ingredients, along with peptides, which act as messenger molecules, signal fibroblasts to boost collagen synthesis,” says Dr. Rambhia.
In addition to powerful actives, supporting ingredients such as hyaluronic acid, which creates a plumping effect by drawing moisture into the skin, and antioxidants such as vitamins C and E, which protect existing collagen from breaking down, help with garnering immediate results after application. “This means their effects, while noticeable, are more subtle compared to in-office procedures that work at deeper levels,” says Dr. Rambhia.
Are skin-tightening creams effective?
Skin-tightening creams can be effective for those with mild skin laxity and early signs of aging. That being said, it’s important to manage your expectations of how far a topical cream can actually take you, says Daniel Belkin, M.D., F.A.A.D., a board-certified dermatologist and dermatologic surgeon. “Skin-tightening is very difficult to achieve, even with expensive in-office energy-based treatments. Those that claim to tighten skin may improve fine lines or crepiness by gently firming the skin in a few ways: supporting collagen production with retinol, vitamin C, growth factors, or peptides; reducing collagen breakdown with antioxidants; or plumping the skin with hydration.”
Creams can only penetrate the upper most layer of the skin, meaning that they will work best for fine lines, early loss of firmness, and overall skin quality improvement. Again, while you may notice immediate hydration, stimulating your skin’s biological process, will take about eight to 12 weeks of consistent use to show visible, yet subtle results, says Dr. Rambhia.
Why Shop with Us
Taryn Brooke is a New York City-based beauty writer for InStyle. She covers the latest beauty innovations, treatments, and plastic surgeries. She’s worked in digital media for more than 10 years.
For this article, Taryn analyzed insights from our testers and spoke with dermatologists Dr. Marisa Garshick, M.D, Dr. Daniel Belkin, M.D., and Dr. Pooja Rambhia, M.D to answer questions about how to shop for a skin-tightening cream.
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