In our teens and twenties, we don’t think twice about “skin elasticity” or “healthy production of collagen.” Instead, we’re too busy battling acne. However, once we’re in our thirties, forties, and fifties, we start to notice sagging skin and wrinkles. (When one battle ends, another begins!) Leaving many of us feeling deflated, wondering, “Will my skin ever look how I want it to?”
Saggy skin is more common than you may realize, affecting almost all of us at some point or another. With that, countless brands have developed lines of anti-aging products to give your skin that young, radiant glow and tight, firm appearance.
Whether you’ve got severe sagging or you’re looking to zap wrinkles before they form, we put together this post featuring the best creams for saggy skin so you can easily find a product that works for you.
Causes of Saggy Skin
So we all develop sagging skin at one point or another, but why? What is it that causes our skin to sag and lose its youthful appearance? To put it simply, age and environmental damage.
As we get older, our bodies stop producing as much collagen and elastin. These two proteins are key contributors to your skin’s texture and tone. Without enough collagen and elastin, your skin looks saggy, wrinkly, and dull.
There are plenty of creams formulated to tighten your skin for a short time (12 to 24 hours mostly), but creams designed to facilitate collagen and elastin production are ones that can truly provide long-lasting results.
Environmental damage and UV rays can also wreak havoc on your skin health. If you live in an area with poor air quality, or you’re regularly exposed to pollutants like smog or cigarette smoke, your skin is susceptible to damage via free radicals. Too much exposure to sunlight can also cause wrinkles, which is why moisturizers with SPF are best for those looking to slow down signs of aging.
Free radicals are unstable molecules with unpaired electrons. Once they get in our systems, they steal electrons from other molecules and cause harm to our internal processes (e.g. hinder organ function, slow hormone production, break down collagen, etc.). Expose to free radicals can result in everything from premature aging to cancer. We also suggest looking for creams rich in antioxidants to shield your skin from these harmful free radicals.
Now that we understand what causes saggy skin, let’s talk about the best anti-aging creams to help your skin look tighter and brighter.
Editors’ Choice: StemuLift
Our favorite cream to un-do saggy skin is StemuLift by Adonia Organics. With a name like StemuLift, you expect this cream to pack a punch — and it doesn’t disappoint! We also love this cream because it features nothing but organic ingredients, is safe for all skin types, and is naturally hypoallergenic.
Adonia Organics formulates their StemuLift with plant stem cells and 21 oxygenated botanicals to stimulate collagen and elastin production while fighting off harmful free radicals. StemuLift keeps your skin hydrated and smooth, nourishing from within to improve your skin’s overall health. Clinical trials have even shown StemuLift can reduce the appearance of wrinkles and saggy skin by 43% in only nine days. With continued use of this cream, you can enjoy ageless skin for years to come.
StemuLift is a go-to to smooth neck wrinkles (sometimes referred to as “turkey neck”), but it can also be used to firm skin on the face, as well. If you want to tighten saggy skin on the arms or legs, we suggest going with Adonia Organics’s StemuTone, specially designed to tackle sagging skin on the body. It features all of the same skin-boosting ingredients and can reverse sagging skin in only 19 days.
StemuLift doubles as a day and night cream, simplifying your skincare routine and saving you money. Its lightweight, non-greasy formula glides on easily and absorbs in seconds.
You can buy StemuLift on Adonia Organics website, it comes with free shipping and costs $79.
Plant Collagen Body Mist
Next on our list is Plant Collagen’s Plant Collagen Body Mist, another top-rated organic anti-aging solution. We love this body mist because it’s made using nanotechnology so it can penetrate the skin’s surface faster and more effectively, allowing it to work in a matter of minutes.
Plant Collagen Body Mist contains a blend of plant glycerin, bamboo, whole algae protein, artichoke protein, aloe vera extract, beta-glucan, vitamin E, sodium hyaluronate, and more to firm and tighten your skin in both the short and long term.
This body mist dries in seconds and tightens your skin for 12 to 24 hours. Once it absorbs, it works to strengthen skin tone and texture, enhancing overall skin health. Plant Collagen’s Plant Collagen Body Mist can reverse sagging skin after only a couple weeks of continued use.
Plant Collagen Body Mist is sold online-only, it comes with free shipping and costs $76.
StriVectin-TL Tightening Neck Cream
If you struggle with saggy skin on your neck, you’ll love StriVectin’s #1 selling neck cream, TL Advanced™ Tightening Neck Cream PLUS — it’s even been featured in Harper’s Bazaar for its powerful anti-aging abilities. StriVectin is a well-known skincare brand who offers top-rated products, and their neck cream has been proven to improve uneven skin tone, reduce fine lines, and tighten turkey neck.
As the name implies, Strivectin’s TL Advanced™ Tightening Neck Cream PLUS is designed specifically to erase saggy skin around the neck. It does this by strengthening skin tone and texture and keeping your skin moisturized all day long. In a recent clinical study, 92% of TL Advanced™ Tightening Neck Cream PLUS users experienced visibly firmer and tighter skin around their neck after only 4 weeks of use.
We should note, StriVectin’s neck cream is more of a long-term treatment for saggy skin. It doesn’t produce immediate results (it may for some but it’s not marketed to do so), but it eliminates saggy skin over time. Using this neck cream daily can keep saggy skin at bay and maintain a plump, young appearance.
Its key skin-boosting ingredients include peptides, hyaluronic acid, ceramide blend, Gravitite-CF Lifting Complex™, NIA-114™, and a botanically-derived Brightening Complex; however, it includes several other ingredients to nourish, hydrate, and protect your skin. We suggest using this cream twice a day on clean, dry skin to achieve the best results.
StriVectin is a pricier brand typically found at department stores like Macy’s, but you can also buy their products on their website. The StriVectin TL Advanced™ Tightening Neck Cream PLUS costs $95. When you purchase on StriVectin’s website, it comes with free shipping and free returns (if you’re dissatisfied with the product).
Revision Skincare BodiFirm
Revision Skincare’s BodiFirm is the priciest option on our list, coming in at $150 for a 3.8-ounce bottle. Revision Skincare products are sold only at select medical spas, but they also sell their products on their website.
We are fans of BodiFirm because it produces some seriously impressive results. A recent study was recently conducted on the effectiveness of this cream — after 12 weeks of using BodiFirm twice a day, 97% of participants noticed a reduction in crepey skin, 90% enjoyed improved skin elasticity, and 83% saw visibly firmer and brighter skin. So if you have stubborn saggy skin, BodiFirm may just do the trick to firm and tighten trouble spots.
So what makes BodiFirm so effective? It contains a combination of caffeine and proprietary iFirm technology — a blend of peptides, antioxidants, botanical extracts, and a prebiotic to specifically designed to facilitate collagen and elastin production.
BodiFirm is designed to improve your skin’s overall health by undoing sun damage, stimulating protein production, tightening crepey or saggy skin, and locking in moisture. While Revision Skincare doesn’t guarantee short-term results, BodiFirm can firm and brighten skin over time.
Olay Regenerist Micro-Sculpting Face Cream
Last on our list is an affordable brand we all know, Olay. Olay is found at almost all drugstores and grocery stores, and Olay offers everything from bar soap to advanced anti-aging creams. When comparing their line of anti-aging products, their Regenerist Micro-Sculpting Face Cream stood out amongst the others for its ability to improve skin elasticity and tighten saggy skin.
Olay’s Regenerist Micro-Sculpting Face Cream is a budget-friendly option, costing anywhere between $25 to $38 depending on where you shop. Despite its affordability, it contains a powerful blend of peptides, hyaluronic acid, and vitamin B3 to keep your skin hydrated and smooth.
We love the Olay Regenerist Micro-Sculpting Face Cream because it helps your skin appear tighter and youthful after only one use. And after 28 days, users of this cream typically notice dramatically firmer and younger-looking skin.
We should note, though, Olay’s Regenerist Micro-Sculpting Cream isn’t for everybody — it’s recommended for oily, normal, and combination skin types. Those with dry skin should avoid this cream, as it can sometimes cause rashes and irritation. That said, reviews of this cream are overall positive.
Final Thoughts
We hope our guide has helped you find the best anti-aging cream for your particular needs. Of course, though, our article is not a replacement for true medical advice, and if you’re concerned about aging skin, we suggest talking with your dermatologist. Your dermatologist will be able to discuss treatment options and offer advice for slowing signs of aging.
Don’t worry — saggy skin is completely normal, and you’re not alone in the fight against aging skin. There’s no need to go overboard with products or stress about undoing wrinkles instantly, just stick with your normal skincare routine and a good anti-aging serum, and over time, you’ll begin to notice your skin looking firmer and younger. Even after wrinkles have smoothed and sagging skin has tightened, we suggest sticking with your anti-aging ritual to keep your skin healthy and youthful.
