The Secret To Firmer Skin

At first it seems like it will never happen, a distance phenomenon that only ever happens once you are really, really old. Then one day you look in the mirror and are confront with a spanking new set of marionette lines…and you’re pretty sure your jawline is a few good millimetres lower than it use to be!

Sagging skin, it happens to all of us eventually but is there anything we can do about it without knocking on the surgeons door?  Well yes and no. While that miracle cream that knocks 20 years off just doesn’t exist– there are some great products that can help you make small but significant improvements. The important thing is to manage your expectations.

So if you don’t want to waste your money (because let’s face it there are a lot of dud products out there) you need to know what to look for. 

Many products that claim to tighten crepey skin, contain film-forming agents that make the skin feel tighter to give a temporary lift but don’t provide any lasting effect. That’s not what you want. For a true firming effect, you want to be looking for a product containing potent antioxidants and skin-repairing ingredients that are going to help build more collagen, such as vitamin C and coenzyme Q10,  as this is what’s going to give your skin that lovely youthful bouncy effect. 

Another beauty fave, is Vitamin A, also known as retinol. Perhaps one of the best antioxidants to build collagen and improve the shape of the elastin your skin still has, recent research has even suggested it can actually build elastin. Applying a retinol every night can make all the difference, just be sure to build it up gradually or you could be in for some major peeling and irritation.

Next, to further stimulate collagen production, a daily use of an exfoliant containing salicylic acid (BHA) or glycolic acid (AHA) can really  help. As well exfoliating and making skin smoother, these ingredients can also build more collagen while helping to firm the skin. Not sure which one to go for? As a general rule if you have acne prone or sensitive skin go for salicylic acid, and If you want to reduce sun damage and improve hydration use glycolic.

Finally, and this is non negotiable, you want to be thinking about a daily sunscreen of SPF 30 or above. Sun damage literally destroys elastin and collagen, which means if you want to stay looking fresh, its time to treat your SPF like your bff and never go anywhere with out it!

Now you have all the info, it’s time to take action. With no shortage of lotions and potions that offer to help, we decided to sift the good from the bad, to bring you some of our favourite firming products.

EMINENCE

Monoi Age Corrective Night Cream for Face & Neck £48

Loved by Jenifer Lawrence, Meghan Markle and Victoria Beckham, this awarding best seller has been designed for use on both the face and neck.  Containing Eminences’ exclusive Anti-Aging Stem Cell Complex, this nourishing and hydrating cream works to replenish your skins’ appearance while you sleep for a firmer, smooth and more youthful looking complexion.

NEOSTRATA

Skin Active Tri-Therapy Lifting Serum £79

Part of the Skin Active Range, this game changing serum works to volumise and sculpt skin, plumping lines and wrinkles, while increasing your collagen and hyaluronic acid stores to firm the skin for a more lifted appearance.

MURAD

Retinol Youth Renewal Night Cream £70

Powered by breakthrough Retinol Tri-Active Technology and featuring eptide-rich Red Algae Extract to improve firmness and elasticity, Murads’ luxurious retinol night cream delivers transformative results to visibly minimise lines and wrinkles and smooth skin’s texture.

ALPHASCIENCE

Duo Tannic Serum & Surface £173

Accelerate your results with this powerful duo from Alphascience. Featuring a high concentration of Vitamin C and reparative ingredients including L-Ascorbic Acid, Tannic Acid, Ferulic Acid and Ginko Biloba to restore and renew, the Tannic CF Serum is applied first. Once fully absorbed apply the Surface [CR] with its’ potent medley of natural ingredients, including Tripeptide, L-Glutamine, Genistein and Hyaluronic Acid to enjoy a boost in collagen and a Botox-like effect in a matter of hours!

111 SKIN

Celestial Black Diamond Multi-Acid Accelerated Peel £250

Designed to give a clinical, chemical peel-like effect without the irritation or inflammation usually associated with powerful enzymatic exfoliators, this transforming mask containing a blend of AHA acids and Diamond Particles works to plump, refine and firm the skin.

No7 LABORATORIES

Firming Booster Serum £38

You don’t have to break the bank to get results. No7s’ clinically proven targeted booster serum contains 4x more firming complex than their other (clinically proven) serums.  Designed for areas of the face most prone to loss of firmness, testers found their face and neck to look visibly lifted in just two weeks.

SKINBETTER SCIENCE

Interfuse Treatment Cream Face + Neck

Featuring their cutting-edge approach to collagen, SkinBetters’s petitde rich formula uses a blend of messenger peptides to target the nourishment of not 1 but 5 types of collagen, all critical to skin density and firmness. Can also be used on the neck for improved resiliency of the skin.

PAULA’S CHOICE

Clinical Ceramide-Enriched Firming Moisturiser £55

This advanced night cream delivers a cocktail of powerful ingredients all vital in rebuilding  the skin’s natural barrier including Paula’s Choice CollagenSupport Complex to reduce fine lines and wrinkles; retinol for improved firmness and vitamin C for restored radiance.

ALUMIER MD

Neck and Décolleté Firming Cream £64.50

Often forgotten about, the neck and décolleté are often one of the first areas to show signs of ageing. Alumier MDs’ firming cream uses low levels of encapsulated retinol to firm, strengthen the skin and improve elasticity, while licorice evens out skin tone and gentle flower acids exfoliate dead cells to promote skin renewal.

ZO SKIN HEALTH

Radical Night Repair £114.22

Formulated with 1% retinol, this isn’t one for skincare light weights. Created to improve skin texture and uneven pigmentation, and to minimize the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, this super strength formula provides maximum anti-aging benefits as long as you’re prepared for a few days of peeling and redness while your skin adjusts.

OMNI BY ESTHER

Serum AM £40

Created by EF Medispa founder Esther Field grass,  Serum AM blends hyaluronic acid to plump the skin, reducing the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, with high potency Vitamin C to firming and brighten the complexion, while Niacinamide and Creatine provide a powerful anti inflammatory and repairing effect.

OSKIA

Super 16 Serum £90

A potent pro-collagen serum, Oskia’s ‘Super 16’ contains the ground-breaking Retinol equivalent Bakuchiol (Ba-Koo-Heel), derived from Indian Babchi seeds. Best loved for its ability to limit the deterioration of collagen and elastin, as well as for the protection it offers against UV-induced, Serum 16 will boost your skin’s resilience and leave you looking radiant.