According to Reviews, These Are the Best Body Creams to Help Firm and Tighten

Pros: Unique cooling fluid that feels soothing on the skin; contains a trio of skin-tightening ingredients like tripeptides, yeast extract, and rice protein.

Cons: Expensive.

Rating: 4.2/5 stars, 46 reviews at Dermstore

The aim of this tightening concentrate from SkinCeuticals is to essentially fight the inevitable effects of gravity that occur as we get older. It's a unique cooling fluid that feels soothing and calming to even the most sensitive skin, and the hard-hitting combination of 2.5% tripeptide, 5% yeast extract, and 2% hydrolyzed rice protein work to improve the texture and tightness of the skin.

Starring review: "I use this for my upper arms and side chest area. I love wearing sleeveless tops, so this definitely helps keep my skin smooth and firm. Women my age (58) usually show some saggy skin in these areas, but not me!"

Pros: Affordable, contains vitamin E and Q10 to restore skin firmness.

Cons: Packaging isn't great.

Rating: 4.6/5 stars, 21,192 reviews on Amazon

Palmer's makes some of the most beloved OG bodycare products on the market, and in addition to the trademark scent (think cocoa heaven!), the brand is known for its firming, stretchmark-relieving skin antidotes. Cocoa butter, raw shea butter, Q10, and vitamin E are synergistically designed to help restore skin firmness, especially, according to the brand, after pregnancy or weight loss. 

Starring review: "This lotion is thick and creamy and has a lovely cocoa smell. It absorbs cleanly and quickly. I noticed an improvement in my skin's tone and texture before I was through the first bottle. I was pleased to find such a good value!"

Pros: Contains co-enzyme Q10 and a Hydra-IQ complex to visibly firm and tone skin within two weeks.

Cons: May not be enough hydration for dry skin types.

Rating: 4.5/5 stars, 130 reviews at Ulta

The best body creams need not be expensive to be effective and rake in positive reviews. This one from Nivea is a fan favorite and utilizes a dynamic combination of CoQ10 and shea butter for a hefty dose of hydration and firmer skin in as little as two weeks. (The brand recommends applying twice daily for optimal results.)

Starring review: "When I reached my mid-forties, my skin started changing quite a bit. I went through a lot of different brands to find something that worked. This one was best, by far, for keeping my skin soft and eliminating the aging/crepe thing that starts happening as we age. It's my go-to now."

Pros: Combines jojoba, shea butter, vitamin C, peptides, and fatty acids to firm the skin; affordable.

Cons: Strong smell.

Rating: 4.6/5 stars, 316 reviews at Ulta

This best-selling body-firming cream is a great option for anyone seeking a formula with clean, natural ingredients. In lieu of water, it's made with organic, botanical juices plus a skin-rejuvenating mixture of essential fatty acids, vitamin C, and peptides to help tone, tighten, and lift undernourished skin.

Starring review: "I've tried every expensive moisturizer out there, and this one surpasses all of them. I have terribly dry skin and eczema in the winter, and this lotion has been an absolute miracle product for me. The scent is light and not overwhelming, and it leaves your skin super-soft and supple—10/10 would recommend."

Pros: Affordable, contains retinol to help speed up skin cell turnover, helps even out your skin tone.

Cons: May not be hydrating enough for dry skin.

Rating: 4.4/5 stars, 748 reviews at Versed

This body-firming cream is one of the most effective and affordable in the bunch. Key ingredients include retinol, cocoa butter, and squalane, which share a targeted goal to tighten, smooth, and tone the skin anywhere on the body.

Starring review: "I am so glad I decided to give this a chance! I use it mainly for my hands, arms, and chest. Wrinkles on my hands are not as noticeable, and my skin feels like velvet!"

Pros: Great for sensitive skin, enriched with vitamins and oils that help improve texture, tone, and firmness.

Cons: Not very hydrating.

Rating: 4.6/5 stars, 1251 reviews at Nordstrom

Although this cult-loved body cream isn't necessarily touted as a firming formula, improvement in tone, texture, and elasticity is just one of its many pleasant side effects. It's enriched with skin-enveloping vitamins, and the fragrance-free formula is especially great for anyone with sensitive skin. 

Starring review: "This body lotion is by far the best I've ever tried. I have dry and sensitive skin, and this lotion is perfection all the way through. It's not greasy at all, but it absorbs easily and leaves my skin so soft and smooth. Highly recommend this product!"

Pros: Fast-absorbing, tightens skin with caffeine-rich guaraná, infused with Sol de Janeiro's gourmand scent Cheirosa '62.

Cons: Expensive.

Rating: 4.3/5 stars, 9500 reviews at Sephora

This is the most iconic and well-loved body-firming cream on the market. Yes, the intoxicating smell is like hugging a contestant on The Great British Baking Show (think salted caramel, pistachio, and vanilla), but somehow it doesn't translate as tacky or teeny. Plus, the potent mix of caffeine, guaraná, cupuaçu butter, açaí, and coconut oil naturally boosts circulation, smooths skin, restores elasticity, and offers long-lasting moisture. It's a true pot of gold.

Starring review: "I have tried several body creams over the years, and nothing has ever come close to Bum Bum. I have been using this magic in a jar for about two years now, and I can't live without it. I slather this on religiously after every shower, and it leaves my skin so silky smooth and firm. It has a subtle shimmer, so it gives me this beautiful glow, and the smell is so amazing and addictive!"

Pros: Grape polyphenols and iris extract firm and tighten skin, shea butter restores hydration to dry skin.

Cons: Expensive. 

Rating: 4.3/5 stars, 244 reviews at Sephora

Caudalíe's French skincare offerings have an ultra-loyal following, and this firming body cream is at the top of reviewers' lists. Shea butter and iris extract work in tandem with the brand's signature hero ingredients—grape-seed oil and grape polyphenols—to moisturize, firm, lift, and tighten the skin wherever you decide to apply. (The brand recommends the bum, legs, arms, and waist, specifically.)

Starring review: "I had a baby about 10 months ago and had ripples on my stomach from weight loss and stretched skin. I just applied this cream for the first time a few hours ago, and I can't believe my eyes. The ripples are completely gone. It looks like they were never there. I am in complete shock. I will definitely continue using this cream. I agree with other users, the smell is very potent, and I am sensitive to perfumes. The pros outweigh the cons, though."

Pros: Can be used as a body moisturizer, makeup primer, or facial moisturizer; contains a roster of skin-tightening ingredients like green coffee bean extract and pineapple fruit oil.

Cons: Expensive.

Rating: 5/5 stars, 2481 reviews at Bangn Body

Prepare to meet your newest skincare brand obsession. A new-to-the-States import from Australia, the brand specializes in creating ultra-dreamy body elixirs focused on firming and anti-aging. Plus, everything in the line is vegan, natural, and cruelty-free. This lotion is a best seller (there's also a fragrance-free version and a luminous version) and teams with a rich, skin-tightening roster of ingredients like shea butter, pineapple fruit oil, and green coffee bean extract from Byron Bay.

Starring review: "This stuff works! I've been using it for about a month now, and the cellulite on the back of my legs has dramatically decreased, and it definitely feels a lot firmer. I wish I took a before and after [pic], but I was pretty skeptical that it would do anything, so it was a very pleasant surprise. It is also getting rid of the little red bumps I get on my legs from wearing tights etc. I wasn't too keen on the smell, it's a bit strong for my liking, but I have ordered the fragrance-free for next time. I just wish it came with more in the tube. It's awesome!"

Pros: Contains vitamin- and fatty acid–rich ingredients to improve texture, crêpiness, dark spots, and moisture levels.

Cons: Expensive.

Rating: 4.1/5 stars, 333 reviews at Ulta

StriVectin is known (and loved by dermatologists) for its innovative skincare technologies and ultra-effective formulas. This body-firming cream from the brand boasts specific ingredients like vitamin- and fatty acid–rich jojoba-seed extract, anti-inflammatory turmeric root extract, and a decadent blend of butters (shea, capuaçu, and murumuru) to improve skin texture and crêpiness, brighten, moisturize, soften, and tighten any areas of the body that have lost elasticity.

Starring review: "My skin appears more firm, toned, and 'glowy' after using this cream. The results are exactly what I was hoping for!"

Pros: Soothing gel-cream formula is light on the skin, contains eight plant extracts that visibly firm and lift sagging skin.

Cons: Expensive.

Rating: 4.8/5 stars, 31 reviews at Nordstrom

Clarins actually makes an entire line of body-contouring products, but this specific formula is its best seller and consistently receives high ratings. It has a soothing, gel-cream formula that's powered by eight specific plant extracts to visibly firm, lift, and streamline any area of the body you're looking to address.

Starring review: "I went into this with guarded expectations since I don't expect miracles from firming creams. But it really does work to tighten the skin. After about a week of using it, my cellulite has been reduced significantly, and the results last all day long. It's not a miracle cure, but it works much better than anything else I have tried. It isn't permanent, and it won't make anything magically vanish, but regular application and massage make my legs look smooth from morning until bedtime. Consistent use seems to add up as well."

Pros: Formulated specifically for the skin on your arms, neck, and hands; contains retinol and vitamins E and C to firm and tighten.

Cons: Expensive.

Rating: 4/5, 48 ratings on U Beauty

U Beauty's firming cream is specifically formulated for the skin on your arms, neck, and hands. It contains retinol, vitamin E, and vitamin C, so you really can't go wrong. 

Starring review: "I couldn't believe that this stuff does what it says. My arms look much better. I have been using it for 8 weeks after showering. I apply to upper arms and wherever I see crepe-like skin."

Pros: Contains Bader's patented TFC8 complex, amino acids, and vitamins to hydrate and firm the skin.

Cons: Expensive.

Rating: 4.5/5 stars, 228 reviews at Nordstrom

Augustinus Bader's famous face creams have gained the brand frenzy-inducing notoriety, but this luxe body cream is a definite dark horse. It's infused with the same cell-renewing, patented technology as the face creams (TFC8), and other skin-improving additions like natural amino acids, high-grade vitamins, synthesized molecules, shea butter, and more nourish, firm, soften, moisturize, and reinvigorate the skin anywhere it's applied.

Starring review: "This body cream from Augustinus Bader is super-luxurious and rich, and it melts beautifully into the skin. It is fragrance-free, which I love, in addition to being hydrating and moisturizing. I use it on the tops of my thighs and arms to address my dry 'chicken skin' and loss of tone. The brand says this product is clinically proven to reduce the appearance of cellulite and improve skin tone and texture, and I think it really lives up to these claims. My only slight gripe is the packaging, which is a beautiful heavy glass jar with a cheap plastic lid that doesn't seal particularly well. However, in terms of the amount of product and the quality, this body cream is definitely worth the price tag and undoubtedly one to repurchase."

Pros: Rich in hyaluronic acid, protein, and other hydrators to even skin tone, improve texture, and firm.

Cons: Expensive.

Rating: N/A

FYI, this is the body-firming cream that made us believers in body-firming creams. Deeply nourishing, this hyaluronic acid– and protein-rich cream deep-treats dry, tired skin with results that look glowy, lifted, and tightened.

Starring review: "I cannot believe what this does for my skin. I am 50, and I get somewhat obsessed with my skin being soft and hydrated. In winter, I usually have to switch to a super-heavy, creamy body lotion to achieve that. Not with this cream. It is amazing. It doesn't weigh down my skin, it softens, it firms, and it minimizes the lines on my decolletage."

A retinol treatment for your body. I'm not sure why more brands haven't worked up versions of this heavenly skin-saving treatment sooner. Not only does the mix of caffeine, bakuchiol (a natural retinol alternative), and safflower seed brighten the skin for instantaneous radiance, but it also—fairly dramatically—tightens and firms your skin to reduce the look of cellulite as well as uneven tone and texture.

If I could only use one body product for the rest of my life, it would be this luxurious Body Cream from Natura Bissé. It smells heavenly (like velvety lavender) and provides the same lit-from-within glow as an oil without the grease or tackiness. It features the brand's Oligo-Collagen Complex, which also improves firmness and elasticity and is even touted to redefine the tone, texture, and contour of your skin. It's a skin miracle, bottled.