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9 best firming creams and body lotions for mature skin

Tighten, moisturise and firm up your skin with one of these products

Friday 07 June 2019 12:30 BST

Feel fabulously firm with these tried and tested favourites (Shutterstock)

If you sometimes despair about saggy skin, there is no shortage of lotions and oils that offer to help.

The important thing is a bit of expectation management. There are probably no miracles in a tube out there – but there are some great products that help you make small but significant improvements.

All the products on our list proved efficacious in some way, whether tightening and firming or giving a general feeling of improved skin elasticity and moisturisation. We may not exactly be defying gravity here, but things are moving in the right direction (ie not too far south) for our group of testers in their 50s and 60s.

You can trust our independent reviews. We may earn commission from some of the retailers, but we never allow this to influence selections, which are formed from real-world testing and expert advice. This revenue helps to fund journalism across The Independent.

Ren Moroccan Rose Otto Firming Crème Riche, 200ml: £37, Marks and Spencer

Ren’s signature rose otto oil is one of the most expensive oils around, boasting antibacterial, hydrating and antidepressant properties. Our tester was most impressed by its delicate perfume.

She liked the velvety texture that lived up to its promise to be skin-smoothing, and when applied to damp, post-shower skin as suggested found that it was quickly absorbed.

During her two-week test, she noticed a definite improvement in the texture and firmness of her skin and is more than happy to keep dipping into the generously sized tub of cream until it is all gone.

Legology Air Lite Daily Lift for Legs Contouring Leg Cream, 100ml: £48, Liberty

This lemon scented burst of uplift for your legs is cooling and energising. Legology was the brainchild of beauty writer Kate Shapland, who wanted to create products to deal with the problems of puffy legs and fluid retention, which contribute to the dreaded cellulite.

When your legs and feet feel heavy or tired, this jelly-cream can be your one stop shop for better lymphatic drainage. Our tester loved its scent, created by perfume house Robertet.

She also loved the refreshing way it instantly made her legs feel lighter and more comfortable after a busy day, simply by massaging it into her skin from ankle to thigh as suggested.

Cowshed Slender Cow Extra Firming Body Butter, 200ml: £28, Amazon

This has long been a go-to for an effective, no nonsense skin firming and cellulite-busting cream.

Our tester liked the moisturising and skin-softening effects from the ingredients of sweet orange, grapefruit and ylang ylang, and the blend of seaweeds and marine extracts, which help detoxify and improve skin elasticity.

She particularly liked the observable improvement in the fine set of “bingo wings” that seemed to have crept onto her arms while they were safely encased in winter jumpers.

Rodial Super Fit Tummy Tuck Bodycare, 150ml: £75, Harvey Nichols

With plenty of spare stomach at her disposal, our tester was more than happy to try the claims of this cult favourite to reduce the abdominal area by up to an inch in just eight weeks (alongside exercise).

Armed with a tape measure, and making no additional efforts to reduce, she went into battle, and after two weeks of twice-daily application reported back that while there had been, as yet, no truly quantifiable reduction in measurement, there was a definite improvement in the skin texture of an area that she had completely neglected for far too long.

The simple act of taking some daily notice has prompted her to resolve to keep going for the full eight weeks (and add the suggested exercise into the equation for good measure).

Sisley Cellulinov Intensive Anti-Cellulite Body Care, 200ml: £155, John Lewis

This velvety product from the luxury French beauty brand well known for its anti-ageing products had some ingredients that intrigued our tester, who had not previously encountered red algae, longan seed and Indian lotus in skincare mode.

She found that they made for a gorgeously fragrant blend that was easy to apply and absorbed well, leaving her skin feeling soft and well moisturised and at the same time refreshed, cool and tingly.

The plant-based active ingredients and essential oils combine with caffeine for some heavy duty anti-cellulite action when massaged into the skin, smoothing out some of the detested dimples when used morning and evening.

It is recommended as a special treatment, say for four weeks a couple of times a year, which would help to justify the somewhat noticeable price.

Omorovicza Firming Aromatic Body Oil, 100ml: £49, Cult Beauty

Aromatic, invigorating and winner of multiple beauty awards, this firming body oil works on dry skin and loss of elasticity, using calendula oil teamed with almond and apricot kernel oils to restore skin tone.

The fragrance, derived from the essential oils of sage, chamomile, rosemary and rose geranium is a delight, and our tester, who suffers from very dry skin, found that it was very moisturising and quickly absorbed, leaving no residue of stickiness and really effective on older skin for softening and reducing puffiness.

Radical Skincare Firming Body Multi-Repair, 200ml: £65, Space.NK

Our tester found that while this looks like a cream, it is as potent as a serum. It absorbs immediately and leaves your skin feeling really moisturised, but there is no danger of any residue on your clothes.

It completely stopped her legs from feeling dry, which is often a problem for her in winter, and certainly seems likely to prevent any increase in stretch marks as it is so moisturising, while a little goes a surprisingly long way.

It contains date oil, which acts as an antioxidant, and the claim to tackle the damage caused by ageing seems quite justified by the experience of this two-week test.

Clarins Tonic Body Treatment Oil, 100ml: £40, John Lewis

Containing the essential oils of geranium, mint and rosemary, this fragrant pure plant oil, with a definite spa-like vibe, comes with a heavy duty claim to improve elasticity and firmness, and is suggested as the perfect accompaniment to the kind of weight loss programme that many of us are embarking on at this time of year.

Our tester liked the zingy effect, which gave her the feeling that it must be doing something. When massaged in after a long, hot bath she found it very restoring, and it improved the feel and look of her skin.

This Works Skin Deep Dry Leg Oil, 120ml: £39.50, Look Fantastic

This blend of no less than 19 botanical oils can be used all over the body, and is included here because even though it makes no specific claims about firming, it has such a great effect rehydrating dry and generally undernourished skin that overall it’s as firming in its results as many of the others.

The Verdict: Firming creams and body lotions for mature skin

The offering from Ren, our Best Buy, smells great, perks up the skin and is a pleasure to use. Special mentions go to the leg cream from Legology, which is uplifting.