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How to Tighten Skin: Skin Firming Products & Routine

Skin simply cannot stay firm forever. Time and gravity both have a tremendous impact on the skin, and over the years, that impact can be evident in fine lines and wrinkles. Don’t despair when skin begins to loosen around the eyes, mouth, or jaw—reach for targeted skin firming products instead.

Formulated with a rich blend of revitalizing ingredients, skin firming products help achieve renewed fullness in skin that has lost its sculpted complexion. Rejuvenate the face and neck with expert tips on how to tighten skin, complete with a routine of proven skin firming products.

What Causes Sagging Skin?

Skin sags when essential proteins, like collagen and elastin, break down over time. Collagen and elastin are responsible for skin’s elastic texture, or what makes youthful skin bounce back when it’s pulled or pressed. The production of both of these proteins slows down with age, and after 25, the influence of other stressors can worsen the natural degradation of existing collagen.

The types of stressors that degrade collagen run the gamut of natural factors, like menopause and weight loss, as well environmental factors, like harmful ultraviolet (UV) rays and air pollution. As collagen breaks down and is not steadily replaced by the body, skin begins to sag.

Once skin becomes older, oil and sweat glands also begin to decrease in function. Skin becomes drier and thinner, making it harder to retain moisture that can supplement cell turnover. The effects of gravity can catch up over time, and as age-induced muscle weakness impacts facial muscles, the visual result is loose or wrinkled skin around the eyes, mouth, jaw, and neck.

What Are the Best Lifting & Firming Products?

The market is saturated with brands that claim they have the magic answer for how to tighten skin. The truth is, the best skin firming products won’t just claim to tighten skin, they’ll contain ingredients that have been clinically proven to visibly lift skin. These ingredients are the key to re-stimulate collagen and elastin production and intensely moisturize the skin.

Ingredients to Look for in Skin Firming Products

Skin tightening products contain ingredients that stimulate the production of beneficial skin proteins as well as moisturize and nourish the skin barrier. There are three primary ingredient types to look for in skin firming products, which are retinoids, antioxidants, and peptides.

• Retinoids are chemical derivatives of vitamin A, a family of ingredients that includes retinol, retinoic acid, and tretinoin. These ingredients stimulate cellular regeneration, increase the turnover of skin cells, and boost collagen and elastin production.
• Antioxidants are molecular compounds that protect the skin’s surface from free radicals, harmful UV rays, and other stressors like elastase, which further degrade elastin in the skin. These ingredients ward against future damage and help lock in moisture for firm skin.
• Peptides are short chains of amino acids that the skin uses to build proteins like collagen and elastin. These ingredients help plump and tighten the skin, strengthen the skin barrier, and reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.

4 Tips to Keep Your Skin Firm

Learning how to tighten skin begins with understanding how to care for skin that’s losing elasticity. The answer is never to pull or tug on the loose skin but to treat the sensitive areas on the face and neck with care. Consider these five tips to help keep skin firm and reduce the appearance of wrinkles.

1. Protect from Free Radicals

Free radicals are unstable molecules that can damage skin cells and cause the skin to sag. Free radicals found in air pollution can further degrade skin proteins like collagen and elastin and even cause premature aging. Antioxidants in skin tightening products help ward away harmful free radicals.

2. Shield Skin from the Sun

Aside from free radicals, powerful UV rays from the sun can contribute to oxidative stress that damages skin cells. Plus, unprotected sun exposure can lead to sunspots and other signs of aging that contribute to the look of dull, loose skin.

3. Lock in Moisture

The skin needs moisture to repair itself—especially mature skin. Any skin tightening products that don’t inherently boost moisture, like retinol, must be followed with a nourishing moisturizer to lock moisture into the skin. Likewise, be sure to drink plenty of water to hydrate from the inside out.

4. Begin a Skin Firming Routine

While the above tips can certainly help keep skin firm, they’re always most effective when incorporated into a routine. Those with loose or sagging skin should strive to complete a skin firming routine daily and nightly to revitalize the complexion.

Skincare Routine to Lift & Firm

The best answer for how to tighten skin is with a firming and lifting skincare routine. Here are expert tips to rejuvenate the skin, complete with trusted skin tightening products from Shiseido.

1. Cleanse the Skin

Always start a skincare routine with clean skin. The Future Solution LX Extra Rich Cleansing Foam cleanses the skin of impurities and helps mature skin retain moisture. Apply two pearl-sized drops onto the palm, add lukewarm water, and use gentle circular motions to cleanse both the face and neck with a rich lather.

2. Apply a Face and Neck Mask

Once the skin is clean, apply a face and neck mask formulated to lift and firm, like the Vital Perfection LiftDefine Radiance Face Mask. Crafted with Watercress Extract to support skin's natural production of collagen, lifting skin has never been easier than with this two-piece mask. Apply Mask 1 to tone the face and cheeks and Mask 2 to tighten the jawline. Remove both masks after 10 minutes and massage the remaining essence into the skin.

3. Pamper the Eye Area

Next, move on to skin firming products that are specifically formulated for the delicate skin around the eyes. Apply the Vital Perfection Uplifting and Firming Express Eye Mask for 10 minutes, and follow with the Vital Perfection Uplifting and Firming Eye Cream to brighten and revitalize the eye area.

4. Tighten with Serum

5. Lock in Moisture

Moisture is a must to tighten skin. Those with dry skin should apply a generous amount of the Vital Perfection Uplifting and Firming Cream Enriched Enriched to the face and neck during the day, while those with oily or acne-prone skin may prefer Vital Perfection Uplifting and Firming Advanced Cream for day use. At night, scoop two pearl-sized drops of the Benefiance Overnight Wrinkle Resisting Cream and smooth from the center of the face outward to help visibly improve wrinkles overnight.*
* Self-assessment of 103 women

6. Protect the Progress

It’s important to protect the progress made on sagging skin, which is why sunscreen is a must during the daytime. Moisturize and tighten the skin while protecting it from harmful UV rays by applying the Vital Perfection Uplifting and Firming Day Cream SPF 30 to the face and neck daily.

How to Tighten Skin with Skin Firming Products

The Vital Perfection collection from Shiseido helps lift and firm skin to reveal a youthful, healthy complexion. Begin to tighten skin today with skin firming products from Shiseido.

• Future Solution LX Extra Rich Cleansing Foam
• Vital Perfection LiftDefine Radiance Face Mask
• Vital Perfection Uplifting and Firming Express Eye Mask
• Vital Perfection Uplifting and Firming Eye Cream
• Vital Perfection LiftDefine Radiance Serum
• Vital Perfection Intensive WrinkleSpot Treatment
• Vital Perfection Uplifting and Firming Cream Enriched
• Vital Perfection Uplifting and Firming Advanced Cream
• Benefiance Overnight Wrinkle Resisting Cream
• Vital Perfection Uplifting and Firming Day Cream SPF 30