All products are independently selected by our editors. If you buy something, we may earn an affiliate commission.
When what was once taut becomes looser, thinner, and a bit wrinkled, the best crepey-skin treatments will give your skin a smoother, tighter appearance (with consistent use as directed by the brand, of course). As we age, our skin’s collagen and elastin levels begin to drop, which leads to textural concerns like crepiness, among others like fine lines, dryness, and discoloration.
Once signs of skin aging begin to pop up—or even before, if you prefer to take the precautionary route—these over-the-counter topical treatments are beloved by board-certified dermatologists for their ability to minimize the appearance of crepey skin, among other skin texture and tone concerns. (That being said, keep in mind that only in-office treatments, like ultrasound and radiofrequency microneedling, can create a really visible and dramatic change in your skin laxity.) Below, explore our favorite expert-approved body lotions, creams, and serums for plumping the look of thinning, crêpe paper-like skin.
Our Top Picks
- Best Overall: Nécessaire The Body Retinol, $58
- Best for Sun Spots: Shani Darden Body Reform Treatment Serum, $72
- Best Lightweight: Paula’s Choice Skin-Smoothing Retinol Body Treatment, $32
- Best for Dry Skin: CeraVe Moisturizing Cream, $19
- Best for Sensitive Skin: Versed Press Restart Gentle Retinol Body Lotion, $19
- Best Exfoliating: Eucerin Intensive Repair Body Lotion, $13
- Best Fragrance-Free: Aveeno Daily Mositurizing Body Lotion, $14
- Best for Redness: Naturium Skin-Renewing Retinol Body Lotion, $28
Frequently Asked Questions
- What causes crepey skin?
- How can I treat crepey skin at home?
- Are there any professional treatments for crepey skin?
- Meet the experts
- How we test and review products
- Our staff and testers
Best Overall: Nécessaire The Body Retinol
Why it’s worth it: Retinol, the eponymous star of the Nécessaire The Body Retinol, is one of the most recommended skin-care ingredients for mature skin, but especially for addressing skin elasticity. But, according to bicoastal board-certified dermatologist Blair Murphy-Rose, MD, there’s more that this formulation has to offer beyond the active to boost the look and feel of your skin. It “combines retinol with exfoliating alpha-hydroxy acids to firm, tone, and reduce discoloration,” she says. As retinol promotes cell turnover and improves skin texture, a combination of glycolic and mandelic acids exfoliates the look of skin for a smoother texture. Beyond these key ingredients, this stacked formulation contains the works to totally transform the feel and clarity of your skin, including firming peptides, hydrating glycerin, and a tone-evening antioxidant duo of vitamin C and niacinamide.
Key ingredients: retinol (0.1%), glycolic acid, mandelic acid, glycerin, peptides, vitamin C, niacinamide | Fragrance-free: no (rosewater-based fragrance)
Best for Sun Spots: Shani Darden Body Reform Treatment Serum
Why it’s worth it: Forgot to apply sunscreen one too many times and now dealing with sun spots? It happens, but you can address this form of sun damage with the Shani Darden Body Reform Treatment Serum. Dr. Murphy-Rose calls it a must-have for anyone addressing discoloration and hyperpigmentation for its intensive cocktail of antioxidants and exfoliators. “This serum contains a retinoid to boost cell turnover and improve skin texture, kojic acid to brighten and reduce hyperpigmentation, and green tea extract to provide antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties,” she says. The retinoid in question is known as granactive retinoid, which has a slow-release delivery system to minimize the sensitizing feel of the active ingredient.
Key ingredients: granactive retinoid (2%), vitamin C, kojic acid, green tea extract | Fragrance-free: yes
Best Lightweight: Paula’s Choice Skin-Smoothing Retinol Body Treatment
Why it’s worth it: Though the Paula’s Choice Skin-Smoothing Retinol Body Treatment is fueled by a hard-working blend of retinol, shea butter, and antioxidants, Dr. Murphy-Rose loves that it has a lightweight, non-greasy formula that can be slathered on before bedtime. “Ithas a deeply hydrating effect from shea butter, ceramides, and its antioxidant complex,” she says. “In combination with potent retinol, this formula defends against collagen breakdown and protects against signs of aging.”
Key ingredients: retinol, antioxidant complex, shea butter, ceramides | Fragrance-free: yes
Best for Dry Skin: CeraVe Moisturizing Cream
Why it’s worth it: If you prefer a denser moisturizer for dry skin, Jennifer Gordon, MD, a board-certified dermatologist at Westlake Dermatology in Austin, Texas, recommends applying the CeraVe Moisturizing Cream. “Its emollient, ceramide-rich formula will protect the skin barrier and help the skin stay hydrated and appear less crepey,” she says. To double down on its skin-plumping properties, this cream is also spiked with hydrating hyaluronic acid.
Key ingredients: ceramides, hyaluronic acid | Fragrance-free: yes
Best for Sensitive Skin: Versed Press Restart Gentle Retinol Body Lotion
Why it’s worth it: Trust us, when it comes to its irritation-free formulations, Versed’s Press Restart Gentle Retinol Body Lotion truly lives up to its mild claims. “This is a great choice for those with more sensitive skin as it contains an encapsulated form of retinol alongside a retinol alternative, bakuchiol, to enhance skin quality and texture while firming,” says Dr. Murphy-Rose. Vitamin E, squalane, and cocoa butter also make an appearance in this formula to soothe and moisturize.
Key ingredients: encapsulated retinol, cocoa butter, squalane, vitamin E | Fragrance-free: yes
Best Exfoliating: Eucerin Intensive Repair Body Lotion
Why it’s worth it: When your skin is feeling dry and rough, Dr. Gordon says Eucerin’s Intensive Repair Body Lotion will smooth things out effortlessly, mainly due to its combination of alpha-hydroxy acids and conditioners. Its key trio of lactic acid, glycerin, and urea not only counteracts the look of crepey skin, but also neutralizes any irritation for some soothing relief. In case you’re not familiar, urea is one of the most useful ingredients for addressing dryness and flakiness due to its ability to minimize dead skin cell buildup and moisturize at the same time.
Key ingredients: lactic acid, glycerin, urea | Fragrance-free: yes
Best Fragrance-Free: Aveeno Daily Mositurizing Body Lotion
Why it’s worth it: Those with sensitive skin might benefit most from a simple conditioning treatment in the form of Aveeno’s Daily Moisturizing Body Lotion, according to Dr. Gordon. While oat kernel flower extract soothes sensitivity, this fragrance-free formula smoothes the look of dryness and crepiness with glycerin. Since it doesn’t contain any active ingredients, feel free to slather this body lotion all over during the day, night, or both—or pair it with a retinol for an additional hit of moisture.
Key ingredients: oat kernel flower extract, glycerin | Fragrance-free: yes
Best for Redness: Naturium Skin-Renewing Retinol Body Lotion
Why it’s worth it: If retinol tends to leave your skin a little red and blotchy, Dr. Murphy-Rose suggests trying the gentler formulation of Naturium’s Skin-Renewing Retinol Body Lotion. It combines a slow-release encapsulated retinol with hyaluronic acid to plump and firm skin while squalane supports the skin’s protective lipid barrier, allowing you to reap the benefits of the active ingredient with little to no irritation, depending on how sensitive your skin is.
Key ingredients: encapsulated retinol, hyaluronic acid, squalane | Fragrance-free: yes
Frequently Asked Questions
What causes crepey skin?
Crepey skin, at the most basic explanation, is simply another sign of aging that develops as we grow older. “Simply put, crepiness is caused by a loss of collagen and elastin, as well as many other components,” says Dr. Gordon. “The cause isn't a straightforward answer but a combination of things, such as genetics, sun damage, pollutants, skincare (or lack thereof), weight loss or gain.”
Dr. Murphy-Rose adds that cumulative sun exposure causes skin damage that can largely contribute to signs of skin aging, including crepiness, laxity, and wrinkles. “Dehydrated skin lacks the plumping effect of hydration in skin cells and can further contribute to the appearance of crepey skin,” she adds.
How can I treat crepey skin at home?
Your biggest line of defense against crepey skin is sun protection, according to our experts. “Sun protection is crucial to keeping skin healthy and youthful,” says Dr. Murphy-Rose. “UV radiation causes DNA damage, increases free radical production, and causes many signs of skin aging laxity and crepiness by triggering collagen breakdown and elastolysis.” The takeaway: Make sure you use sunscreen with a broad-spectrum SPF rating of 30 or more and wear protective clothing when you’re outside to maintain your overall skin health and keep your body’s largest organ in tip-top shape.
Both Dr. Gordon and Dr. Murphy-Rose also note that properly hydrating yourself and your skin can also keep crepiness at bay. “Hydration keeps skin more plump, improving its appearance,” says Dr. Murphy-Rose. “Consume adequate fluids, limit intake of caffeine, alcohol, and other diuretics when possible, and apply a balanced high-quality moisturizer that’s well-balanced for your skin every day.”
Along with daily habit changes, incorporating certain ingredients, such as retinol and vitamin C, into your body-care regimen will help diminish the look for skin crepiness. “Vitamin A derivatives like retinol and prescription-strength retinoids increase production of collagen and elastin to prevent and reduce these signs of aging. Dr. Murphy-Rose adds that antioxidants like vitamin C, coenzyme Q10, resveratrol, and vitamin E neutralize free radicals, which is essential for protecting your body’s natural supply of collagen and preventing wrinkles and laxity over time.
Are there any professional treatments for crepey skin?
If you want to take a more dramatic approach to treating your crepey skin, Dr. Gordon says that there are many treatment options to choose from at your trusted board-certified dermatologist’s office, but finding the right one for your skin concerns is key for the best results. “There are many things that try to treat crepey skin, such as resurfacing procedures that incorporate certain lasers and microneedling, as well as skin-tightening procedures like smart liposuction, Ultherapy, and radiofrequency, however, there is no perfect concoction for many people—it is a very difficult issue to address,” she says.
With that being said, Dr. Murphy-Rose says that one of the most popular crepey skin treatments she performs on her clients is Sofwave, “which uses high-frequency, high-intensity ultrasound technology to heat tissue just below the surface of the skin to powerfully stimulate collagen production,” she says. As a result, this professional procedure improves the overall quality of skin, and prevents crepiness, laxity, fine lines, and wrinkles. “Another option is CO2 laser resurfacing, which improves crepiness by laser remodeling of collagen,” she says. “Non-ablative fractional resurfacing with Fraxel Dual is another great option with five to seven days of downtime including redness, mild swelling, and roughness to the skin.”
Radiofrequency microneedling, another option Dr. Murphy-Rose recommends, uses tiny needles that penetrate the skin and cause microscopic wounds along the dermis. “Downtime after radiofrequency microneedling is approximately three to five days, and typically a series of treatments is recommended for best results,” she explains.
Meet the experts
- Blair Murphy-Rose, MD, a board-certified dermatologist based in New York City and Newport Beach, California
- Jennifer Gordon, MD, a board-certified dermatologist at Westlake Dermatology in Austin, Texas
How we test and review products
When Allure tests a product, our editors look at it from every angle in an effort to best serve you. We review ingredients, scrutinize brand claims, and, when necessary, examine peer-reviewed scientific and medical studies. In addition to testing each and every product that's included in each and every review, we rely on experts who shape their fields, including dermatology, cosmetic chemistry, and medicine, to help us vet the ingredients and formulas.
For our list of the best crepey skin treatments, we considered each product's performance across five primary categories: product ingredients and efficacy, packaging, fragrance (or lack thereof), texture, and product wear. Every product was determined to have excelled in each category by our editorial team, which is composed of in-house writers and editors as well as contributors—along with special consideration from board-certified dermatologists. To learn more information on our reporting and testing processes, read our complete reviews process and methodology page.
Our staff and testers
A beauty product is a personal purchase. You might be searching for a face cream to address persistent dryness or a new nail product to add to your Sunday self-care routine; you may simply be browsing around for the latest launches to hit the hair market. No matter what you seek or your individual needs and concerns, Allure wants to ensure that you love anything we recommend in our stories. We believe that having a diverse team of writers and editors—in addition to the wide range of outside testers and industry experts we regularly call upon—is essential to reaching that goal.
After all, can we really say a skin-care product is the "best" for people over 50 if the only testers we've solicited opinions from folks who have yet to hit 30? Can we honestly deem a high-end diffuser worthy of your hard-earned cash if it's never been tested on curls? We're proud that our staff spans a wide range of ages, skin tones, hair textures, genders, and backgrounds, which means that we are able to fairly assess any beauty product that comes into the beauty closet.
Even more retinol recommendations:
- Every Retinol Eye Cream We Love That Targets Fine Lines and Crepiness
Now, watch Madison Bailey try 9 things she's never done before:
Shop all of our latest obsessions in one place! And don't forget to follow Allure on Instagram and TikTok—or subscribe to our newsletter to stay up to date on all things beauty.
