I was recently having dinner with a very chic French publicist when she started talking about a beauty product that I’d never heard of before, and considering I’m a beauty editor, that’s a pretty impressive feat. She mentioned that it’s so popular in France that nearly every woman uses and swears by it.
Meet bust cream, the French beauty secret to firm, perky breasts at any age. I know what you’re thinking (oh god, not another area-specific moisturizer to add to my routine), but the French might be on to something.
Bust creams are moisturizers that are specifically formulated to be used on the breast area. “Many bust creams contain ingredients such as hyaluronic acid and other humectants that hydrate the skin, caffeine or plant extracts that may help to improve skin elasticity and firmness, and retinol or peptides to help reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles,” says Rebecca Marcus, MD, a board-certified dermatologist and founder of Maei MD. “Bust creams may also contain exfoliating agents such as AHAs or BHAs that can help smooth skin and improve its texture.”
And yes, bust creams are perfectly safe to use. Think of them as skincare designed with the delicate skin on your breasts in mind. “In general, it can be massaged into the skin around the bust area one to two times per day,” says Marisa Garshick, MD, board-certified dermatologist. Keep reading for the best bust creams that are available in the States.
Garshick says that since this formula contains both cocoa butter and vitamin E, it works to firm and tone the skin on the breasts. “[It] can be used even after pregnancy to help nourish and soften the breasts,” she says.
“This can be used by all skin types and contains vu sua and bocoa extracts to help restore firmness and tone to the bust area,” says Garshick. “It replenishes and helps tighten skin from the base of breasts to the chin for a firmer décolleté in one easy bust-firming lotion application.”
“Magic Body Cream is a hydrating, smoothing, firming body cream that contains caffeine for skin tightening, intensely moisturizing hyaluronic acid and glycerin, and the brand’s proprietary ingredient Algaktiv Uplift, which firms, tightens, and lifts the skin, [improving] the look of skin tone,” says Marcus.
Since this cream-serum hybrid comes in a spray, it couldn’t be easier to apply. “[It] contains anti-inflammatory niacinamide to brighten skin and reduce the appearance of age spots as well as peptides to fight the visible effects of gravity,” says Marcus. “Deepwater seaweed helps to boost and lift the skin, and phytobioactive Kigeline helps improve skin firmness and elasticity.”
This gel is designed for the neck, décolleté, and breasts, making it a triple threat. Packed with peptides and marine collagen to firm and hyaluronic acid to smooth and moisturize, it will leave your skin soft.
This whipped butter is like frosting for your breasts. With ingredients such as açaí and dragon fruit, this cream helps firm and moisturize while also smoothing the appearance of stretch marks.
This is a leave-on, no-rinse mask that works as a treatment for your breasts. It was clinically proven to significantly give firmer-looking skin to the breast area after consistent use for 28 days.
The key ingredient in this cream is oat-seed extract. Not only does it help smooth the skin, but it also gives an instant tightening sensation. It’s dosed with centella asiatica and walnut extract to improve elasticity and rye extract to help prevent sagging.
This hydrating lotion will leave your skin feeling smooth and supple. It’s also formulated with kigelia, a plant that helps protect skin from environmental aggressors.
This balm is like a zipper for your neck and décolleté. Sea buckthorn oil helps plump and smooth out fine lines and wrinkles, and tree fern extract boosts elasticity.
If the name of this firming gel doesn’t convince you to try it, the ingredients might. It’s made with coenzyme Q10 to stimulate skin cells, quince hydrogel to sculpt and tone, and angelica-root oil to strengthen skin.
