Splurge vs. save: Arm-firming edition

Spring will be here before we know it, and now's the time to get started with these targeted treatments.

If the lighting is right (or rather, all wrong) I can see the first signs of crepey skin below the inside of my elbow when I hold my arm in a certain position and twist it. I agree that’s a lot of effort to make an emerging age-related skin change visible, but let’s keep it real… My skin elasticity has seen its heyday and this area isn’t going to tighten up on its own—ever.

There are plenty of body creams out there that claim to firm the skin, and you can find them everywhere from the drugstore to the dermatologist’s office. But unless you go with a professional-grade (i.e. expensive) product with some legit science behind it and clinical results, you’re probably just getting a quick, temporary fix.

The meaning of “expensive” varies from person to person and between commodities, so this splurge vs. save is simply about sharing two arm-firming products at two different price points. (No drugstore products here.)

When U Beauty launched The SCULPT Arm Compound, the beauty-net semi-exploded. All of a sudden it was everywhere, and “celebs” from Lisa Rinna to Paris and Nicky Hilton were talking about it. At $98 (for 120 mL), this product represents the “splurge” portion of this post—and its laundry list of actives such as retinol, vitamin C, proprietary antioxidant technology justify it. Seriously, hop over to the site to see the before-and-after photos and impressive clinical results. At my very early stage of skin-crepiness, I imagine it would work wonders.

The “save” option is Maelys B-FLEX Lift & Firm Arm Cream, which rings in at $49 (for 100 mL). This formula boasts red algae, kangaroo paw flower extract (no marsupials were harmed when formulating this cream) and “Pink PepperSlim,” which is simply described as a “plant extract that helps smooth the look of fatty skin.” The site features amateur before-and-afters and somewhat more vague clinical results (as well as discounts when you purchase more than one). Despite a lower level of “clinical-ness” and sophistication, I still imagine this product could help tighten up my stage-1 slack skin.

My takeaway: If the idea of spending $49 on an arm cream sounds preposterous, you can always hit the supermarket skincare aisle. If you have an extra $98 in your beauty budget, go for it (and let me know how it goes)! You can also love your arms as they are—you do you.