Meant to ask this some months ago but only just remembered....

[LadyOfTheFlowers]

There was a face cream advert on a little while ago and they used the word 'tautening'.

Is that actually a word?

Sorry if it has been asked/discussed already.

[Goingspare]

Yes, it's in the OED. There's not much evidence for it though; I don't think it's in common use.