It's a ludicrous saying--which is why it isn't a popular one--but the neck and décolletage area are the lips of the torso, and need to be protected as such. Because it's pulled on, pinched and exposed to so much more sunlight than the rest of your abdomen, the skin between your chin and your chest is often where skin sags and shows UV damage most prominently besides your face. Many of our skincare regimens draw a line at the chin and seldom cross it, but age and stress don't restrict themselves to laugh lines and crow's feet: they're just as easily expressed by loose, sagging skin around your neck, décolleté area and, as the old wives tales go, your hands. A good hand cream can keep your digits smooth and soft for years, but unfortunately, there are fewer options with neck creams.
Even if you've never paid attention to your neck before, now is a good time to start, because, as you'll soon find, each time you do so so, it's a chance to learn more about your body. Applying neck and décolletage creams regularly involves massaging areas which would dearly appreciate the rise in blood circulation; this invariably leads to better cellular turnover and epidermal performance within the freshly massaged skin. These creams hydrate and nourish the skin, of course but, more importantly, using firm but soft upward motions ensures that the skin learns to improve its elasticity instead of getting used to wrinkling downward. If in doubt, you can always try using a face cream on your neck and décolleté area to experience the difference first, but if you're ready for more obvious results, here are the markets best targeted treatments for your neckline right now:
If your neck and upper chest areas are finicky enough that a thicker cream would block pores, give the area a through exfoliation and give DECIEM’s NIOD Neck Elasticity Catalyst ($70) a go. Thinner than the others and therefore much easier to layer with, the Elasticity Catalyst is exactly what it says it is: a suspension of protein-based complexes that perk up and tighten the skin surface in a targeted manner, rather than a one-size-fits-all burst of moisture. Fuss-free and with a refreshing ginger aroma, this is the perfect neck cream for anyone who wants to tend to the area without working hard at it.
