For years I neglected the skin on my neck. I skipped using SPF and moisturizer on it for most of my life, and I think my neglect has started to show, boo!
Last year, hoping to make up for lost time, I started religiously using moisturizer and sunscreen on my neck, but lately I’ve been wondering if a special, targeted uber-neck cream would work better than regular ol’ moisturizer.
While hella expensive, Clarins makes one that sounds like it’s worth a try: Advanced Extra-Firming Neck Cream ($80).
From the Clarins website:
“The ultimate firming neck treatment that enhances skin’s youthful-looking appearance for women over 40. This targeted treatment helps firm and smooth away lines and wrinkles as it immediately lifts.”
I asked a Clarin’s makeup artist about the cream, and she was totally convinced it worked better than basic moisturizer. Hmm… Part of me wants to believe, but the other half can’t get past the $80 price.
At night, I’ve just been using whatever moisturizer I use on my face, and then during the day wear that same moisturizer beneath a layer of SPF.
What do you gals do to take care of the skin on your neck?
Do you just use your regular moisturizer, or do you think it’s worth investing in a separate neck cream?
Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,
Karen
I just use the same thing as what I use on my face, Clinique Turnaround cream, and that’s about it. I’ve used it for about 12 years (I’m 40 now), and it looks to me like I need to do something different for my neck, as well. I’ve not been as religious with the sunscreen as I should have been, and I think that’s catching up to me. I can’t justify spending the $80 for a jar of this stuff, though I’m curious to see how it would work.
I just use my normal moisturizer, which has anti-aging properties anyways. I really think benefits of a seperate cream is a bunch of hooey.. if it was so much better at anti-aging, I’d be using it on my face too!
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Kathleen, I’m with you. My regular moisturizer is formulated for anti-aging, and I use it on my neck, too.
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I never moisturize my neck I sweat so much I just can’t fathom it LOL
I am a loyal clarins user though especially their gentle cleansing lotion I can atest their products work but a special cream for your neck?? I dunno like the other ladies I think what you use on your face should work just fine!
Cos I’m getting old and wrinkly, I recently invested in Bliss’s neck ‘bra lift for the neck’ cream or something like that. Yet to see if it works or not!
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I use Origins Have a Nice Day SPF 15 on my neck, chest, and ears. I have noticed that the upper part of my chest is a little too pink, so I started applying there in January.
I’ve only started using SPF on my neck and ears recently because I know I should be doing that as well. With all of my hair, my neck and ears barely see the sun.
Am in asia, over here we have neck masks that are like sheets saturated in fluid to firm the skin.
Not to mention all the funky Japanese gadgets that are like rollers … face massage is also one way against saggy jowls!
Personally, I use this cream called Bioessence Facelifting Cream which firms and “burns” underskin fat … while richly moisturizing my neck.
Hi Karen. Same thing for me I never bothered with my neck but always put sunscreen on my face. I do see some lines on it now so I started about 2 years ago putting whatever I use on my face on my neck. To be honest no matter what I use, nothing seems to make any difference with my face or neck (or eyes) but I still have to out SOMETHING on there every might because if I stop, maybe my whole face will drop, LOL!
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I use my regular face moisturizer, which has antioxidants and SPF 30 (yay!) on my face as well as my neck. I have a mother who used to watch QVC all the time so as a 12 year old I got to watch all these beauty saleswomen on TV talk about how important neck care was, so I started early. I didn’t even know there was such a thing as a separate neck cream though, LOL.
I’m just turned 20 so I don’t know when the best time to start using anti-aging formulas is – I talked to a cosmetician and she said that my skin is still too young for some of the products! I don’t use a moisturizer with SPF but I use Clinique redness solutions daily prodective face with SPF and foundation with SPF in it, but I have begun to see wrinkles in my forehead from moving my eyebrows up and down too much (or at least that’s what my mom says haha)… she also told me to apply moisturizer from my neck to my jawline in an “upwards” motion, to defy the laws of gravity lol? That’s about the only thing that I have been doing for neck care… If I have the money and in the future I may look into the Clarin’s cream… or let my mom know and she can be the tester!
Katherine, I’m interested in this moisturizer that you use with the anti-oxidants and SPF 30! I have fair skin so it would help for extra protection in the summer, even if I am more of an indoors-y type!
Hi Gals,
Quick weigh in on anti-aging creams — one thing I’ve been looking at are active ingredients (AHAs, BHAs, etc). For a quick run down on the difference between many common ingredients, check out these old posts:
Your Skin Care Cheat Sheet: Retinols and Retinoids — gives the rundown on Vitamin A derivatives like Retinol, Retinoids, etc.
Alpha and Beta Hydroxy Acids: Which One Is Right for You? — explains the difference between AHA’s and BHA’s
I just slather my regular moisturizer, which has SPF 15, onto my neck. And I only recently started doing that. I’m only 24 (25 next month) but I’m going for prevention here. All my life I’ve neglected and abused the skin around my eyes (I wear contacts, and in the past have been known to rub my eyes hard.) Now, already I have lines under my eyes. Small ones, but they weren’t there 6 months ago! So I figure it pays to take care of your skin early on. I don’t know about a separate cream for the neck, though. Sounds like a marketing ploy to me.
Mostly I use a moisturizing sunscreen on my neck and chest. I recently switched to a new Coppertone sunscreen called Nutrashield which was recommended in Allure because it incorporates antioxidants with the sunscreen. I’m using the spf 70 for faces and so far I really like it, although I haven’t seen a miraculous CGI-like improvement in my skin yet, LOL!
Rachael – I use mark.’s “For Goodness Face” moisturizer. I’m also very pale (and freckled!) so I like the high SPF. I’ve used it for about a month now and I really like it.
Another fave is Dove’s Daily Moisture (I think) that comes in a squeezey bottle with blue cap. It’s got SPF 15 and is only about $5 so I have it as a backup/travel moisturizer!
My fave night cream by far is The Body Shop’s Vitamin E, too. I highly recommend it.
M Lab Anti-aging, Dr. Perricone neck cream and Revive neck cream!
I use the night cream I use on my face to moisterize my neck and I do the same thing in the morning with my day cream w/spf. Right now I don’t see the need to invest in a separate neck cream…I’m just not convinced. LOL. I certainly wouldn’t pay $80 for a separate cream just for my neck.
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Hi Karen,
I recently started to thinking about the look of my neck too. A sagging wrinkly turkey neck is one of my biggest fears – so I have started religiously moisturizing my neck. I am also concerned about skin cancer so I have also been getting better about my sunscreen on my face and on my neck. I have started using a separate night cream and I think i’m not that far from buying a firming neck cream. I just need to save up for a good one. Also I have tried to use my eye cream daily and nightly.
I turn 35 next year and I realize that I have to make skincare a healthy habit especially since I’ve always had a problem with eczema where I would just slap on some ointment and call it a day.
I also neglected my neck for years and am starting to realize that probably wasn’t a great move. As a result, I recently purchased ROC Retinol Correxion Deep Wrinkle Night Cream (at Costco – then my mom gave me the tubes she also bought a Costco but couldn’t use! SCORE). Anyway – I use it at night all over my face and neck, and I also use it in the morning under my SPF moisturizer just on my eyes, forehead and neck (the places that need it most). I just started using it about a week ago, and haven’t noticed any visible results yet, but here’s hoping!
Another night cream I have recently found and love is Boots – available at Target. I also just bought their No. 7 moisturizing facial wipes. Used one last night in a moment of laziness and really liked it. Took off all my makeup, inluding mascara and was very gentle.
Hm, I don’t normally put anything on my neck as that area just loves to become rashy. If I do, I just use my Aveeno Daily Moisturizing Lotion with SPF 15.
If I absolutely need to put on higher sunscreen, I buy the sensitive skin, hypo-allergenic, non-cosmogenic, fragrance-free, dermatologist-tested SPF 40 formula from Coppertone (it even says it on the bottle). I haven’t tried the Neutrogena or Aveeno formulas yet because I generally don’t go higher than SPF 15 so I can get my Vitamin D.
$80 for a neck cream? It better be made in gold if I’m going to pay that much for it!
I use my regular moisturizer which also contains SPF. That’s good enough for me, for now. Oh and I also put my night cream on before bed, all over my neck and sometimes my chest.
I recently started working at a Clarins counter, and I can’t keep that stuff in stock! My customers swear that it makes a difference in the tautness of the neck skin, and that they’d be spending the $$$ on extra face cream anyway. I’m sure to remind then to wear and reapply an spf 15+ daily to keep that skin young—most Clarins counters have samples, by the way, so hopefully, you all can try some first!
I’m not so convinced by the separate cream, lol… but I know I have to kick my butt into gear and not be so lazy about putting moisturizer and sunscreen on my neck, chest and ears as well. I try to wear a scarf most days, but I have noticed my chest getting a little pinker than the rest of me. It’s a little unfortunate that my skin on my neck and chest is really sensitive, so whenever I rub something into the skin, it gets red and a little irritated. I’m always afraid I’m going to give myself hives or something! But I think I just have to suck it up lol.
I’m not so convinced by the separate cream, lol… but I know I have to kick my butt into gear and not be so lazy about putting moisturizer and sunscreen on my neck, chest and ears as well. I try to wear a scarf most days, but I have noticed my chest getting a little pinker than the rest of me. It’s a little unfortunate that my skin on my neck and chest is really sensitive, so whenever I rub something into the skin, it gets red and a little irritated. I’m always afraid I’m going to give myself hives or something! But I think I just have to suck it up lol.
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Whoops! Sorry for the double post there. My computer’s acting up a little…
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I had the same doubts about the Clarins neck cream until I had used it for a month. I read Nora Ephron’s book, I FEEL BAD ABOUT MY NECK and realized that at 52 years old I had no time to lose. I could choke and spend the money or face a future of wearing a scarf every day – which, by the way, would look ridiculous on 100F days in the Memphis summers. I opted for the Clarins neck cream & cut back a bit on shoes.
*Gasp* I never used a neck cream…
Need to start today…
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yup! whatever i do to my face i do to my neck. when i cleanse my face i cleanse my neck, when i exfoliate my face, i exfoliate my neck, when i put face cream on my face, i use it on my neck!
Hi! I just turned 24, I have separate creams for day and night use (Around $15-$20)”Ponds Night and Day Cream”, I started using this when I was 21 years old.I use it for my face and neck (i also apply sunscreen for added protection “Nivea SFP 30”)and so far it shows that I dont have wrinkles even my friends told me that I still look the same back when we were in college.
To be honest, I only started putting moisturizer on my neck since I’ve been reading this blog. Thanks for the heads up Karen. I never in a million years would have ever thought to treat my neck w/ the same care as I do my face.
As for what I use, whatever comes in the Clinique bonus set 😛 I have zero gravity repairwear and the new youth surge.
This neck cream has a wonderful fragrance and I do believe that Clarins makes the best body firming/lifting products. That said, I don’t think this cream is very hydrating. I tried a sample and would wake up with lines on my neck/chest as if I hadn’t used it at all. However, their body supplement (just a few drops mixed into my regular moisturizer) is doing marvelous things in terms of lifting & toning – plus no morning lines. It also doesn’t have the strong scent of the neck cream.
Your ranting about “moisturizer-induced sticky neck syndrome” always crack me up. I’m surprised you didn’t mention your pet peev in this entry. ;p
I do moisturize my neck, but with regular moisturizer. I’ve heard before to start using anti aging a.s.a.p and ever since then, moisturizing my neck as well as my eyes has become normal. I’m still quite young though and have other skin problem other than warding off nonexistent wrinkles. With that, I won’t be buying separate neck cream any time soon.
Hi Karen- reading Cindy Crawford’s comments in the April issue of Allure got me thinking about this subject, too. I am very regimented when it comes to my skincare routine and even sun protection, but never really gave a second thought to my neck/decollete. I just use my normal body moisturizer on these areas, but have been wondering lately if a specialized neck cream would make a difference. I’ve heard good things about Bliss Thinny Thin Chin…
I must admit im very lazy when it comes to my skin care,and at 33 i really should try harder lol. My excuse is that i still get spots,so my skin must think im a teenager lol.
When i remember i just use a normal moisturizer with spf on my face and neck,stroking it up my neck towards my face.
Hi Karen
I’m 20 and I never EVER moisturised my neck. Thanks to your forewarnings I have now started, but I just use my regular Clarins Hydraquench moisturiser on my neck (and face) and wear sunscreen.
You know, if that Clarins neck cream is for those over 40 it wouldn’t be suitable for you AT ALL! I don’t know if you know, but L’Oreal did some research and came out with the conclusion that Asian women have skin which ages 10 years slower than their caucasian counterparts. So products which say that they’re for 40+ won’t be applicable to you until you’re 50. Ahahaha~!
Unfortunately though, once you hit 50 something everyone’s skin becomes the same D=
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E Burnham puts a product called retinol Neck & Decollete Firming Cream that is alot less $ and works really good. Check out their website