3 Simple Tips to Help Make Your Neck Look Younger
Your neck can be a tough spot on your body. We usually apply all of the products of our skincare routine on the face, but neglect the area right below. There aren't many treatments or surgical procedures for your neck, so it's important you're caring for it properly. First off, you should definitely be rubbing in products on your neck to keep it smooth and more youthful-looking. But you should also be mindful of the products you're using and how you're applying them. (Don't worry, these tips are super simple.) Follow these expert recommendations to get a more youthful-looking neck.
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Apply Sunscreen
In case you weren't aware, a good SPF is one of the most important parts of your daily routine, and you should apply it every single day. Your neck is exposed to the same stressors (UV rays, pollution, and gravity, to name three) as your face, so that skin needs the same level of care. "One of my commandments is: Do unto your neck and chest as you do unto your face," says dermatologist Mona Gohara, M.D., in Hamden, Connecticut. Anything you smooth onto your face, including antiaging serum and sunscreen, should be smoothed on all the way down to your bra line. The SPF number, in particular, is crucial. Gohara recommends a broad-spectrum SPF 30 or higher. One popular product to try is the Supergoop! Glowscreen Sunscreen SPF 40 ($36, Sephora). As with your face, you should be reapplying sun protection every couple of hours. Powder sunscreen makes that easier, in part, because you can dust it over makeup. Check out the top-rated Set & Protect Mineral Sunscreen Powder Broad Spectrum SPF 30 ($28, Tarte).
Moisturize Effectively
When it comes to moisturizing, it turns out neck creams aren’t marketing hype. “There are fewer sebaceous glands on the neck,” says Jeanine Downie, M.D., a dermatologist in Montclair, New Jersey. “Therefore, the neck tends to be drier, and your regular face cream might not be hydrating enough.” Try the Ageless Phyto-Retinol Neck Cream ($52, Bare Minerals). Pair it with your usual routine, which ideally includes a daytime antioxidant serum and evening retinol. Try the Farmacy Very Cherry Bright 15% Clean Vitamin C Serum with Acerola Cherry ($62, Sephora) and L'Oréal Revitalift Derm Intensives Hyaluronic Acid Face Serum ($30, Ulta).
Blend Your Makeup
Your neck and décolletage deserve special attention when applying makeup, especially if you wear foundation or tinted moisturizer. Otherwise, you risk the dreaded two-tone effect where your face and neck color don’t match. Los Angeles makeup artist Jillian Dempsey always does what she calls a brush-down: “You take 50% of what you’ve put on your face and gently buff it down onto your neck.” This gets rid of any harsh lines.
Alternatively, she suggests tapping a matte, non-shimmery bronzing powder on your neck to warm it. An excellent option is the Tarte Amazonian Clay Matte Waterproof Bronzer ($30, Sephora). "Use a fluffy, loose-hair brush,” she says. “It’s more forgiving, and you won’t get those weird streaks that a stiff-bristle brush can sometimes leave." Try the Sephora Collection Makeup Match Brush ($18, Sephora).
To emphasize collarbones, Dempsey dabs on Milk Makeup Mini Highlighter in Lit ($20, Milk Makeup). “It’s a golden shimmer stick that brightens the skin and balances any kind of discoloration,” she says. “It gives you that smoothing effect people go for—without having to use a lot of makeup.”
