How to Accentuate the Décolleté
Ready the chest and shoulders for their debut in three steps.
Written By Fiorella Valdesolo
Poets have rhapsodized about it, and artists have immortalized it; of the many focal points on a woman’s body, the décolleté and shoulders possess a particular sensuality. Décolleté comes from the French word décolleter, which quite literally means to bare the neck — a fitting allusion to its revelatory quality. But for an area so exalted, in our beauty routines it’s just as often ignored. And after many months of being ensconced in sweaters and turtlenecks and, in turn, suffering the effects of neglect more than ever, your chest and shoulders are in need of some serious TLC before they are deemed rhapsody-worthy. Here’s how to prep them for their big reveal.
HOW TO ACCENTUATE THE DÉCOLLETÉ
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SLOUGH
Because this area is particularly delicate, a super finely milled exfoliator is key. La Prairie’s gel-based formula, made with a cocktail of mineral-laced gem powders, smithsonite extract and rosa centifolia, is supremely gentle and polishes the skin to a silky, glowing finish. Lightly massage onto damp skin, rinse and pat — don’t rub — yourself dry afterward.
LA PRAIRIE CELLULAR MINERAL BODY EXFOLIATOR
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SMOOTH
The décolletage and neck are some of the first to show the telltale signs of aging, so pamper them with a formula created specifically with the area in mind. RéVive’s rich, rose-scented cream moisturizes and firms the skin; apply in upward strokes to counter gravity’s downward pull. The formula also has an SPF 15, so skin is protected from the aging effects of those pesky rays.
RÉVIVE FERMATIF NECK RENEWAL CREAM BROAD SPECTRUM SPF 15 SUNSCREEN
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SHINE
You’ve sloughed and smoothed, and now it’s time to turn up the luminosity. Just as Charlotte Tilbury’s Bronze and Glow works wonders on the face, so, too, does it for the décolleté. Use a large round brush (Violet says try Utowa’s Round Face Brush 27) to lightly dust the bronzer across the décolleté and shoulders, then use a smaller brush to swipe the highlighter over the collarbones for a more pronounced gleam.
CHARLOTTE TILBURY FILMSTAR BRONZE AND GLOW FACE SCULPT & HIGHLIGHT
See the complete quick fix kit and more at VIOLETGREY.com.
