No matter your age, there’s no reason not to include your neckline in your skincare routine. Our necks are more susceptible to showing signs of premature ageing as neck skin is much thinner than facial skin, with fewer oil-producing sebaceous glands.
As we age, we produce less collagen and elastin, which means our skin is more prone to sagging, wrinkling and suffering from UV damage.
What’s more “the skin on our neck is more extensible and elastic,” says dermatologist Dr Sonakshi Khorana who works with Faace. “It is significantly influenced by constant movement, weight and sun exposure.” This isn’t helped by what’s now been dubbed ‘tech-neck’, our constant screen use forces us to look down at our phones, tablets and laptops exasperating creasing of the neck.
Of course, there’s nothing wrong with using the same products on your neck that you do on your face. Just pay attention to the ingredients list, as delicate skin is more likely to be sensitive or react to potent actives.
Nevertheless, don’t think a dedicated neck cream is an indulgent buy – there are benefits to using a separate product. Not only will it encourage you to give the neck area the same TLC you give your face but, with ingredients that actually target the delicate area, you are going to get the best results: be it combating crepiness, sagginess, discolouration or lines and wrinkles.
How we tested the best neck creams
Our tester put the latest neck creams on trial, using them for a minimum of 30 days. Each was used as instructed by the brand, both as part of a morning and evening skincare routine. We looked at how they made the neck and décolletage feel but, ultimately, we looked at whether they made a difference to the skin’s appearance. Let us introduce you to the neck’s best thing….
Why trust us
Sabine Wiesel is a beauty editor with over 14 years of experience in the cosmetics field, specifically for women over 30. She’s an expert on all things affordable and luxury anti-ageing skincare and used her in depth product know-how to curate this, the conclusive guide to the best neck creams.
The best neck creams for 2024 are:
Neostrata triple firming neck cream
Rich, yet non-greasy, this neck cream targets multiple signs of ageing. If you’re not familiar with the key ingredients, the triple blend of hard-working actives works to resurface and brighten discolouration, stimulate collagen production and support the skin’s structure to plump and smooth lines and firm the neckline.
One pump is all you need in your morning and evening skincare routines, applying in upwards motions from your décolletage to your jawline. We loved how quickly we saw results with this product. After just three days of use, the nourishing formula made our skin feel beautifully smooth. Play the long game, as we did, and you can expect to see a more even skin tone and texture after a month, with a firming effect taking place, too.
Buy now £59.64, Amazon.co.uk
Prai ageless throat and décolletage crème
One of these cult neck creams is said to be sold every 60 seconds worldwide. The reason this award-winning neck cream is so popular is it’s affordable and effective – boasting squalane, hyaluronic acid and shea butter to hydrate and lock in moisture, vitamins A, E and F to protect and repair, and a handful of natural extracts to brighten and help with age spots. The company’s not-so-secret ingredient, sepilift, which has a firming and moisturising action on the skin, is another stand-out that makes the formula unique.
It promises results in just seven days, and we quickly started to see results in the form of less visible fine lines, but we found you do have to persevere for it to work on sagging and crepey skin.
Buy now £28.99, Amazon.co.uk
Elemis pro-collagen neck & décolleté balm
Part of the iconic pro-collagen collection, if you’re a fan of Elemis’s marine cream (who isn’t?) you’ll love this formula dedicated to the delicate neck area. This also contains marine extracts that are teamed with antioxidant and vitamin-rich ingredients for a skin-protecting and rejuvenating formula.
For some instant gratification, the super-light, slightly fragranced, balm immediately absorbs into the skin, leaving the area feeling silky and supple, but its youth-boosting properties get to work quickly, too. After one month’s use, we were impressed to see crepey skin looking smoother and a reduction in the look of fine lines.
Buy now £59.00, Lookfantastic.com
Necessaire the neck serum
Much more than just chic, minimalistic packaging, Necessaire uses results-driven ingredients in its bodycare products, for real replenishing and renewing results. A stand-out for us in its line-up is this fragrance-free neck serum that we can’t get enough of. It’s a powerhouse of five skin-strengthening peptides that help support the production of collagen, leading to smooth and firmer skin. It’s further boosted with nourishing squalane and superstar active niacinamide, which diminishes lines and improves uneven skin tone.
Light and luxe in texture, the serum leaves the neck feeling comfortably cushioned with a veil of dewiness on the skin when first applied. After a few days of use, we started to notice a difference in how well-hydrated the area not only felt but looked. With ongoing use, we started to see a more defined neckline.
Buy now £64.00, Sephora.co.uk
Gatineau Paris defi lift firming neck and decollete gel
When you first apply this velvety gel, you notice how cooling it feels on the skin. Left to absorb, it leaves the neck and décolletage instantly feeling better hydrated (our skin would drink up the formula) but best of all it also blankets the skin in glow. This is thanks to its infusion of rejuvenating ingredients that not only work to tone and firm the skin but perk-up dullness and reduce redness.
We saw ongoing benefits the longer we used this gel. It brightened the skin tone, toned crepiness and smoothed necklace lines so well that we missed it in our routine when we stopped using it – always a sign of a great product. The key with this one is to keep going and you’ll see better and better results.
Buy now £56.00, Amazon.co.uk
Strivectin TL advanced tightening neck cream
As it’s the number one bestselling neck cream in the US, we expected big things from this product.
It’s powered by a form of niacin, or vitamin B5, that strengthens the skin barrier and prevents moisture loss – a hero ingredient in all the brand’s formulations. It’s also full of lifting and brightening ingredients.
This did nothing but impress, as, after two weeks of continuous use, lines and creases looked less visible and a toning effect had already set in.
Buy now £48.49, Amazon.co.uk
Meder arma-neck cream
Dermatologist-founded skincare brand Meder focuses on microbiome-friendly formulas without any harsh actives, making it a fine choice for those on the sensitive side or susceptible to irritation.
The hero ingredient in this bottle is a powerful peptide that stimulates the production of skin-plumping collagen, calms skin irritation and increases the skin’s hyaluronic acid levels.
Teamed with anti-oxidant and nourishing sweet almond oil and vitamin E, you can expect an all-round gentle formulation, which we found smoothed lines in a matter of weeks.
Buy now £90.00, Mederbeauty.com
SkinCeuticals tripeptide-r neck repair
Perfecting a formula that contains retinol – the gold standard in skin-rejuvenating actives – but is still tolerable to the delicate neck area was always going to be a tough ask. However, if there’s a skincare brand that could do it, and do it well, it’s SkinCeuticals. The brand has always been ahead of the game when it comes to retinol skincare.
You have to build up a tolerance with this one, so, go easy to start with. Try every other night to begin with, in your evening skincare routine only, and remember to wear SPF the next day, applied down to your chest, as the retinol will make the skin more sensitive to the sun.
Like all retinol formulations, perseverance is key. We started to see visibly long-term results after a month with this one, in the form of a stronger and firmer skin texture, teamed with a reduction to the look of deeper lines.
Buy now £120.99, Facethefuture.co.uk
Sisley neck cream
While most skincare brands are new to neck creams, Sisley first introduced one back in the Eighties, so, they know a thing or two about formulating a top-tier product.
The light, luxe texture of this cream felt refreshing when massaged into the skin and it melted in an instant, thanks to soothing and nourishing shea butter and sunflower oil.
The immediate firming effect we saw comes from oat seed extract and rhatany, which is a plant-based astringent that tightens the skin temporarily. However, for long-term results, the caffeine, red algae and horse chestnut work their magic alongside moisturising ingredients that smooth and plump fine lines.
Buy now £148.00, Spacenk.com
The verdict: Neck creams
Targeting all the signs of ageing on our necklines, the Neostrata triple-firming neck cream bags the top spot as our best buy. Make it part of your daily morning and evening skincare routine and you can expect to see a more even skin tone from the jawline to the décolletage, as well as less prominent lines and a firmer feel and look to the skin.
Looking to spend less outright? The Prai ageless throat and décolletage crème is effective, too, and our favourite purse-friendly option.
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