A Nora Ephron book is the reason I started using neck cream.
In my 40s, I read the late Nora Ephron's I Feel Bad About My Neck, and it stuck with me. It's a funny, honest book about getting older, and the part that got me was her hating how her neck looked while her dermatologist told her there was no quick fix. That's when I started using neck cream. That's me in the photo, 10 years ago, with the 100% Pure neck cream I still use today.
Here's the catch. With my strict no-list on ingredients, natural dedicated neck creams are hard to find, there just aren't many. These are the good natural ones I've tracked down.
Why does the neck age faster than the face?
The skin on the neck is thinner than the face and has far fewer oil glands, so it makes fewer of the natural lipids that keep skin soft and hydrated. It also has fewer of the melanin-producing cells that give the face a bit of built-in defence against the sun, which is why the neck and décolletage are so prone to sun damage, and why SPF there matters as much as on the face. The natural collagen changes around perimenopause and menopause play a part too, which is why the neck often shows its age before the face.
Can I use my face cream on my neck?
You can, and it beats skipping the area. But dedicated neck creams are made for that thinner skin, and they target firmness and the look of the jawline, so they do more for the neck and décolletage. For overnight, some night creams work on both face and neck, and I've rounded those up in my guide to natural night creams.
The natural neck creams I've found and how they work
100% Pure Retinol Restorative Neck Cream
My favourite, and the one I've used longest, is the 100% Pure Retinol Restorative Neck Cream. It's got natural retinol to soften the look of fine lines, hydrolysed quinoa and niacinamide for a firmer, brighter look, and olive squalane and hyaluronic acid for the moisture the neck needs. It covers the whole neck and décolletage in one step.
Metamorphosis Revival Neck & Décolletage Cream
If you're peri or menopausal, this one is made for you. The Metamorphosis Revival Neck & Décolletage Cream is an award-winner with phytoestrogens, L-arginine, soy proteins and rosemary oil, all chosen to support skin through the hormonal shift.
Dr Hauschka Regenerating Neck and Décolleté Cream
I love anything that saves time and money, and this one does both jobs, face and neck, so it's the only cream you need for either. The Dr Hauschka Regenerating Neck and Décolleté Cream is made for skin 40 and over and certified to NATRUE standard, with marsh mallow, birch and red clover for hydration and macadamia and argan oils to soften. It's a little pricier, but worth it for one cream that covers both.
The Jojoba Company Neck & Décolletage Lifting Concentrate
For a clinical study to back it up, there's The Jojoba Company Neck & Décolletage Lifting Concentrate, a firming serum rather than a cream. Used twice daily, the trial showed skin elasticity up 78% and neck wrinkle volume down 21%. Alongside the brand's bio-active ingredients, it has jojoba, hyaluronic acid and jojoba leaf extract to keep this often-forgotten area smooth and supple.
About the Author ~ Irene Falcone
Irene Falcone is a clean beauty writer and co-host of a wellness podcast. She has spent more than 15 years reading the back of beauty labels, and is a Telstra Business Women's Awards winner and a judge for the Clean + Conscious Awards.
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