Key ingredients: hyaluronic acid, aloe vera extract, babassu oil, chia seed oil, jojoba seed oil, sunflower seed oil, safflower seed oil, astaxanthin, green tea extract, chebula, peptides | Who it’s for: anyone with a normal to dry skin type | Fragrance-Free: yes
Best for Crepey Skin: Beauty Pie Uber Youth Neck & Chest Super Lift Serum-Spray
Why it’s worth it: Dr. King is also a fan of Beauty Pie’s Uber Youth Re-Elastic Face and Neck Serum because its hero ingredient, licorice extract, tones down discoloration and is “rich in antioxidants to help protect the skin from damage from free radicals.” But that’s not all. Also at play are “humectants like sodium hyaluronate to hydrate the skin, emollients to support the skin barrier, and occlusives to lock in moisture—without being greasy or heavy,” Dr. King adds. It’s a great treatment for addressing lines and crepiness, which can form from a lack of moisture. Since this is a serum, we recommend following this formula with a rich moisturizer, like the Beauty Pie Super Healthy Skin Ultimate Cream.
Key ingredients: licorice root extract, sodium hyaluronate, red clover extract | Who it’s for: anyone who wants to minimize and prevent age spots | Fragrance-Free: no
Best Smoothing: Neocutis Neo Firm Neck & Décolleté Tightening Cream
Why it’s worth it: If you’re looking to target fine lines on your neck and chest, New York City-based board-certified dermatologist Arash Akhavan, MD, suggests adding the Neocutis Neo Firm Neck & Décolleté Tightening Cream to your routine. “This cream firms and tightens the neck and décolleté by diminishing the look of wrinkles with glycolic acid and leaving a more youthful look with enhanced collagen production and hydrated, smooth skin,” he says. Plus, the brand’s proprietary peptides boost the production of not one but three different types of collagen.
Key ingredients: peptides, glycolic acid, vitamin C, beetroot extract, sodium carboxymethyl beta-glucan | Who it’s for: those who need additional smoothing and tightening benefits | Fragrance-Free: yes
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does neck skin age faster?
That’s unfortunately by design. “The neck area has thin, sensitive skin compared to other parts of the body,” Joshua Zeichner, MD, director of cosmetic and clinical research in dermatology at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City, previously told Allure. Combine that with gravity and the constant craning over smartphones, and it’s an area uniquely at risk for fine lines and sagging. In other words, “tech neck” is very real.
What over-the-counter treatments and ingredients should I look out for?
Retinol is a common additive because it promotes collagen production and therefore addresses the appearance of wrinkles and improves skin texture. “This can help with skin sagging, wrinkles, and some crepiness,” Los Angeles-based board-certified dermatologist James Y. Wang, MD, of Metropolis Dermatology notes. “Since the neck is a sensitive area, the retinol concentrations tend to be low and the results are subtle.”