Many of us barely have time for a facial skincare routine, let alone factoring in time and money for our necks and chests. Yet these areas show signs of ageing much sooner meaning it’s worth investing in the best neck cream sooner rather than later.
This is because the skin around the neck and so-called décolleté area (a fancy name for your chest and cleavage) is fragile, finer and more delicate than on our faces.
So often, people spend a great amount of time, effort and money nourishing their faces with anti-ageing creams, moisturisers, oils and serums and ignore other areas that are just as much on show.
Therefore, especially as we get older, it’s essential we give our neck and cleavage area the TLC it truly deserves. Fortunately, there is a whole host of creams on the market formulated to combat the signs of ageing around the neck and décolleté area. Below we have handpicked some of our favourites for you to try.
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£25 | Buy now
Why we love it: If you’re looking to refresh mature skin and help it regain its natural radiance, Ageless by Prai is for you. Not only is it fantastic at toning your neck and décolleté skin, it gives mature skin an incredible shine while improving skin elasticity.
Prai Beauty’s bestselling range of products is an absolute favourite of ours. It contains no harsh chemicals; is cruelty-free and is suitable for vegans. It uses so-called SEPILIFT DPHP technology, along with a mix of mulberry, saxifrage and grape seed extracts, to brighten the skin and help fight the appearance of age spots.
It can also tackle other forms of discolouration within the first seven days of use. Finished with a combination of Prai oil (from which the entire brand gets its name), shea butter and hyaluronic acid, this crème is highly nourishing on the skin and helps maintain a supple, youthful appearance.
Buy now from Boots
£16.45 | Buy now
Why we love it: If you’re anything like us and you often forget to apply neck and chest creams, this serum spray is a fantastic alternative. It’s also an ideal way to keep your neck and chest hydrated. Simply spray this serum on your skin and let it sink in. You can massage the serum into your skin, as the motion of massage can enhance the effect, but if you don’t want – or don’t have time – you don’t have to.
It contains 5% niacinamide (Vitamin PP) – a wonder ingredient that helps brighten and lighten the skin, which means this serum can reduce the look of sun and age spots.
It additionally has 4% Idealift Peptides to fight the visible effects of sagging, while Oligogeline helps boost and lift, and Kigeline improves skin firmness and elasticity. You can read more about this in our best firming lotion list.
What’s great is that you don’t need to be a Beauty Pie member to give this serum a whirl. Simply add to your basket and Beauty Pie will give you a “day pass” meaning you can get members’ prices without signing up. However, we highly rate a huge number of Beauty Pie products and we believe membership is more than worth it. If you’re keen to know more, check out our Spotlight on Beauty Pie UK.
FURTHER READING: Beauty Pie reviews: We put the best Beauty Pie products to the test to see if a membership is actually worth it
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£53 | Buy now
Why we love it: Elemis Pro Collagen Balm combines nature’s finest skin savers with scientific expertise to create skincare that delivers visible results.
This formula is enriched with Omega 7 in sea buckthorn to repair and heal damaged skin (in particular age-related hyperpigmentation), padina pavonica which is a natural filler and nourisher to smooth fine lines, polysaccharides to instantly tighten, and amino acid-packed algae which works like collagen to increase elasticity.
This balm also stimulates calcium production, which supports the building blocks of the skin meaning that the neck area appears firmer and smoother. Another bonus is that the rose and mimosa scent is incredible!
While the price tag is high, a little of this product goes a long way: two-three pumps easily serves the whole neck and chest area so it’s worth the investment in our opinion.
Buy now from Lookfantastic
£11.99 | Buy now
Why we love it: The L’Oreal Age Perfect Retightening Anti Ageing Collagen Day Cream easily absorbs and is non-greasy. Its re-hydrating formula targets the sagging of the skin, while melanin-block helps reduce the appearance of age spots. What’s more, the pump dispenses the correct amount to use each time so you know there is no wastage when using this lotion.
This day cream is also enriched with Collagen AA Fractions, perfect for mature skin, and after just one use, skin feels hydrated, smoother and plumper.
L’Oréal is a high-street favourite when it comes to skincare and the price of this product, with its immediate effect, is worth every penny.
Buy now from Superdrug
£44 | Buy now
Why we love it: IT Cosmetics was created by Jamie Kern Lima who was a former title winner of Miss Washington in 1999. She wanted to build a community of self-love and her skincare is all based around being confident in your skin. You can read all about IT Cosmetics as it was one of our Brand Spotlights series.
As a result, IT Cosmetics has gained recognition for its brilliant CC creams and moisturisers and this Neck Cream is (almost) second to none. The only reason is doesn’t feature higher up this list of the best neck creams is because of its price.
With amazing reviews, this cream helps transform the appearance of your neck, neckline and chest; it helps improve the horizontal lines that you get around your neck leaving your skin around your neck firm, hydrated and rejuvenated. It’s great for all skin types, too.
Using ingredients such as fucoidan seaweed extract, shea butter and a Tri-Structural Complex – composed of elastin, collagen and hyaluronic acid – this moisturiser will give you the appearance of younger-looking skin.
Within a week use of day and night, there has been a visible difference and with continued use, you will notice a powerful difference, your neck looking tighter and firmer.
See our science of moisturiser article or our What is hyaluronic acid guide? for more info.
Buy now from Boots
£16.50 | Buy now
Why we love it: This neck cream, from Sanctuary Spa is incredible value for money and outperforms many more expensive creams on the market.
The formula is perfect for dry and dehydrated skin, and can be used as a day and night cream for an extra shot of moisture.
It’s enriched with nourishing shea butter and hydrating hyaluronic acid to give thirsty skin an instant glow, and it gives the neck and décolleté area a plumped and firmer look in a matter of weeks.
The rose geranium essential oil and rosa centifolia flower extract, combined with lavender and frankincense essential oils, gives this product a beautiful and relaxing long-lasting scent.
Buy now from Amazon
£38 | Buy now
Why we love it: The Perfect Cleavage Firming Lotion by This Works is a great combination of natural essential oils and plant extracts.
This formulation makes this entry in our list of best neck crems extremely effective at tightening and brightening the delicate neck and cleavage area.
It’s enriched with a blend of tightening larch extract, soothing algae, renewing rose and cell renewal boosting comfrey root, plus brightening Vitamin C for reducing UV exposure damage.
It smells great, leaves skin with a beautiful sheen and it’s good value for money.
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£22.95 | Buy now from Amazon
Why we love it: Yeouth’s firming neck cream is packed with antioxidants including green tea, which encourages cell healing to protect and repair ageing skin, Vitamin C to improve collagen, synthesise and brighten skin, and argireline to help relax the muscles to delay the appearance of wrinkles.
After only a few applications, the skin around our neck and cleavage area appeared hydrated and firmer, and uneven skin tones were more balance.
At just under the £30 mark, it’s safe to say the results achieved from this product are great value for money.
Buy now from Amazon
£16.99 | Buy now
Why we love it: This deeply moisturising neck and décolleté cream from IMIM is infused with a combination of peptides to stimulate natural cell collagen and elastin production, and speed up cell renewal to improve skin elasticity and firmness.
It leaves skin feeling super soft after only a few applications.
This formula is fantastic for those with sensitive skin as it does not include any harsh chemicals, sulfates, parabens and fragrance (read more about these in our guide to clean beauty). It’s also cruelty free and suitable for vegans. It certainly lives up to its loyal online following.
Buy now from Amazon
As we age, the muscles in our neck weaken and skin loses its elasticity. Posture and weight loss can also cause sagging. Combined with the fact our neck has fewer oil glands, it means that this area of the skin is more vulnerable to dryness, age spots, sun damage, and over time, wrinkles.
Neck firming creams work by rehydrating the area to counteract this loss of moisture. Firming neck creams also contain ingredients designed to help increase cell turnover and boost collagen and elastin. These are the building blocks of youthful skin so firming neck creams help delay the signs of ageing and sagging.
Contrary to popular belief, the best neck creams aren’t face creams under a different name. They’re not a marketing ploy. Neck creams are, in fact, often thicker and contain ingredients to help lift and tighten the skin as it loses collagen and elastin over time.
You can read more about this in our guide on how to prevent wrinkles, and our explainer about what happens to skin and hair during menopause.
While you can absolutely get away with using everyday face creams on this specific area in your early 20s, as you get older, it’s best to invest in a targeted neck cream.
According to Faye Purcell, Q+A‘s Skincare Expert and Development Chemist, you need to make sure you exfoliate your neck before applying any creams. Dead skin cells make it look dull and dry and using a gentle exfoliator, containing acids such as glycolic, lactic, or salicylic, will create a blank canvas.
“Apply your products to the neck in upwards strokes to help lift and stimulate the skin and reduce sagging,” Purcell continues. “Always apply SPF to your neck and extend it all the way around to the ears and remember to cleanse your neck at the end of the day when washing your face as this will help get rid of any dirt and build-up.”
As an added tip, she added that exercising your neck muscles can help improve the effectiveness of firming creams. To do this, raise your head so that your chin is facing upwards to the sky, then move your jaw forward to feel a slight stretch in your chin. Hold for 3 seconds and repeat 10 times.
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Annie has a degree in Multimedia Journalism from Bournemouth University. Since graduating, Annie has freelanced for a travel magazine and is a senior account executive for a technology PR consultancy based in London, where her main role is content creation.
