Beauty Clinic: Neck treatments to plump and firm
Q. I am in need of a good neck firming and plumping cream and very confused by so many products on the market. Have you any advice? A. There are some beauty products that achieve near iconic status. One of these is definitely Clarins Super Restorative Décolleté and Neck Concentrate/£51 for 75 ml, which has consistently triumphed in Beauty Bible trials of neck treatments, romping in top of the leader table.
As we said in The Anti-Ageing Beauty Bible, this fluid treatment is instantly skin-firming and moisturising – plus it features a combination of plant extracts formulated to support longer-term effects. Clarins also recommend a specific one-minute massage to supercharge the results – the instructions are slipped inside the box.
Among the comments from testers was this: Absolutely huge improvements: I have tried other (expensive) brands but I can now see benefits as never before. I had a real neck complex and grew my hair longer to hide it. Today I am considering a shorter bob.’
One thing we do say is please extend whatever product you choose down your décolleté, which gets very crêpey too.
As well as this top award winner, our personal favourites (also Beauty Bible award winners) include Liz Earle Superskin Concentrate/£21 for 10 ml rollerball. Comments include ‘Neck is certainly less craggy, has eliminated all signs of crêpiness and dryness, lines finer and less visible, skin moisturised and supple’. And also This Works Perfect Cleavage Firming Lotion/£38 for 60ml. One tester said ‘ less crêpiness with this lovely serum – I have gone and bought a couple more, which says it all…’.
When it comes to a smaller initial investment, Sarah has been trying – and is impressed by - No7 Restore & Renew Face & Neck Multi Action Serum/£28 for 30 ml, which has a cocktail of targeted anti-ageing ingredients. Like Superskin Concentrate, you use this from hairline to bosom so it saves time. However, the tube is small and while it lasts several weeks, it might not save that many pennies if you consider that Perfect Cleavage is a tenner more for twice as much.
Additionally, please remember to protect your neck with a broad spectrum SPF15 or higher, whenever you expose it to the sun. As consultant dermatologist Dr. Nick Lowe told us, ‘The neck is easily damaged by sun exposure because the skin is much thinner that it is on other parts of the face and the support structure is not as effective’. UV light breaks down collagen and elastin leading to sagging. So if you’re putting SPF on your face (and you are, aren’t you?), apply it to neck (including the sides and back) and chest.
Two other tips for fending off droopy ‘turkey’ neck are to take up yoga, which stretches and strengthens the supporting muscles, and also raise the height of your computer screen. You need to be able to look straight at it rather than looking down.