The Neck & Décolleté Skin Care I Swear By In My 30s

I feel like every decade of my life has had a specific skin care theme. My teens were the acne-fighting years; my 20s, the great glow quest; and my 30s are all about neck and décolleté skin care. Yes, with things like tech neck, sun spots, and collagen loss rearing their ugly heads, I’ve waged a beauty battle so to speak, enlisting all manner of skin care specifically designed for the sub-chin region.

The thing is, despite all the products out there, the neck and chest are still way too often overlooked and typically neglected until the 11th hour. A shame, since many say it’s more susceptible to signs of premature aging due to the delicacy of the skin in that area. Sun damage, crepiness, and collagen breakdown are all common symptoms of neglected necks and décolletés. And I don’t remember ordering any of these things.

“On the neck, the skin starts to crepe, and not just because the skin starts to thin out [as we age], but because our facial muscles start to sag and out neck is holding everything up,” says Tera Valdez, esthetician and co-founder of microcurrent skin care company NuFace, in a recent Instagram Live post. “So naturally, when those muscles start to sag, everything [beneath it] starts to loosen.”

Yikes. For this reason, I’m on a constant quest to defy gravity and keep the area taught and smooth as can be. Over the years, I’ve developed a nice arsenal of tools, creams, serums, and masks for the space below my jawline — and I make sure to carve out a few extra minutes each day to ensure the region gets just as much love as my face.

Because the skin is so delicate and prone to dryness, I’ve learned that rich, hydrating formulas are the best way to go, so I opt for products with buzzy ingredients like hyaluronic acid, antioxidants, and peptides. In a Jan 2021 article on neck care products, board-certified dermatologist Dr. Ava Shamban told TZR that the neck has thinner skin and fewer oil glands than the face, making skin-protective ingredients like ceramides and peptides crucial.

Also, just like the contours of the face, tools and devices can (and should) be employed for the neck and chest area to keep the skin firm and lifted. I’ve long sung the praises of microcurrent wonder the NuFace Trinity for the face, and I’m happy to report it also works its sculpting and tightening magic on my neck and décoletté.

Ready for my full lineup? Ahead, check out all the items I reach for to give my neck and chest area a little TLC.

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