What Do Neck Creams Do Exactly, And Do You Really Need To Use Them?

Though essence, moisturisers, serums, and masks have made their benefits known over the face, our necks often get neglected as far as skincare routines go. Given that they're exposed to the same amount of sun damage and environmental aggressors as our face, this might be a missed opportunity to care for them. Just think, how much time do you spend looking down at your phone every day? That’s how long the skin on your neck is being stretched and tugged at. Then factor in how often do you actually apply any skincare – sunscreen included – onto this portion of your body and you get a rough idea how much your neck goes through.

This explains why there is a need for neck creams because they are basically designed to repair and protect skin that has been neglected for years. They go beyond hydration and deeply replenish skin with powerful lifting and firming ingredients. And since sebum glands are less active on the neck and decolletage area, neck creams tend to be richer to really nourish dry and damaged skin. If you’re guilty of excessive sun exposure, you’ll also be glad to know that many neck creams are formulated with brightening ingredients like vitamin C to reduce the visible signs of photo-damage. Some of them even contain soft-focus pigments to soften the appearance of fine lines upon application for an instant fix, or anti-ageing benefits to prevent further damage.

There are specially formulated neck creams that deliver anti-ageing, brightening, and firming benefits, but you can just as easily use a power-packed face cream that delivers the same benefits. The easiest change you can make is to start incorporating your neck into your daily skincare routine. We put together a list of seven neck creams and face creams (that work just as well for the neck) to try: