Best Neck Skin Firming Cream To Tighten, Lift And Smooth Sagging
We pay love, care and attention to our complexions with an army of rich, nourishing creams – but so often that ends at the jawline.
At a recent dinner of beauty journalists, a dermatologist asked the group how many of us wash our necks when we cleanse at the beginning and end of the day. The minimal hands raised was illuminating. The problem is, our necks are exposed to the same external aggressors as our face, but generally with no SPF applied and skin-stressing dirt and grime not effectively removed. This, alongside the thinness of the skin, makes the area prone to developing wrinkles and sagging.
Vogue’s pick of the best firming neck creams at a glance:
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Dr Rachna Murthy, co-founder FaceRestoration, explains, “Neck skin is uniquely delicate – thinner than the face, with fewer oil glands – which is why it often shows signs of ageing first (or just after the eye area, which has no oil glands in the skin)”. Then there are concerns like ‘tech neck’ to contend with, which the expert describes as when “fine horizontal lines that form from constant screen use”.
The proof that this is a growing concern can be seen in the ever-increasing quantity of aesthetic treatments designed specifically for the neck. Much like the face, you can have all manner of injectables – from Profhilo to polynucleotides – applied as well as radiofrequency or laser. But as a preventative measure, or as a less drastic solution, a neck firming cream is a simple, easy and cost-friendly way to care for your décolletage with effective results. Skin improvement and rejuvenation should not start and end with solely the face.
We reached out to four experts to find out whether it is worth investing in a neck firming cream, whether you need a separate cream from the one used on your face and what to look for when purchasing.
In this article:
Shop the Vogue edit of firming neck creams
Trinny The Elevator
Trinny London
The Elevator Neck Concentrate
- Why we love it: “In recent years, I’ve noticed deeper horizontal lines forming across my neck, and combined with the pigmentation left behind by hormonal acne, I often feel quite self-conscious. Trinny’s fast-absorbing formula is a concentrated serum-moisturiser hybrid, which pampers and firms skin without clogging pores. After 4 weeks, my lines haven’t disappeared completely but they are a lot less deep, and I’ve seen great improvements to the dark spots and blemishes that usually crop up on my jawline and chest. It’s an investment, but it is worth the spend if you tend to neglect your neck.” – Tracy Achonwa, beauty writer
- Ingredients: Alpha arbutin, Isodonis Japonicus plant
- Who it’s for: Combatting tech neck and sagging jowls
- Size: 50ml
Medik8 Advanced Pro-Collagen+ Peptide Cream
Medik8
Advanced Pro-Collagen+ Peptide Cream
- Why we love it: For skin that has experienced a loss of firmness and elasticity – be it on the face or neck – the high-performance formula of Medik8’s Advanced Pro-Collagen+ Peptide Cream is designed to tackle it by encouraging collagen production. This is done through the power of peptides and the brand’s own trademarked Growth Factor Mini Protein. They are designed to restore the skin and encourage firmness. In an independent clinical trial, elasticity was increased in just a week and hydration improved by 35 per cent.
- Ingredients: Growth Factor MiniProtein, NAD+ Longevity Booster, Anti-A.G.E. Peptide
- Who it’s for: For those with deep wrinkles
- Size: 50ml
SkinCeuticals TriPeptide R Neck Repair Cream
Skinceuticals
Tripeptide R Neck Repair Cream
- Why we love it: Packed with pure retinol, this anti-ageing cream has been clinically proven to restore firmness and elasticity to the skin of the neck over time. It works best as a preventative measure when you first start to notice fine lines appearing, but you can also apply to existing ones, where the science-backed tri-functional technology enhances the absorption of the formula. Even so, the cream is lightweight and so well-suited for the delicate neck area.
- Ingredients: Pure retinol, tripeptide concentrate, glaucine complex
- Who it’s for: It is ideal for ageing skin, and has been proven to combat dryness.
- Size: 50ml
Beauty Pie Über Youth
- Why we love it: This product takes a different approach to typical neck treatments. It comes in spray form for the simplest application on the market. The serum within the Über Youth combines a whole host of hard-working restorative ingredients that were selected to minimise the appearance of sagging, crepey skin, as well as age spots. Beauty Pie recommends following with SPF.
- Ingredients: Niacinamide, vitamin B3
- Who it’s for: It is ideal for sun-damaged skin at the décolleté
- Size: 95ml
StriVectin Peptight Tightening Neck Serum Roller
StriVectin
Peptight Tightening Neck Serum Roller
- Why we love it: With a cooling tip, StriVectin’s serum rolls over the neck area to smooth as it imparts its potent lifting peptide-infused formula. It was created specifically to target tech neck with the motion designed to enhance absorption. Used regularly, you should notice a firming of the telltale horizontal lines that develop from looking down at our phones.
- Ingredients: Honey Locust Seed Extract, Lifting Dipeptides, Arctic Marine Ferment
- Who it’s for: It’s for those looking to firm, smooth and soften
- Size: 50ml
Elemis Pro-Collagen Neck Decollete Balm
Elemis
Pro-Collagen Neck Decollete Balm
- Why we love it: There is no product in the Pro-Collagen collection that hasn’t solidified its place in our skincare rotation – and the Neck Decollete Balm is no different. First and foremost, it has the same delicious aroma as the rest of the collection, as well as the star Mediterranean-derived ingredient, Padina Pavonica, that boosts hydration. There is also sea buckthorn oil which is rich in skin-loving vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and fatty acids to support the skin barrier of the delicate neck area. But the lifting and firming comes from the tree fern extract that works to increase elasticity.
- Ingredients: Padina Pavonica, Tree Fern Extract, Sea Buckthorn Oil
- Who it’s for: It’s ideal for those looking to combat crepiness
- Size: 50ml
Elizabeth Arden Prevage Anti-Aging Neck and Décolleté Firm & Repair Cream
Elizabeth Arden
Prevage Anti-Aging Neck and Décolleté Firm & Repair Cream
- Why we love it: The accolades keep coming for the Prevage Firm & Repair Cream that has been a long-standing favourite in the space for nearly two decades. It has been clinically proven to smooth the skin and leave the neck area feeling restored and healthy. The texture absorbs quickly into the skin, softening crepeiness and crease lines, while combatting sagging.
- Ingredients: Idebenone, Thiotaine and Vitamin E Derivative
- Who it’s for: It’s made for those looking to restore sagging
- Size: 50ml
Sisley-Paris Neck Cream: The Enriched Formula
Sisley
Neck Cream: The Enriched Formula
- Why we love it: Supporting the skin barrier and health of the neck area, Sisley has the luxury solution. The cream is brimming with nourishing ingredients like the beloved shea butter and vitamin E, as well as some more unusual, lesser-known elements that work in tandem to lift and firm as skin starts to need extra care. It has a rich texture and lovely fresh scent.
- Ingredients: Oat seed extract, Rhatany extract, Lady’s Mantle extract, Soy fibre extract, Red Algae extract and Caffeine
- Who it’s for: It’s ideal for lifting and firming with buzzy ingredients
- Size: 50ml
FAQs
Do neck creams really work? What about on tech neck?
“Neck creams can absolutely help, especially when used consistently”, explains Dr Maryam Zamani. However, she cautions that they have limitations. “Tech neck, which is the result of repetitive downward movement and screen time, leads to early horizontal lines and loss of elasticity. A well-formulated neck cream will improve hydration, support collagen production, and enhance skin firmness over time. However, they work best as part of a preventative and maintenance routine, not as a quick fix for deep-set lines”.
How do they compare to professional treatments?
You cannot get the same supercharging of a professional treatment from a cream alone. Dr Rachna Murthy stresses that “No cream, however advanced, can lift or remodel collagen in the way that clinical devices work“. But she believes that creams can “maintain the integrity of the skin barrier, support firmness, and enhance the results of in-clinic treatments”.
Dr Zamani is in agreement. “Professional treatments such as radiofrequency, ultrasound-based tightening, and injectable biostimulators deliver much more dramatic results because they target the deeper layers of the skin and stimulate collagen in a way that topical products cannot”. She adds, “Neck creams are essential for supporting and prolonging these results, but they cannot replace the structural improvements that energy-based devices or injectables provide”.
If support of a professional treatment is what you’re looking for, Dr Sina Ghadiri recommends “using a retinoid cream on a nightly basis”.
Is it necessary to have a separate cream or can you use face cream?
While the experts agree that you can use a face cream on your neck, they stress that there are added benefits from a dedicated formula. Dr Zamani reveals, “dedicated neck creams are formulated to address specific concerns such as laxity and horizontal lines while ensuring the product is not too harsh or irritating for this fragile area”.
Dr Murthy adds that while “A high-quality face cream with the right activities can be enough in your thirties, but once the first signs of laxity appear, dedicated neck formulations tend to give superior results – they’re engineered to target this thinner, more mobile skin”.
What ingredients should you look out for to tighten the skin?
- Peptides: Dr Zamani lauds for their support in collagen and elastin product, while Dr Murthy sings their praise for their ability to “strengthen the dermal matrix”
- Retinol: Dr Murthy flags as they “boost cell turnover”
- Niacinamide: Dr Zamani rates “for improving barrier function and tone”
- Antioxidants: “To combat free radical damage”, says Dr Murthy, while Dr Zamani expands that the likes of “vitamin C also help protect against oxidative stress, which accelerates aging”
- Hydrators: This includes high and low molecular weight hyaluronic acid, according to Dr Murthy or glycerin, spotlights Dr Zamani. Professor Firas references ceramides too and growth factors “that can help also charm the skin and stimulate collagen.
- He also advises to “avoid alpha hydroxy acids and will avoid very thick occlusive oils, because it would be too much for the neck”.
When should you start using a neck cream for prevention?
As prevention is always better than cure, the experts are unanimous in saying the earlier the better. Dr Murthy reveals that she advise patients to ”begin incorporating a neck cream in their mid-to-late twenties if they’re already noticing early lines from devices“. Dr Zamani agrees, especially if you have elevated screen time. She says, “Prevention is far easier than correction, and early care helps maintain elasticity and hydration before lines set in”.
Dr Ghadiri adds that “Daily sunscreen use on the neck is one of the most effective preventative habits”.
How often should they be applied?
According to Dr Zamani, “Apply twice daily – morning and evening – just as you would your facial routine. Consistency is key for maintaining the integrity of the skin and supporting collagen”. Dr Sina Ghadiri says to “Simply extend your skincare routine down to the neck and chest viewing it as an extension of the daily facial skincare routine”.
How long does it take to see results?
The experts agree that a 6 to12 week period is likely when you’ll start to notice visible improvement. “You can expect to see improved hydration within a few days, but noticeable improvement in tone and firmness typically takes 8 to 12 weeks of consistent use”, explains Dr Zamani. “Skincare works gradually, and ongoing use is necessary to maintain results”.
- Dr. Maryam Zamani – Oculoplastic Surgeon, founder of The Clinic, founder of MZ SKIN
- Dr Rachna Murthy, Co-Founder FaceRestoration, BSc (Hons) MB BS FRCOphth, Ophthalmologist, Oculoplastic & Reconstructive Surgeon Medical Aesthetic Practitioner
- Dr Sina Ghadiri, Consultant Dermatologist and Founder of Sinaesthetics
- Professor Firas Al-Niaimi, Consultant and Dermatologist