Neck Creams

My Top Three

The Best Neck Cream May Not be Good Enough

The best neck cream is not enough to support delicate décolleté skin.

"What is the best neck firming cream you can buy?" would be an incomplete question in my opinion.

I could name what I believe to be the best single neck cream; but that wouldn’t tell you enough. The skin of the neck and décolleté requires special care which includes a nourishing anti-aging cream.

The skin of the neck and décolleté has very few sebaceous glands and consequently is very thin (similar to the skin under the eyes). So it too tends to be one of the first areas to show signs of aging.

Sun Protection

Use a broad spectrum sunscreen product like Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Dry-Touch SPF 55 or Celazome SPF30 Moisturizer.

The Celazome product is an excellent choice for those with extremely sensitive and/or dry skin, especially when conditions such as rosacea or eczema are present.

Exfoliation

This is a tip I learned recently from my dermatologist and wish I had known long ago.

When I asked her if there was anything short of surgery to tighten my neck and chest skin, she suggested a mild peel.

It seemed counterintuitive to me at the time, because my décolleté skin is exceptionally sensitive and thin. Why would I want to exfoliate or peel an area that is so sensitive? I expected red, raw skin with peeling and perhaps even oozing until I healed.

However I had no problem with the mild peel. There was just a tiny bit of stinging for a few minutes until the doctor applied a neutralizer. The peel had an immediate tightening effect.

As well, we know that exfoliation stimulates production of collagen to thicken the skin.

I maintain the benefit of my dermatologist’s gentle peel by applying MD Formulations Vit-A-Plus Illuminating Serum (with Retinol plus a high concentration of Glycolic Acid) three times a week.

What the Best Anti-Aging Neck Cream Should Contain

The best neck cream should have a good cocktail of antioxidants to fight free radicals that get past your sunscreen or are generated by pollution and the body’s own internal processes which generate free radicals.

The cream should have a well-formulated combination of Natural Moisturizer Factors (NMFs) and emollients.

For age-reversing action (in addition to exfoliation mentioned separately), we can now think of an anti-aging peptide cocktail just as we do an antioxidant cocktail.

The purpose of each "cocktail" is to combine ingredients which work in different ways. So we want multiple antioxidants and multiple peptides.

There are filling peptides to replace lost collagen and plump wrinkles from within; lifting peptides to reverse glycation damage and loss of elasticity; peptides to inhibit collagen breakdown; pro-sirtuin peptides to extend a cell’s lifespan; Botox-mimicking peptides to inhibit muscle contractions which form deep wrinkles; and peptides to stimulate synthesis of anti-aging compounds such as proteoglycans (which decrease with age).

I went searching for a neck cream which meets all my requirements and was disappointed to find so few.

So don’t be surprised to see that, of my top three picks, only one is actually called a "neck cream".

Pick #1: Peter Thomas Roth Mega Rich

Though not marketed as a neck cream specifically, Peter Thomas Roth Mega Rich is extremely rich and suitable for the thin skin of the décolletage.

It has all the essentials needed to firm, protect, stimulate and thicken.

Peptide Ingredients: Mega Rich contains a peptide cocktail of Acetyl Hexapeptide-8 (tradename Argireline - Botox-mimicking), Palmitoyl Tripeptide-5 (tradename SYN-Coll - maximizes collagen synthesis), Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7 (lifting peptide) and Palmitoyl Oligopeptide (tradename Matrixyl - filling peptide).

Antioxidant Ingredients: The antioxidant cocktail in Mega Rich is comprised of Sea Algae, Avocado Oil, Extracts of Green Tea and White Tea, Echinacea, Grape Seed and Vitamins A, C and E.

Moisturizing Ingredients: For moisturization, Mega Rich contains some of the best NMFs: Glycerin, Marine Collagen, Hydrolyzed Elastin, Soluble Collagen, Lanolin and (my favorite) Hyaluronic Acid (Sodium Hyaluronate); along with several effective emollients, namely Glyceryl Stearate, Isocetyl Stearate, Cetyl Alcohol, Avocado Oil and Propylene Glycol Stearate.

Exfoliating Ingredients: Peter Roth has also included several exfoliating ingredients - a definite bonus in an anti-aging cream: Lactic, Tartaric and Malic Alpha Hydroxy Acids.

Pick #2: BORBA Firming Neck & Décolleté Cream

BORBA Neck Cream costs one-third less than PTR Mega Rich and, while I have some reservations over the listed ingredients, it looks like a very good anti-aging value for the décolleté area.

Peptide Ingredients: I have questions about the peptides listed as ingredients. They are Tripeptide 29 and Heptapeptide 1. I suspect the full name of Heptapeptide 1 is Acetyl Glutamyl Heptapeptide-1, which is the form of Acetyl Glutamyl Heptapeptide used by Centerchem in its SNAP-8 in solution form.

SNAP-8 is an elongation of Argireline and, like Argireline, reduces the depth of wrinkles caused by the contraction of muscles.

None of my sources currently has anything about Tripeptide 29, but the other Tripeptides I am familiar with have collagen stimulating ability (1, 5 and Copper Tripeptide) and Botox-mimicking ability (SYN-ake Tripeptide).

Antioxidant Ingredients: BORBA has an excellent antioxidant cocktail comprised of Guanabana, Acai, Pomegranate, Green Tea, Soy, Grape Seed Extract, Retinyl Palmitate and Vitamins C and E.

Moisturizing Ingredients: BORBA Neck Cream contains only one NMF though it’s a good one (Elastin); but is chock full of emollients making it extremely rich-feeling. The second ingredient (just after water which is always first) is an exotic emollient, Shorea Stenoptera Seed Butter. This is followed by no less than six other emollients: Dimethicone (silicone), Shea Butter, Sunflower Seed Oil, Cetyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate and Stearic Acid.

Exfoliating Ingredients: There is nothing in Borba Neck Cream that could promote exfoliation except a small (insufficient) amount of Niacinimide.

Other Special Ingredients: Finally, Borba contains Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein for temporary tightening along with soothing Aloe and Papain. The Mica and Diamond Powder leave a nice shimmer on the skin.

Pick #3: Olay Pro-X Hydra Firming Cream

Olay Pro-X Hydra Firming Cream also costs one-third less than PTR Mega Rich. It has a lighter consistency which users describe as silky.

Again, like Mega Rich, it is not specifically marketed as a neck cream.

Peptide Ingredients: The peptide cocktail in Pro-X is composed of Palmitoyl Dipeptide-7 and Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4 (tradename Matrixyl - filling peptide). Research is scant at this point on Dipeptides, but the International Journal of Cosmetic Science (Volume 22, Issue 3) published a review which reported that "cosmetically interesting activities such as stimulation of collagen synthesis, chemotaxis, anti-stinging effects and others, can be observed and substantiated" for dipeptide sequences.

Antioxidant Ingredients: Vitamin E is the only antioxidant in Pro-X, which is the only negative I see.

Moisturizing Ingredients: In addition to the NMFs Glycerin and Pentylene Glycol as well as Niacinamide, Pro-X contains several emollients to provide complete moisturization. The emollients are Cyclopentasiloxane, several Dimethicone compounds and Cetyl Ricinoleate

I like the inclusion of Niacinamide since it benefits the skin in many ways.

It is a cell-communicating ingredient that supports the skin’s normal renovation process.

It increases the skin’s level of ceramides and fatty acids to help the skin retain moisture - even better than occlusive and greasy petroleum jelly (Vaseline).

Exfoliating Ingredients: Pro-X has a high concentration of Niacinamide and a small amount of Lactic Acid for exfoliation.

Niacinamide has also been shown to promote exfoliation and improve skin texture, fine lines, wrinkles and hydration; and two studies have also indicated that Niacinamide inhibits the irregular production of melanin.

This article is for informational purposes only. It does not purport to offer medical advice.