This Neck Cream Is Like Botox For Your Décolletage

Nora Ephron famously compared a neck to a redwood tree in her essay, I Feel Bad About My Neck. Both have rings that signify how old they are, she explained, but you have to cut open the tree while your neck is just... there for all to see.

I haven’t reached a point where I’m wearing turtlenecks to hide my neck rings (up until recently, any face cream or serum seemed to do the trick) — but if I do find a skin care product that erases signs of aging, by all means, I’ll take it. Enter: SkinMedica’s Neck Correct Cream, which has become a non-negotiable for my décolletage. Here’s how this concoction affects your skin and why I’ll never go without it again.

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First Up: The Basics

If you’re not familiar, SkinMedica is famous for its TNS Serum — a serum that contains growth factor as its star ingredient. In the world of skin-smoothing actives, growth factor sits right alongside retinol and peptides due to its ability to improve the appearance of fine lines.

That’s not what’s used in the Neck Correct Cream, though. This particular product contains a slew of ingredients that specifically target the skin on your neck — which, BTW, is about as thin as the skin on your eyelids, more prone to deeper wrinkles than anywhere else on your body, and tends to get dry since it doesn’t produce much oil. For the job, SkinMedica’s cream uses potent botanicals: hydrating green microalgae, skin-healing lemon balm, and elasticity-boosting shitake mushroom extract.

Besides the nourishing plant extracts, the cream also contains collagen-stimulating staples like peptides and antioxidants (via knotgrass extract) to keep the skin on your neck strong and firm. There’s also some glycerin in the mix to infuse moisture, and you’ll also find paracress extract, an under-the-radar wrinkle-smoother that has been called “nature’s Botox.” (More on that in a sec.)

Why I’m Obsessed

When I first got my hands on the cream, I started applying it twice a day with modest expectations: I figured at the very least it would keep my skin hydrated and prevent it from peeling off in dry flakes, which it did. But after about three weeks of regular use, I peered into the mirror and was taken aback: My neck looked noticeably smoother.

I continued to slather it all over my décolletage every day, becoming more and more intrigued by how it could change my skin. Of course, everyone knows a watched pot never boils/staring at your complexion won’t make a product’s effects show up any sooner — so it took some time and patience to see just how effective the cream really is.

I’ve been using the SkinMedica product for more than six months, and it has transformed my skin and diminished the rings that used to hang around my neck like choker indentions. It’s like Botox for your neck, or as though the area has been blurred in Photoshop — no joke.

Although it’s more of a splurge, the $135 price tag isn’t as steep as getting an in-office wrinkle-erasing procedure, which could run up to $1,000 per session.

The TL;DR

This baby is pure magic in a bottle, thanks to its line-plumping qualities. If you’ve started getting serious about your below-the-face skin care routine, SkinMedica’s neck cream is the gold standard in the category.

Studies referenced:

Kim, E. (2013). Age-related changes in skin bio-mechanical properties: the neck skin compared with the cheek and forearm skin. Skin Res Technol. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23441628/

Prachayasittikul, V. (2013). High therapeutic potential of Spilanthes acmella: A review. Excl Journal. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4827075/