While many of us can make peace with a few laugh lines, it’s a lot harder to be blasé about turkey neck — but what are you doing about it?
You work hard to prevent wrinkles on your face by moisturizing, exfoliating, and protecting your skin with sunscreen. But many of us forget that the best skincare products need to be applied below the chin, too. The skin of your neck is just as fragile as the skin on your face. With that said, it deserves to be treated with just as much care.
Whether you’re concerned with preventing neck wrinkles or you’re looking to treat existing crinkles, there are steps you can take to restore the youthful appearance of your neck — including investing in the best neck cream for turkey neck.
Not sure where to start? No worries. Here at the Derm Review, we’ve reviewed hundreds of products with a scientific lens to ensure you’re creating a skincare regimen that’s safe and effective. Ahead, the 12 best neck creams for wrinkles, texture, and tone.
Best Decolletage & Neck Firming Cream: The List
BEST OVERALL
Carrot and Stick Repair Serum Best Serum
Carrot & Sticl Retinoid Face Oil Best Retinol Based
Carrot & Stick The Moisturizer Best Cream
FULL LIST
Formulyst Anti-Aging Night Cream, $80
Revision Nectifirm Advanced, $134
NeoCutis NEO FIRM Neck & Décolleté Rejuvenating Complex, $135
Shiseido Benefiance Concentrated Neck Contour Treatment, $58
Exuviance Age Reverse Toning Neck Cream, $82
Arbonne Age Well Firming Neck Cream With 0.5% Bakuchiol, $112
Elizabeth Arden PREVAGE Anti-Aging Neck and Décolleté Firm and Repair Cream, $115
PRAI Ageless Throat and Decolletage Crème, $30
Algenist ELEVATE Firming and Lifting Neck Cream, $84
Peter Thomas Roth FIRMx Face and Neck Contouring Cream, $98
What to Look for in a Neck Cream
Along with evidence-based ingredients, the best neck cream should address the loss of tone and elasticity, fine lines and wrinkles, and discoloration as all three typically show up simultaneously. Additionally, read product and brand reviews as we write here on the Derm Review. Has the product won any awards? Is it recommended by Dermatologists? What’s the average star rating?
Also, while it’s not always 100 percent possible, try to avoid neck creams formulated with harmful ingredients like denatured alcohol, parabens, and fragrance and that test on animals. Look for clean formulas with a mix of synthetic and natural safe results-driven ingredients.
What Do the Products Have in Common?
The best neck creams are formulated with a high concentration of active ingredients. You’ll know that a neck product is results-driven because these actives will be listed towards the top of the ingredient list.
What are the Products?
Whether you’re looking to tighten, smooth, or fight gravity, here’s a look at some of the best creams for chest wrinkles and laxity
BEST OVERALL
Carrot and Stick Repair SerumBest Serum
Apply this anti-aging serum daily to keep skin hydrated and protected from free radical damage. The Repair Serum by Carrot & Stick helps lift, tighten and firm the look of skin thanks to seven plant-based neuropeptides, while synthesized growth factors help keep skin looking radiant. It’s the best anti-aging serum for 30s — and beyond.
Carrot & Sticl Retinoid Face Oil Best Retinol Based
This formula contains a next-generation retinoid and potent antioxidants to help reduce visible signs of aging.
Carrot & Stick The Moisturizer Best Cream
Say goodbye to lax skin with the plant-powered The Moisturizer. It helps to hydrate, firm, and revitalize the skin. Suitable for all skin types, The Moisturizer from Carrot & Stick is formulated with plant proteins, vitamins, peptides and amino-collagen. A caffeine boost helps perk up lax skin, while five distinct coconut elements help with cell renewal and overall conditioning.
FULL LIST
Carrot & Stick The Moisturizer
Say goodbye to lax skin with the plant-powered The Moisturizer. It helps to hydrate, firm, and revitalize the skin. Suitable for all skin types, The Moisturizer from Carrot & Stick is formulated with plant proteins, vitamins, peptides and amino-collagen. A caffeine boost helps perk up lax skin, while five distinct coconut elements help with cell renewal and overall conditioning.
Formulyst Anti-Aging Night Cream
A long-term anti-aging formulation explicitly developed for mature and devitalized skin, this night cream from Formulyst hydrates, soothes, and visibly transforms your skin while you sleep. Formulated with a nutrient-rich blend of complexes that are high in plant oils, essential fatty acids, and omega oils, this ultra-nourishing night cream with reparative properties gently exfoliates and regenerates the upper layer of your skin.
Revision Nectifirm Advanced
As the name suggests, Nectfirm is specifically formulated to firm the neck and décolletage, reduce the appearance of rough, crepey skin, and smooth the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, thanks to five types of peptides, plant extracts, and antioxidants. This firming cream is designed to work with the skin’s own microbiome — the ecosystem of microorganisms that live on the skin — to help it look brighter and have a more even tone. According to the brand, 98% of clinical study participants experienced a more lifted appearance of the neck.
NeoCutis NEO FIRM Neck & Décolleté Rejuvenating Complex, $135
This neck cream does a little bit of everything. Glycolic acid rejuvenates crepey-looking skin, while vitamin C helps brighten it. Sodium carboxymethyl beta-glucan works to tighten the appearance of the neck while glycerin, argan, hyaluronic acid, and jojoba oil leave the neck area nourished, smooth, and hydrated. The formula enhances elasticity through the promotion of elastin formation, creating a more youthful, sculpted profile. Additionally, it boosts collagens III and VII, leading to the reduction of fine lines and wrinkles.
Exuviance Age Reverse Toning Neck Cream
This fast-absorbing cream, designed just for the delicate neck area, contains NeoGlucosamine, which the company calls “skin’s natural filler.” It helps plump up the appearance of skin while also gently exfoliating it, leaving the neck area looking smooth and toned. CitraFill helps support the skin’s own natural collagen and is known to firm the appearance of loose skin on the face and jawline.
Arbonne Age Well Firming Neck Cream With 0.5% Bakuchiol
This fragrance-free firming neck cream by Arbonne is formulated to address the look of fine lines, wrinkles, and loss of firmness in thinner, more fragile skin on the jawline, neck, and décolletage. Bakuchiol, the heavy lifting ingredient, provides retinol-like effects without irritation,— such as reducing hyperpigmentation, wrinkles, and redness.
en out of ten women noticed firmer, more lifted skin in the neck area and a reduction of crepiness in the neck and décolleté with regular use.
Algenist ELEVATE Firming and Lifting Neck Cream
This ultra-firming and moisturizing neck cream was specifically formulated to target the specific needs of the delicate skin around the neck and décolleté. This unique vegan formulation combines alguronic acid, the brand’s patented and naturally sourced and sustainably produced benefit-boosting ingredient, and a vegan celery protein and peptide complex to visibly improve firmness and tighten the skin. Skin is smoother, revived, and the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles is improved to create a more youthful, lifted look.
Peter Thomas Roth FIRMx Face and Neck Contouring Cream
Defy gravity with this luxurious anti-aging breakthrough. Formulated with 23.84% GFx Contouring Complex, this cream helps improve the appearance of definition, texture, crepiness, and fine lines while helping to brighten and even the look of skin tone. It’s powered by GFx Contouring Complex, a cocktail of seven active ingredients such as peptide serilesine and zirhafirm, a blend of plant extracts that are thought to help with skin firmness.
The Best Neck Creams: The Bottom Line
What is the best neck firming cream that really works? Overall, we suggest Stick The Repair Serum and The Retinoid Face Oil. Serums penetrate deeper and contain a higher concentration of active ingredients. Followed by Carrot & Stick The Moisturizer. For optimal results, we recommend the Complete Collection routine as it contains all these products.
It’s never too early – or late — to start using a neck cream to address the loss of tone, fine lines, wrinkles, or sunspots. However, prevention is key if you want to minimize signs of age. Daily sunscreen, drinking enough water, exfoliating, performing neck exercises are a few ways to optimize the health of your neck skin.
When shopping for the best neck cream, look for evidence-based ingredients like retinol, caffeine, hyaluronic acid, peptides, and shea butter. Remember, to get optimal results from your neck cream, it has to be applied regularly (daily) and should be considered a permanent part of your skincare routine.
What do you think is the best neck cream for turkey neck? Let us know in the comments below!
Here are some of the most frequently asked questions in relation to neck wrinkles and creams.
Best Bet
FAQs
The skin on our neck and chest is much thinner than the skin on our face —and it’s where age spots and wrinkles tend to show up first. The neck and décolletage have less fatty tissue and collagen, which can lead to the dreaded turkey neck and saggy skin.
Although turkey neck and saggy neck are terms that are often lumped together, they have different underlying causes. Crepiness is usually caused by damage from UV rays, which break down elastin fibers in the skin. Chalk up turkey neck to a loss of skin elasticity and gravity working against you, which are all part of the natural aging process. Tech neck is also something to think about. If your neck is always craned over a smartphone or a computer, it can be damaging to your spine and exacerbate fine lines and wrinkles on the neck.
When to Apply a Neck Cream
The best neck firming cream should be applied day and night. Ideally, you will own two different formulas: one formulated with SPF for the day and one non-SPF version with more active ingredients for nighttime. It’s when you’re sleeping and away from the sun’s harmful rays that the skin has a chance to repair itself. If you don’t want to invest in two neck creams, at least make sure you’re applying sunscreen after your neck cream.
Neck Cream Application Process
When applying neck cream, be careful not to pull this delicate skin. Neck and décolleté skin is much thinner than facial skin and tends to show age more quickly. As with your face, apply your cream in upward-sweeping motions to discourage sagging. While this technique is no miracle cure, working against gravity is always a good idea.
Use a super-light hand when applying your neck cream. Allow the product time to absorb before getting dressed or putting anything on top of it because the cream can migrate very easily to the hair or shoulders, or settle into neck creases.
Prevention, especially when fighting the signs of anti-aging, should always be your first line of defense, and there are plenty of options.
Wear Sunscreen
If your daytime neck cream isn’t formulated with an SPF, then you’ll have to use sunscreen, too. To prevent your neck and décolleté from looking saggy, always wear sunscreen with a high SPF daily. While most people are good about slathering sunscreen on their faces, the neck and décolletage are often overlooked.
Make a point to cover up on a sunny day, and invest in a rashguard for the beach or pool. Or take a cue from supermodel Cindy Crawford. She’s tweeted that she always drives with a scarf to prevent sneaky sun damage.
Exfoliate Your Neck
Exfoliation encourages cell regeneration and gets rid of impurities and dead skin cells. You must exfoliate the skin of your neck at least once a week —if not more. Just be sure to use a product that isn’t too harsh to avoid irritation or microtears in the skin.
Drink Water
Daily water consumption keeps the skin of your neck supple and healthy and helps prevent neck wrinkles. Drink at least 8 cups of water a day to ensure that your body is hydrated.
If you find that difficult, start by drinking 2 cups of water first thing in the morning when you get out of bed. Then drink another 4-6 cups throughout the rest of the day —add fruit slices or freshly squeezed lemon to help make it easier to reach your goal.
Perform Neck Exercises
Some people swear by neck exercises to keep the muscles firm and toned. One standard neck exercise includes a “forehead push,” where you place one hand on your forehead, then push your hand without allowing your head to move forward. Hold this position for 10 seconds before holding both of your hands behind your head, pressing backward with your neck, and holding for 10 seconds.
Improve Your Posture
Spending hours a day hunched over a phone or laptop also isn’t doing your neck any favors. As we bend our heads towards our phones, this deepens the creases in our necks, which only makes them look worse. Are you wondering how to get rid of tech neck wrinkles? Well, the next time you’re tempted to scroll through social media for hours, think about having a tight neck instead — and limit your time looking down on your phone. When it comes to working on a computer, invest in an ergonomic desk chair and make sure your desk is at the correct height.
Stop Smoking
Lighting up blocks your major blood and fluid pathways, meaning your skin has a harder time deriving the nutrients it needs to become renewed and rejuvenated. Although well-formulated neck firming creams might help pull up the resulting saggy skin, you will still need to quit smoking to see a significant change.
Even the best neck cream for wrinkles won’t be enough to help you beat saggy skin if you don’t quit. Quitting cold turkey can be bad for your health — especially if you’ve been smoking for years —so get professional help if you can’t kick this bad habit.
Avoid Overly Intense Workouts
Believe it or not, intense workouts can loosen up your face muscles, causing the skin to sag. Repeatedly bouncing can cause even more damaging effects to your skin. To retain the integrity of your skin, try to perform exercises at a slow to moderate intensity. If necessary, work with a personal trainer to determine the best type of workout to achieve your goals that also won’t speed up the aging process.
Try to Avoid Weight Fluctuations
Between fluctuating hormones, a slowing metabolism, and being less active, rapid weight changes can cause neck skin to sag, making aging skin signs more prominent. If you need to lose weight for health reasons, work with a doctor so that the process is gradual and attainable for the long term.
Get The Best Neck Cream for Wrinkles
One of the best ways to keep a saggy neck at bay is by using the best neck firming cream. A good firming and tightening cream keeps crinkles at bay by keeping the delicate skin here well nourished, hydrated, and toned, and smooth. But how do you find neck creams that work? Start with what’s inside the bottle. Let’s take a closer look at the key ingredients you should look for.
We’re not going to lie. The best neck firming cream typically doesn’t come cheap. That’s because a quality cream harnesses the power of several evidence-based or proprietary ingredients and technology in order to provide an effective result.
If you can’t swing adding another costly product into your routine, at least make sure you’re applying anti-aging serum, moisturizer, and SPF below the chin line.
While some experts may not agree, neck creams are a relevant part of one’s skincare routine —and no, they’re not just face creams disguised under a new name. Neck creams are typically thicker than facial creams. They are formulated with specific ingredients to help lift and tighten the loose, crepey neck and décolleté skin due to collagen and elastin loss over time.
While you can use your regular face cream on your neck, you should still consider adding a targeted neck cream on top of it. Regardless, you should consistently be applying products to your neck and décolleté, even if you don’t have a separate neck cream. However, be aware that some anti-aging ingredients like retinol and glycolic acid may be much harsher and irritating on your neck than your face.
Consumers are clearly jumping on the neck cream bandwagon. Market insights suggest that the neck cream market revenue was Million USD in 2016, grew to Million USD in 2020, and will reach Million USD in 2026.
The Number One Myth About Neck Wrinkles
Despite what you may have heard, neck wrinkles don’t just happen to aging skin. This is why you should be asking questions like, “Do neck firming creams work?” much sooner. Anti-aging products, including neck firming creams, work best in conjunction with your aging prevention skincare strategy — more on that next.
Aging skin is compromised on several fronts. Mainly, it’s characterized to be dehydrated, chronically dry, sun-damaged, and wrinkled. It’s also less efficient in capturing and locking in moisture and regenerates at a slower rate. However, even the same features can affect the younger skin if preventative measures are not taken.
