Celebrity Beauty Experts Weigh In On the Best, Most Effective Neck Creams

Paying attention to the skin around the neck is a task many people ignore—sadly, before it’s too late—or combine with their face regimen as an afterthought. But it’s important to note that the neck and décolletage require a completely separate kind of care. It’s necessary to support and hydrate the area before you see any signs of sun damage or aging, notes celebrity facialist Vanessa Hernandez. “The skin on the neck is much more delicate. It ends up taking a beating with the continuous years of sun exposure and lack of SPF application,” Hernandez adds. “The accumulation of this causes a crepe-y lack of elasticity, discoloration, wrinkles, and sagging over time.”

The absolute best way to give your neck its due regard is a combination of proper cleansing, occasional exfoliation, and sunscreen—but above all, an effective neck cream to hydrate daily and support the area is vital. We reached out to a wide swath of beauty experts for their take on the most effective, hydrating, and essential neck creams that work to deliver lasting results for your neck and décolletage, below.

Cynthia Franco, Beverly Hills Aesthetician

This emollient neck cream is particularly beneficial for those with medium to deep lines around the neck to provide brightening. Epicuren’s formulation contains vitamin E and edelweiss extract, as well as shea butter to soften; as a result, the consistency is richer than its counterparts, but absorbs quickly into the skin. “I love this neck cream from Epicuren,” says Franco, whose clients include Lucy Boynton, Salma Hayek, The Weeknd, and Vanessa Kirby. “It has a thick and velvety consistency—the results are pretty amazing when used daily. The peptides work on the wrinkles of your neck and décolleté and the elasticity as well. I highly recommend for all of my clients for maintenance as well as preventative.”

Molly Stern, Los Angeles/New York City-Based Makeup Artist

Delivering hydration and firmness for a lift-like like effect, Tensolift’s neck cream uses double hyaluronic acids, and high and low molecular weight to retain moisture. The cream also contains niacinamide to give an even tone around the neck area, diminishing any visible sun damage. “The Natura Bissé Tensolift Neck Cream is fabulously luxurious and effective,” says Stern, who works with Reese Witherspoon, Lily Collins, and Cara Delevingne. “It feels amazing, not greasy at all and it really helps with the elasticity of the neck and tightens the skin. I use it on myself daily, as well as every one of my clients when prepping their skin.”

Joanna Vargas, New York-Based Aesthetician

Quite possibly the most sophisticated blend of advanced ingredients to firm and renew the décolleté, Tatcha’s cream uses Hadasei-3—its proprietary trio of anti-aging Japanese superfoods: Uji green tea, Okinawa algae, and Akita rice, as well as a handful of effective bioactives, Japanese cornflower, lemon balm, and artichoke leaf, paired with vitamin C and peony to help cell turnover and bring radiance to the neck area. “The Tatcha Ageless Revitalizing Neck Cream is great because it has antioxidants to help protect that delicate area of the body,” according to Vargas, the celebrity facialist revered by the likes of Greta Gerwig, Juliane Moore, and Maggie Gyllenhaal. “But honestly, I encourage clients to use their regular skincare on the face, neck, and décolleté because it’s so important to take care of the fragile, overexposed parts of the skin. Generally speaking, I think using a retinol like my own Supernova Serum helps so much in keeping the appearance of those areas tighter, plumper, and free of sun damage.”

Vanessa Hernandez, Los Angeles-Based Aesthetician

This ultra-hydrating balm helps counteract any crepe-y, sagging appearances brought on by environmental factors and aging. The antioxidant formulation is enriched with green micro algae, lemon balm, and shiitake mushroom extract to penetrate deep into the skin while also giving it hydration, support, and elasticity. “I’m obsessed with the newest neck cream from SkinMedica,” Hernandez—a favorite of Amber Valletta and Eisa Gonzales—says. “I’ve seen a great improvement on clients’ necks, including my own, that is long-lasting. It’s also safe and gentle for summer and doesn’t contain any retinol.”

Mellody Vere, Los Angeles-Based Makeup Artist

Providing fast and powerful results, this retinol neck cream gives almost gravity-defying effects for the neck and décolleté. The smooth, easy to glide on formula provides a luminous moisture with visible results. “I love this neck cream wholeheartedly because it’s absolutely perfect,” says Vere, who works on the famous faces of Alessandra Ambrosio, Emma Roberts, and Poppy Delevingne. “I use it on clients before I apply makeup—it firms and appears light and clean, and disappears while still moisturizing the neck area. I like to do a little lymphatic drainage in an upward motion when I apply the cream. No sagging!”

Deanna Hagan, Makeup Artist

This serum was inspired by 111Skin founder Dr. Yannis Alexandrides’s Y-Lift Surgery—a cosmetic procedure that lifts the face, jawline, and neck. As some of the thinnest skin on our body, the neck and décolletage are naturally prone to accelerated aging if not taken care of early on. This luxurious serum targets sun damage, dryness, and dehydration. It’s formulated with peptide complex to firm the skin, lactic acid to exfoliate and gently fade discoloration, and 111Skin’s patented compound NAC Y2. “The often-overlooked neck and décolletage get a transformation with the 111Skin’s Celestial Black Diamond Neck & Décolletage serum,” says Hagan, who has worked with Elsa Hosk and Barbara Palvin. “Like the other products in their Intensive range, it penetrates deeper into the derma and reverses the signs of aging. My clients are always blown away by the results and love that neck and décolletage treatments are part of my #skinfirst regimen.”

Edward St. George-Adams, New York City-Based Makeup Artist

Perfect for those whose skin responds better to plant-powered ingredients, Clarins Extra Firming Neck Cream uses sunflower seed and stem extracts to give skin support for better elasticity and protection again indoor and outdoor pollutants. The formulation also includes Desert Date Plant to lessen the appearance of brown spots and Oat Sugars to help life the skin around the neck. “Too many people stop at their chin when it comes to their skin regimen. That being said, Clarins Extra-Firming Neck and Décolleté cream is my go-to,” says St. George-Adams, who is Finn Wolfhard’s go-to. “It firms, hydrates, and helps diminish vertical lines and wrinkles as well as having an inviting fragrance and makes a wonderful texture to work with when I am getting a client ready for the red carpet or press junket. I not only have clients using it, but my husband as well.”

Joomee Song, Los Angeles-Based Aesthetician

A foolproof applicator pairs with this light, super-absorbable combination of high-grade micro algae and hyaluronic acids, which instantly feed skin nutrients and hydration to decrease lines and minimize the appearance of loose skin. “The neck has been the most overworked and neglected area, especially living in a time when our faces are stuck in our computers and cell phones all day,” Song, who works with Lady Gaga, says. “The best way to help minimize tech neck or lines in the neck is to massage while you apply a product. Let’s Neck does exactly that. It has a perfect-size rolling applicator for the neck and décollaté, which makes the application much easier and more fun. Stimulating blood flow by using a rolling applicator will prevent wrinkles and stiffness on the neck.”