Neck Neglect

A quick reminder for women everywhere: Don’t neglect your neck! It is so important to treat your entire body with sun protection year-round, but especially your neck and decollete, which are delicate areas often overlooked.

I remember the time I went to a skincare specialist with complaints of breakouts on my face and chest. My face was clearing up due to the excellent regime she had prescribed for me; however, my chest had some acne. I will never forget what Ann Eve told me. “Your face ends here,” she said flatly, extending her hand in a straight karate chop below her breasts.

And she was so right: it is never too late, or too early, for thorough sun protection and full body care.

It’s important not to just trail your skincare regime down your jawline. Instead, you want to care for your neck and chest as a distinct entity entirely. That means cleansing and toning and serums and moisturizing and SPF…every day, every night…for the rest of your life. Just suck it up and do it.

Massage downward firmly at the ears and toward the collarbone, not upward. This motion aids lymph waste and helps detoxify the system by pushing impurities toward your extremities. For all other areas, stroke upward in a delicate feathering motion to work against gravity.

As we age, the neck loses tone and acquires cumulative sun damage, betraying a youthful visage.

Treating the neck and chest is time-consuming, but it’s worth it. Haven’t you ever seen a woman with beautiful face skin but a wizened, crepey, sun-damaged or freckled chest and neck? It’s an instant age giveaway.

Another valuable tip: avoid spraying perfumes and colognes onto the skin. It’s a bad habit. Simply spray your clothes instead. That way, you don’t have to worry about the fragrance changing with your body oils, plus you are protecting your skin from unnecessary aging.

The next time you begin your skincare regime, don’t neglect your neck. You’ll thank me later.