It’s never too early to start looking after the skin on your neck and if it’s still in great shape then wonderful, however I urge you to start right now!  The good news is it’s never too late, some daily habits can help slow down further skin ageing and make your neck look a whole lot better in as little as a week.

Some of these tips might seem obvious but do you follow them?  Daily?  Really??

1. Moisturising: don’t neglect your neck!

Sadly your face moisturiser might not be enough for this delicate area, the skin is thin, tissue paper thin and has fewer oil glands than the skin on your face, and this means a compromised skin barrier.  Moisture, and loads of it, is vital for keeping the tissue supple and elastic as well as preserving the skin’s natural collagen and elastin.

We recommend Phytomer Parfait Neck and Decollete Renewing Care.  It contains a miraculous ingredient called Glasswort Oil: a green seaside plant present in warm areas. Its Latin name, Salicornia, means “salt antler”, pointing to its toleration of salt. It is a halophilic species, meaning that it can survive in very high salinity when submerged during high tide – without becoming dehydrated. Scientists at PHYTOMER have discovered that Glasswort possesses carrying and regulating membrane channels, which allow it to control water evaporation in order to prevent dehydration.

Following the principle of marine biomimicry, at PHYTOMER, these channels are used to stimulate the production of aquaporins, proteins that transport water and urea in the skin’s cells. Glasswort oil reinforces the role of our own natural moisturizing factors to reveal smooth, soft and supple skin.

2. Exfoliate the neck once a week

Exfoliate the neck and chest area at least once a week to keep the skin free of ingrained dirt and dead skin cells. This area is delicate, so avoid products that contain sharp particles, and use a gentle, non-abrasive exfoliant. This encourages cell turnover.

We recommend Vegetal Exfoliant: a grain free, enzyme exfoliant that contains papain.  Super gentle yet very effective this product eliminates dry dead skin cells and purifies the tissue.   Not only does your neck skin look more vibrant and fresh it also aids the penetration of the actives in your neck cream.

3. Lighten up!

Fine lines and wrinkles can be ageing, but when coupled with hyper-pigmentation can make you look 20 years older!

Not convinced?  which looks better?

So lighten your neck and chest area with nature’s latest skin brighteners.

To remove any existing sun damage and prevent freckles and hyper-pigment of the chest area we recommend White Lumination Complexion Recovery.  With Sea Lily extract, and Dictyopteris (algae) and Vitamin C, this marvel reduces pigmentation and brightens the skin.  It also contains UVA and UVB sun filters.

4. Use sunscreen

A recent study revealed that older skin that hadn’t been exposed to the sun had about 3,800 genetic mutations whereas skin that had been exposed had around 10,000 mutations in the same genes (meaning the ageing process had happened more quickly). Sounds like a good argument for sun protection!

We recommend Sun Solutions Sunscreen SPF30 High Protection, thanks to its UVA and UVB sun filters, this ultra-light, non-sticky cream offers effective protection.  In addition to UVA and UVB filters it also contains Vegetal Coral Extract with a super powerful moisturizing capacity and OLIGOMER®, Phytomers own patented ingredient that delivers an optimum dose of trace elements and minerals, fortifies the epidermis and prevents cellular fatigue.

5. Diet

Keep your nutrition rich in anti-oxidants, especially Omega-3 acids, which are present in fish. These do wonders for skin rejuvenation by boosting collagen production. In addition stock up on anti-oxidants such as Pomegranates, acai berries, blueberries and green tea to protect your skin from ageing free radicals.

6. Sleep on the right pillow

This one is obvious right?  The more scrunched up the skin the more those wrinkles will take hold.  The perfect pillow supports the neck yet allows the head to remain in line with the body, so ditch the reading pillow when you put down the book!

7. Do neck exercises

Lastly, give your neck an exercise workout. Keeping your neck muscles toned will help to prevent sagging skin and wrinkles. Below are six neck exercises to get you started.

Six exercises to prevent turkey neck:

1. Jut out your chin and move your lower jaw forward. Repeat ten times.
2. Look straight ahead. Now look up to the ceiling and hold for five seconds. Slowly return to your starting position. Repeat 20 times.
3. Form an ‘O’ with your mouth. Pull down the sides of your mouth until you feel the muscles underneath your neck working. Repeat this three times in quick succession. Build up to 20 sets of threes.
4. With your mouth open, pronounce the vowels A to U without closing your mouth at any time. Repeat ten times, three times in a row.
5. Press the tip of your tongue against your palate for a few seconds and release. Do this throughout the day. Make circles with your tongue when your mouth is closed, first in one direction then the other. Repeat often.
6. Place your lower lip over the top lip and hold for a few seconds. Repeat ten times.

Finally, keep your chin up (no really!). If your chin is permanently tucked into your chest you are more likely to develop permanent creases in your neck, as well as putting your neck more at risk of injury.