Don't Neglect The Neck!

Think about it for a moment, how many times have you seen a gorgeous mature woman, skin still looking phenomenal, but you look down to her neck and décolletage and it's an instant giveaway of her true age, whether it is the texture, sun damage or wrinkled, due to years of neglect. Read on for 5 tips on how to keep your neck and décolletage looking healthy and youthful.

Don't Just Apply Leftovers
As mentioned above, you should include your neck and décolletage as part of your AM & PM skincare routine starting from the cleanse. This also means you should be applying a correct amount of skincare to this area vs simply dapping whatever remanence of skincare is leftover in your palms from application to the face. Remember to include this area as part of your weekly self-care routine with regular exfoliation and masking. You may also opt to invest in a tailored skincare picks for the neck to elevate your game. Some of my favourites include LED light technology, microneedling tools, microcurrent and concentrated mask treatments - all of which will give you visible results.

Mind Your Posture
Neck banding, AKA Tech Neck, has become a common concern even amongst some of my younger clients. If you find yourself on your phone or working at the desk with your chin in a constantly "looking down" position, try to readjust your posture to avoid premature banding.

Sleep on Your Back
One of the BIGGEST culprits not only for premature facial aging but for the dreaded wrinkles on the décolletage is side sleeping. Although an anti-aging pillow (my favorite being the Envy), will help to reduce wrinkles caused in our sleep when side sleeping, the décolletage is a different story. When we side sleep our shoulders and breasts relax and are drawn down and in due to gravity. This often causes vertical wrinkles to begin forming, from the shoulders to the décolletage, and between the breasts. Trust me, I'm living proof of this as I see them in myself from years of side sleeping.

Apply Your Sunscreen
Remember 90% of premature aging is due to UV exposure! If you want to avoid aging skin, or the dreaded sun spotted and permanently tanned décolletage later in life, sunscreen should be your BFF. When applying, remember to always bring it down to the décolletage, this is especially important in the summer months when we bare more skin. Of course, remember to reapply every 2 hours to have continued UV protection!

Stimulate the Skin
Whether through microcurrent, micro-needling, facial massage, facial yoga, gua sha, or all the above. Stimulating your skin and increasing blood flow is extremely beneficial. Include your neck and décolletage in your ritual for added benefits.

One last tip to remember: DON’T NEGLECT YOUR HANDS! Another area often exposed to the elements, UV damage, and neglected throughout life. Hands will be another dead giveaway of age. All of the above tips can also be applied to the hands!