When it comes to skincare, there’s no denying that your face is the star of the show. Diligently double-cleansed, treated to skin-loving serums and thirst-quenching moisturisers, and protected from external aggressors like UV rays, it looks and feels its best because you work hard to look after it. But are you extending the same care to the skin on your neck? Not to mention the décolleté (a French word that comes from a verb meaning “expose the neck”), which spans the area between collarbone and cleavage. What exactly makes these areas different, and how can we give them the TLC they need? Here’s the lowdown on everything related to neck and décolleté care…

What makes the skin on my neck different?

“The skin on your neck is very different from the skin on your face. It’s much thinner, drier and has less collagen, which means it has a tougher time fighting gravity” explains Anna Hollingshead, Senior Brand Innovation Manager for skincare at Trinny London. This means that, as we get older and our collagen production naturally slows down, our neck begins to show signs of wear and tear more quickly than our face. So what can we do about it?

Do I need specific products for my neck?

The first step to caring for your neck and décolleté properly is – you guessed it – to include it in your existing skincare routine. Cleansing, moisturising and bringing your SPF all the way down to your neck will help keep the delicate skin there happy, hydrated and protected.

But what if you want to up the ante with your neck care? Perhaps you’re noticing a loss of firmness and definition, increased pigmentation or even signs of tech neck – those pesky horizontal ‘necklace’ lines that form as a result of looking down at our screens for extended periods of time. In a nutshell, if you want to target specific neck concerns, you’ll need a targeted approach. That’s where The Elevator, our potent neck/décolleté concentrate comes in.

What is a concentrate?

With a concentrate, you get the best of a serum and a moisturiser in one powerful, targeted formula. Concentrates deliver high-potency active ingredients in a rich, nourishing formula to address stubborn concerns in specific areas (think of them as your specialised team of skincare experts).

What is The Elevator concentrate?

The Elevator is our award-winning neck/décolleté serum. Just like a pair of jeans that have been worn again and again, the fibres in our neck start to stretch and loosen with age. Our skin’s natural scaffolding also depletes, allowing gravity to pull it south. The Elevator works to tighten slackening seams and firm the fabric of our skin to lift and restructure. The skincare equivalent of an hour in the tumble dryer and a trip to the tailors.

Key ingredients:

• Isodonis japonicus phyto extract: Extracted from a plant that can grow up to two metres tall without feeling the effects of gravity. We’ve captured this power in The Elevator to help lift sagging skin and improve skin’s resistance to gravity.

• Deca, oligo and nonopeptides: These clever peptides help firm, restructure and smooth skin, while also working to boost collagen production.

• Encapsulated alpha arbutin: This powerhouse ingredient helps to fade age spots and prevent new ones from forming by slowing down melanin production.

When should I use it?

“The Elevator should be the last step in your neck routine” explains Anna. “There’s no need to apply another moisturiser over the top as The Elevator is super nourishing. It layers beautifully too, so you can use it on top of your favourite serums.” After your serum step, apply three pumps to your neck and décolleté using upward motions, and don’t forget to take some time to massage the neck for added skin-smoothing benefits. For best results, we recommend applying twice a day, and remember: in the morning, always follow up with an SPF (like our See The Light SPF 50+ Moisturiser.)