Let’s admit it… Most of us are guilty of ignoring our neck! While we take all the pains in the world to pamper, cleanse, moisturize and make our face look flawless… Our poor neck continues to get ignored! Even though face washes n scrubs say ‘face n neck’, we very conveniently ignore the latter part of it! And it’s only when we cross 30 and start noticing the lines and folds that we sit up and begin to take notice!
According to a leading dermatologist (whose name I unfortunately can’t mention), our necks actually need just as much care as our face! It’s as exposed as your face is… the skin is more delicate than your facial skin… And because we don’t take enough care, signs of ageing first start to show up on our neck!!
Now I’ve been reading up a lot about neck-care and everything seems to be really tedious and process-driven. However, we’re all like super-lazy people! And I’m sure that just like me, you’re all also thinking… ‘WTF! Facial care and body-care itself is such a friggin task, now they’re also asking us to do neck care!!’
So here I’ve put together 5, very easy and basic everyday tips that will help you get that gorgeous neck, without too much extra effort!
There was one thing that my mum said to me once, that really hit home… she said, ‘Treat the neck like an extension of your face…’, which, frankly, it really is! So all you need is to do for it, exactly what you do for your face – in just a slightly different manner!
So here are 5 things that you need to keep in mind on an everyday basis to maintain your neck beauty:
Step 1:
Use a mild cleanser: Just like your face, your neck too needs that milder, gentler face wash and not a harsh soap! So when you’re in the shower, cleanse your neck while you’re washing your face (with face wash), not while you’re lathering up the body with soap!
Currently using: Eau Thermale Avene’s Cleanance Cleansing gel
Step 2:
Exfoliating: Whenever you exfoliate your face, use it on your neck as well (again, in the upwards motion). It helps get rid of the tanning and opens clogged pores. However, since the neck skin is thinner than the facial skin, try not to use a very harsh scrub (which in fact, you shouldn’t use on your face either) and don’t scrub too hard! Scrubbing too hard can damage your skin rather than helping it!
Currently Using: Fabindia’s Orange & Cinnamon Gel scrub
Step 3:
Moisturizer & Sunscreen: Use the same moisturizer and sunscreen on your neck while applying them on your face. Sun protection is extremely important because your neck is as exposed to the sun as your face is. The only thing to remember is that the direction of application should be in an upwards motion unlike the circular motion which we use for the face.
It’s also recommended that you use the same quantity of product that you use on your face for your neck… After all, your neck has almost the same amount of area as your face! Hence, just wiping of the residual face-cream onto your neck doesn’t really count!
Currently using:
Moisturizer: Eau Thermale Avene Cleanance MAT.
Sunscreen: Lotus Herbals 3-in-1 Matt Look Sun Block.
Step 4:
Night Cream: Night is the time when our skin does most of its natural repair and regeneration work. When we’re younger, the body naturally is active and repairs the skin quickly and optimally. Post 30 however, the process slows down, and hence a night cream becomes quite important, because it aids your skin in the natural restoration process – especially for the neck.
Night creams are heavier than day creams and have ingredients such as retinol and glycolic acid which have anti-ageing properties that help the cell repair process. Hence, just use whatever night cream you’re using on your face, on your neck as well.
Currently Using: Aviance Hydra Balance night restore crème masque (though my all-time favourite is The Body Shop’s Seaweed clarifying night treatment)
In case you’re not into night creams, then just use a little bit of coconut or olive oil to massage your neck (in the upwards direction) before you sleep at night. It also acts similarly, keeping your skin hydrated and moisturized all through the night.
Step 5:
Neck Exercises: Some of us (like me) may have hereditary neck folds… And frankly, our cell phone behaviour really doesn’t help either…! (Staring at the phone with our necks bent down all the time only makes sure that you get those neck folds faster, even if you didn’t already have them. And for those like me who already have the neck lines, God help us!!)
So regular neck exercises become really important. Here’s a very simple yoga exercise that you can do anytime… When you wake up in the morning, while travelling or while sitting on the bed just before going to sleep!
“Slowly tilt your head upwards (looking at the sky), open your mouth and slowly close it. You’ll feel the stretch on your neck. Hold for 10 counts and then slowly bring your neck down all the way to look at your feet. Repeat!” Make sure your back is erect during this whole process to avoid straining it.
Do this 5-10 times a day and watch those lines and folds disappear! 😉
These are very simple things that you can incorporate in your daily routine without making too much of an effort and still make sure that you have a gorgeous, flawless neck.
After all… neck kisses, coffee dates and mid-night car rides are all we need for a happily ever after! 😉