t’s hard to imagine that there was a time
when I didn’t really get the title of Nora
Ephron’s I Feel Bad About My Neck. Why
would anyone have neggy feelings about
their neck, wondered the 2006 me. In her
collection of essays on womanhood, Ephron
advised then that we should cover our necks
from the age of 43 onwards. I still don’t think
using a scarf to hide the fact that time
is marching on is a path to happiness. That
said, I don’t know if it’s because of the rise in
opportunities to see close-ups of my jawline
(thank you, Zoom and Microsoft Teams), but
I have started to have some not entirely
self-loving thoughts about my neck.
Do I really need a cream for it, though?
There are some good ones out there, but
I am not convinced they’re essential. If you
use decent skincare for your face and you
always extend the coverage to your neck
and décolletage – or, as the straight-talking
skincare guru Caroline Hirons always puts
it, TITTT (take it to the tits) – then you are
golden. I also know that when I am using
a neck cream, it’s the only time I really
remember to pay special attention to my neck
every day and night. And right now, I really
want to give my newly formed wattle some
attention and hold on to some elasticity.
Dermalogica’s new Neck Fit Contour
Serum (£75; dermalogica.co.uk) is a clever,
antioxidant-packed product. It’s a light,
tightening serum with a roller applicator
designed to give your skin a good massageat the same time. Any kind of massage is great
for lymphatic drainage and, done regularly, will
help to define the jawline. If you want a neck
cream but don’t want to spend this much, try
Vichy’s Neovadiol Phytosculpt (£30; boots.
com), a formula designed for menopausal skin.
No one needs these products. If you cleanse
your neck as well as you clean your face, you’ll
remove dead skin that emphasises lines. Use
a lightly peeling product to redouble this
endeavour, something such as Ren’s Ready
Steady Glow AHA Tonic (£27; spacenk.com)
or Pixi Glow Tonic (£18; boots.com). Use the
serums and moisturisers you use on your face
on your neck and chest too, morning and
night. It’s not a waste of product. Most
importantly of all, use sunscreen. This is
probably the greatest of all neck-savers and it’s
not just for summer. Use a light yet high-factor
one such as The Body Shop’s Skin Defence
Multi-Protection Lotion SPF50 (£22; thebody
shop.com), even if you’re only going for a quick
power walk around the park. Perricone MD
does a great neck cream with SPF: Cold
Plasma Plus+ Neck & Chest Broad Spectrum
SPF25 (£75; perriconemd.co.uk).
In the titular essay, Ephron says, “Our faces
are lies and our necks are the truth. You have
to cut open a redwood tree to see how old it
is, but you wouldn’t if it had a neck.” This is
worth bearing in mind, but with some effort,
your neck can tell lies too. ninstagram.com/lesleyjthomasHow to stop my neck giving my age away
Nora Ephron famously suggested wearing a scarf. I don’t agree
Right now, I really want to
give my newly formed wattle
some attention and hold on
NICK HADDOW to some elasticity
The Times Magazine 51Beauty
Lesley Thomas
Clever
roller
applicatorGlycolic
acid
exfoliatorContains
retinol
to target
wrinklesBest for
menopausal
skinWhat Lesley loves
Skinceuticals Tripeptide-R
Neck Repair, £110
(skinceuticals.co.uk)Vichy Neovadiol
Phytosculpt, £30
(boots.com)Dermalogica Neck Fit
Contour Serum, £75
(dermalogica.co.uk)The Body Shop
Skin Defence, £22
(thebodyshop.com)Perricone MD Cold Plasma
Plus+ Neck & Chest, £75
(perriconemd.co.uk)Pixi Glow
Tonic, £18
(boots.com)I
Good for
crepey skinNon-
greasy,
lightweight
formula