Cleansing and exfoliating just like you would your face, repeating massage techniques and sleeping on your back are all expert ways of caring for the skin on your neck.
Skincare professional Su-Man Hsu, who owns luxury beauty brand Su-Man Skincare, believes that we should look after our necks as much as we would our face and body.
Su-Man founded her skincare range in 2011 after a lifetime interest in beauty and cosmetics. She grew up in a mud hut in Taiwan where her family would use only natural ingredients, and now mixes techniques derived from the Far East with modern day influences.
The celebrity facialist has worked with the likes of Freida Pinto, Juliette Binoche and Olga Kurylenko. She believes it’s important your neck stays healthy, toned and supple all year round.
Her top tips for caring for your neck are summed up in four sections – skincare, massage, exercise and sleeping posture.
Su-Man said: “The neck is the most active and mobile area of the spine. The skin is generally thinner and drier and constant movement and lack of oil production can cause wrinkles and creases to appear much faster than other parts of the body.
“The neck is also exposed to the sun as much as the face and even more during the summer – but it tends to be ignored and overlooked.
“I’ve noticed from many of my clients that after the summer holidays their necks have aged more than their faces due to neglect and not really knowing what to do with it.
“It’s important all year round to ensure your neck stays healthy, beautiful looking and remains swan like and toned.”
Here are Su-Man’s top neck care tips:
Skincare
First and foremost cleanse your neck day and night just like you do your face with an oil, such as the Su-Man Purifying Cleansing Gel Oil. This will rid the neck of grime and impurities and will keep the skin supple and smooth.
Regularly exfoliate to buff away dead skin and condition the new skin underneath. Again, this will make the skin feel beautifully nourished.
Always keep your neck hydrated with a product such as the Su-Man Rehydrating Toning Essence. Apply after cleansing to boost hydration levels.
Massage
After you’ve completed the above, finish of the process with a neck massage using a moisturiser. Make sure you use a generous amount of cream to avoid over-pulling the skin, as this can cause damage and accelerate the appearance of wrinkles. Lift up your chin slightly, and using your index, middle and ring fingers brush from the collarbone up to your chin in firm sweeping movements. Repeat this motion six times.
I do this myself morning and night and not only does it keep wrinkles and creases at bay, it can also prevent sagging muscles and the dreaded double chin.
Follow this massage with another routine. Using the middle finger, massage underneath the ear lobe then down the side of the neck. Repeat six times. Then, using four fingers brush from the back of your neck to the front. Again, repeat six times. Finish off by performing soft outward to inward strokes underneath the collarbone for another six times.
This massage method helps blood circulation, lymphatic drainage and strengthens skin. It’s also great to release any discomfort in your neck.
Exercise
Stiff shoulders and neck not only make a person look older, they also stop your face from glowing as the blood circulation cannot run freely from the head downwards. This can lead to tight jaw muscles or a sagging jaw line.
I do these exercises myself everyday whenever I feel the need and they help me a lot. They take no more than five minutes a day and can be done either sitting or standing. I highly recommend these exercises for those who spend most of their day sitting in front of a computer.
Start by taking a deep breathe in, shrug your shoulders up to your ears as high as you can, exhale and then drop. Repeat six times.
Then drop your chin as close to your chest as possible and hold this position for six seconds.
Follow by tilting your head as far back as possible and holding for another six seconds. Repeat this move twice.
Drop your right ear to your right side as far as possible and hold this position for six seconds. Do the same on the left and repeat this twice.
Finish by drawing a semi-circle shape with your nose from the right top corner down and up to the left top corner. Repeat this motion three times each way.
Sleeping Posture
Sleeping on your back is the best way to prevent any wrinkles in the face and neck as it stops the skin from getting folded by pillows and patterned linen. This is particularly the case when you get older as the skin has reduced collagen.
Collagen allows your skin to spring back into shape. Think of it as a bit like your mattress that becomes lifeless as you sleep on it more.
If you need to sleep on your side, make sure your pillow is a little higher and there is no gap between your neck and shoulder. This way you are resisting downward pulling forces.
