Why dermatologists say you should moisturise your neck before your face after 45

The mirror is rarely kind to the neck.

You notice it when you’re fastening a necklace or lifting your hair: a fine crêping that wasn’t there a few summers ago, a soft fold that doesn’t quite spring back, a new scatter of sun spots. Your skincare routine is solid, your bathroom shelf is a small pharmacy, yet the skin just below your jaw seems to age on fast‑forward.

This is where a quiet shift in order matters. Not a new product, not a 12‑step routine - simply where you start.

Dermatologists are increasingly blunt about it: after 45, you should be moisturising your neck before your face.

Why your neck suddenly looks older than your face

Think about everything your neck has handled for decades. UV from years of “just the face” SPF, perfume sprayed directly on the skin, shirt collars rubbing, screen time with your chin tipped down. The neck and the delicate area over the collarbones (your décolletage) have thin skin, fewer oil glands and less structural support than your cheeks.

Then modern skincare arrived. Many people invested in serums and retinoids for the face, protected diligently from forehead to chin, and stopped there. The neck carried on mostly bare. In photos, the contrast creeps in: lifted, hydrated face; slightly slack, drier neck.

Dermatologists see it every clinic day. The texture is often the giveaway - a kind of horizontal “necklace line” plus a vertical crêping under the chin. Sun damage shows up as mottled pigmentation and tiny red vessels across the upper chest. Collagen declines everywhere with age, but where the skin is thinner and more exposed, it shows first.

So when they say “neck before face”, they’re not being poetic. They’re trying to divert attention - and moisture - to the area that is quietly falling behind.

The science: why order of moisturising matters after 45

Moisturiser doesn’t just sit on top; it moves where your hands take it. Start on your face every time and you’ll naturally use the richest first pumps there. By the time you reach your neck, there’s a token swipe left. The driest, most UV‑battered area gets whatever remains on your fingertips.

After 45, your skin produces less sebum and its barrier function weakens. Water escapes more easily. On the neck, where the skin is already thinner, that means dehydration lines etch in quickly. When you apply moisturiser there first, two things happen:

• You put the freshest, most generous amount on the area that needs it most.
• You create a hydrated “bridge” from chest to jaw so face products can be feathered down without leaving a visible demarcation.

Dermatologists talk a lot about “trans‑epidermal water loss” and “barrier repair”. In plain terms: dry, unprotected neck skin leaks moisture and reacts more. A simple change in sequence - neck, then face - nudges your daily routine towards barrier repair where it’s most fragile.

“The neck ages like the hands: faster than people expect and harder to hide,” one consultant dermatologist in London told me. “If you always start with the face, you’re clinically deprioritising the area that’s already losing the race.”

How to moisturise your neck properly (in under a minute)

You don’t need a separate, expensive “neck cream” if your budget or patience is already stretched. Most dermatologists will happily let you use the same gentle, fragrance‑free moisturiser on face and neck, as long as you apply it with intent.

The basic order

1. Cleanse from face to collarbones. Use your usual cleanser and actually take it down to the base of your neck, front and sides. Rinse and pat dry - no vigorous rubbing.
2. Apply treatment serums. If you use vitamin C in the morning or retinoids at night, you can take a tiny amount down the neck, but be cautious; the skin here is more sensitive.
3. Moisturise neck and chest first. Place a blueberry‑sized amount of moisturiser in your palms and press it into the front of the neck, sides, and the upper chest. Use upward, sweeping motions, but don’t drag.
4. Then moisturise your face. With what remains on your hands, top up if needed and move to cheeks, forehead and nose.
5. Finish with sunscreen in the morning. SPF 30 or higher, again: neck, sides, back of neck if exposed, then face.

The whole sequence adds maybe 30 seconds to what you already do. The key is that the neck and chest are no longer an afterthought.

Small details that make a big difference

• Apply on slightly damp skin after cleansing. Moisturiser traps the water sitting on the surface.
• Don’t forget the sides of the neck and under the jawline, where tech‑neck lines and sun damage often hide.
• At night, a slightly richer cream on the neck is usually tolerated better than on oilier facial zones.

Soyons honnêtes : personne ne tient un journal de ses soins du cou. This is about a micro‑habit you can repeat on autopilot, not a full‑time project.

Why dermatologists are wary of “neck-only” miracle creams

Walk down any beauty aisle and you’ll find tall, slender jars labelled “neck and décolleté lifting cream”. The price per millilitre quietly exceeds that of many good face creams. The promises are similar: firmer, tighter, more sculpted.

Dermatologists are, at best, lukewarm. Most neck creams are standard moisturisers with a fragrance twist and firmer marketing. The thin neck skin is more prone to irritation, especially from perfumes and aggressive actives used at facial strength. Paying extra for that is not the priority they would choose for you after 45.

What they do care about is:

• Hydration with barrier‑supporting ingredients (ceramides, glycerin, hyaluronic acid).
• Daily sunscreen over neck and chest, even in the UK.
• Consistency rather than novelty.

If you enjoy a neck‑specific cream and it doesn’t irritate your skin, you don’t have to abandon it. Just remember: the “before your face” part matters more than what’s on the label. A sensible, mid‑priced moisturiser used generously and regularly on the neck will out‑perform a luxury jar dabbed there once a week.

Common mistakes that quietly age the neck faster

By 45, small habits have had 20 or 30 years to leave their mark. Some of them are surprisingly mundane.

The usual culprits

• Face-only SPF. Stopping sun cream at the jawline is probably the single biggest accelerator of neck ageing dermatologists see.
• Spraying perfume directly on the neck. Alcohol and fragrance plus UV is a recipe for pigmentation patches over time.
• Scrubbing or using harsh exfoliating tools. Neck skin doesn’t like the same level of abrasion as, say, the T‑zone.
• Over‑using strong actives. Retinoids and acids at full facial strength can cause redness and flaking here if not introduced gradually.

The fix is low‑drama: extend good habits down by a few centimetres, retire the rough washcloths, and use gentle, fragrance‑free products where possible. Again, moisturising the neck first anchors those changes.

When order isn’t enough: signs to see a professional

Not everything can be solved with cream. Once deep bands, pronounced sagging or very mottled pigmentation have developed, in‑clinic options may be worth a conversation. That doesn’t mean you’ve failed at skincare; it simply reflects how much time has passed.

Dermatologists might suggest:

• Prescription‑strength retinoids used cautiously on the neck.
• Light‑based treatments for redness and sun spots on the chest.
• Skin‑tightening devices that gently heat deeper layers to stimulate collagen.

Even then, they will send you home with the same homework: moisturiser and SPF from chest to hairline, neck first. Professional treatments work better when the skin’s barrier is calm, hydrated and protected.

A quick neck-first routine you can actually stick to

If you’re already overwhelmed by serums and steps, you can slim it right down. Many dermatologists would be delighted if patients over 45 simply did this, morning and night:

• Cleanse from face to collarbones with a gentle, non‑foaming cleanser.
• Apply a pea‑sized blob of antioxidant serum (morning) or retinoid (night) to face and, every other night, lightly to the neck.
• Moisturise neck and chest first, then face.
• Use broad‑spectrum SPF 30+ daily on neck, chest and face, even when it’s cloudy.

You don’t need ice rollers, sculpting tools or elaborate massage techniques to benefit. You need regular contact between a decent moisturiser and the bit of skin that has been politely ignored for years.

Key point	What it means	Why it matters after 45
Neck before face	Apply moisturiser and SPF to neck and chest first, then move to face.	Directs hydration and protection to the area ageing fastest.
One product, wider reach	A gentle face cream works for neck and décolletage too.	Saves money and reduces irritation from over-fragranced “neck” products.
Consistent SPF	Take sun cream down to collarbones daily.	Slows lines, sagging and pigmentation that make the neck look older than the face.

FAQ:

• Do I really need a separate neck cream? In most cases, no. A fragrance‑free, well‑formulated face moisturiser is perfectly suitable for the neck and chest. Focus on using enough product and applying it consistently rather than buying a separate jar.
  
• Won’t moisturising upwards stretch the skin more? Normal, gentle upward strokes don’t stretch or damage collagen. What harms skin is sun, smoking and chronic dryness, not a light daily massage. If in doubt, use pressing motions rather than sweeping.
  
• Can I use my retinol on my neck as well? Yes, but introduce it slowly. Start with a tiny amount once or twice a week, mixed with moisturiser, and stop if you see redness or burning. Many people tolerate a milder retinoid on the neck rather than their strongest facial one.
  
• What SPF should I use on my neck in the UK? Dermatologists usually recommend at least SPF 30, broad‑spectrum, every day. If you’re outdoors for long periods or on holiday, SPF 50 is sensible for face, neck and chest, topped up every couple of hours.
  
• Is it too late to start after 55 or 60? No. You can’t erase every line, but you can absolutely improve texture, comfort and future damage. Skin at any age responds to better hydration and regular sun protection - the neck included.