Are You Neglecting Your Neck? Try This 3-step At-Home Treatment

From my many travels to France to research skin care treatments, I discovered how French women are so diligent about extending all their skin care treatments on to the neck and décolleté area. In the U.S., Americans don’t pay as much attention to this area.

Here is my 3-step neck and chest treatment to get the skin smooth and soft.

Step 1: Apply a thin coat an acid or enzyme peel (like Renée Rouleau Triple Berry Smoothing Peel) to the neck and chest area. Leave on for 5-7 minutes. (Caution: because the skin on the neck is far more sensitive than that on the face or chest, it’s suggested to patch test neck beforehand.) Rinse well and wipe off with facial sponges or a baby washcloth…

Step 2:

While looking upward to keep the skin taut, apply a facial scrub to the front and sides of the neck and massage lightly in circular motions for 60 seconds. Since the skin on the neck is delicate, it’s important to use a facial scrub (Renée Rouleau Micro Crystal Cream) that doesn’t contain natural grains such as walnut husks, apricot kernels, seed or shell powders as they can scratch and irritate the skin. We also recommend that you don’t apply a lot of pressure when using a scrub. Rinse well and wipe with facial sponges or a baby washcloth.

Step 3: Apply a moisturizing cream-based mask (like Renée Rouleau Pure Radiance Mask) to the exfoliated areas and leave on 10-15 minutes. Cream-based masks can be tissued-off to avoid the need for moisturizer.

 Skin care tips for the neck and chest:

-Look upwards when massaging a facial scrub on the neck as it will tighten the skin and make exfoliating easier.

-Don’t neglect your neck. Make sure your moisturizer with sunscreen is applied to the neck and the sides of the neck every day.

-Are you a side sleeper? Side sleeping causes deep vertical creases on the chest since the skin folds in that position. Try to sleep on your back.

-Avoid directing your blow dryer on the sides of your neck as it will dilate the blood vessels resulting in a reddish-toned neck in your later years.

Read my French skin care investigation.

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Information courtesy of www.ReneeRouleau.com, a website with skin care tips, products based on nine skin types and advice from skin care expert and celebrity esthetician, Renée Rouleau.