Thank You Juliette
With summer as a reminder, my good friend and peer Juliette suggested doing a Makeup Gourmet Live episode on décolleté care.
I am so face-focused it never occurred to me to address décolleté care as a topic.
Having extensive training and experience in skincare (I have my own skincare line for both men and women) I made a mental list of the steps I want to recommend (and have recommended to clients).
The research confirmed everything on my mental list and offered some important reminders.
The one aspect of décolleté care that I had not considered was the physical makeup of the skin in the décolleté area.
Following are excerpts from my research. I am quoting these authors and providing links to the full articles.
Firstly, what is the physical makeup of the skin in the décolleté area?
Because the décolleté is thinner with fewer oil glands it is more susceptible to sun damage, aging and irritation and slower to heal from injury and age related changes. The skin on the décolleté area is also more sensitive than skin on other parts of our body and has less elasticity as there is no fat tissue to act as a cushion. So the skin is more likely to have dryness and discoloration or hyper-pigmentation.
Just like the skin on the face, the skin on the neck and décolleté is a vulnerable region that shows the usual signs of aging: fine or deep-set lines, loss of elasticity, dryness and discoloration from sun damage.
The skin and muscles in the neck are thicker and stronger since they support the jawline and head. However, the major neck muscle is not connected to the bone structure; therefore, it is more prone to loss of elasticity.
The female bust is formed and composed of different types of tissues: glandular, fat and connective tissue. The breast has no muscles, bands or sinews for support, except for the large breast muscle.
In both the neck and décolleté, there is very little fatty tissue and fewer oil glands, therefore making this area more prone to wrinkling and dryness. Also, people who experience hormonal aging may also notice a difference in the texture and tone of skin.
Now to décolleté care
Treating the neck and décolleté is a concern not just for mature clients, but also for younger clients who want to preserve and slow down the appearance of the aging process.
The skin on the décolletage doesn’t produce as much natural oil as the skin on your face so start caring for your neck and chest area as you would your complexion.
For example, when applying cleanser and moisturizer make sure you apply them right down to your chest. Cosmetics counters are filled with products which promise to perk up or boost the bust area but most contain ingredients that do nothing more than temporarily improve the quality and the appearance of the skin by moisturizing it.
This will improve the appearance of the skin because it will become more hydrated.
‘Always use sun protection in this area,’ says Madfes. (The Canadian Dermatology Association recommends minimum SPF 30.) If pigmentation and the beginnings of fine lines are starting to drive your cleavage undercover, anti-aging creams may help. These can be the same products you use on your face. Gentle face scrubs can also help even out skin tone.
Creams and serums designed specifically for the neck, or for the neck and chest, may be very appealing, although whether there is much difference between décolleté-specific creams and ones for the face is hard to say. They tend to be expensive, but budget-friendly options are starting to appear on store shelves.
Can you use facial moisturizers and SPF formulas on the neck and décolleté?
If you’re younger and are looking for a preventative – rather than a reparative – solution, starting with your regular moisturizer is a great place to start. However, if your skin is more mature and shows more need for repair, lifting, tightening and rejuvenation, use products with ingredients specifically designed to address and repair more significant signs of aging.
If you want to invest in a neck and décolleté treatment, what should you look for in a product?
Look for key ingredients, starting with peptides, which help to replenish lost collagen and promote cell turnover for smoother, firmer skin. Other recommended key ingredients include:
- Glycolic acid – to exfoliate and promote smoother skin, leading to a more even skin tone
- Peptides – Help relax and reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.
- Niacinamide – a B3 vitamin that helps strengthen the skin barrier and minimize past sun damage.
- Retinols, retinoids or retin A– to speed up cell turnover and promote collagen build-up
- Antioxidants – Protection for surface skin cells being ‘rusted’ from oxidants.
- Shea butter – intense hydration with a lightweight texture since it’s compatible with the skin.
Exfoliate weekly to promote skin cell turnover so the products absorb better. Use massage motions toward the heart to promote lymphatic drainage and promote circulation.
A note about antioxidants.
Antioxidants help prevent surface skin from oxidizing (rusting). There are dozens of effective antioxidants suitable for topical application. All are good and the more the merrier.
Makeup Gourmet products with ingredients key to décolleté care
A creamy non-drying cleanser enriched w/ Glycolic and mixed Fruit Acids that gently exfoliates, while Botanical extracts leave skin soft and refreshed.
Available in Value Bundle
Glycolic Content:3.5%
Size: 8 fl. oz (236 ml)
Cruelty free | Paraben free | Sulfate free | Gluten free
Recommended for: All skin types .
Made in USA
Enriched w/ Sodium Hyaluronate, Collagen and Retinoids, this emollient serum hydrates the skin leaving it soft and supple, while Anti-oxidants and soy proteins help protect against environmental damage.
Available in Value Bundle
Cruelty free | Paraben free | Sulfate free | Gluten free
Recommended for: All skin types.
Made in USA
Contains a blend of powerful proprietary oligopeptides and tetrapeptides that help relax and reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. Size: 0.5 fl. oz. (14 ml)
Available in Value Bundle
Cruelty free | Paraben free | Sulfate free | Gluten free
Recommended for: All skin types.
Made in USA
This luxurious, oil-free crème helps exfoliate dead skin cells while you sleep.It helps remove signs of aging, dryness and uneven skin tone.
Glycolic Content: 4.31%
Size: 1 oz. (28.35 g)
Cruelty free | Paraben Free | Sulfate free | Gluten Free
Recommended for: All skin types.
Made in USA
Gives skin a professional, spa-like exfoliating facial. Contains microdermabrasion scrub that safely and efficiently removes dead skin cells leaving a silky smooth texture that is ready to welcome rejuvenating new skin cells. Size: 3.0 fl. oz. (85 ml)
Available in Value Bundle
Cruelty free | Paraben free | Sulfate free | Gluten free
Recommended for: All skin types.
Made in USA
Here is something I knew but didn’t cross my mind to articulate.
Always use an SPF year round — a facial or body sunscreen is sufficient, especially since most neck and décolleté treatments do not include SPF.
Note to self: Sunscreen is always applied last going on top (closest to the sun) of all the other treatment you have blended into your skin.
Always use an SPF year round, especially since most neck and décolleté treatments do not include SPF.
Note to self: Sunscreen is always applied last going on top (closest to the sun) of all the other treatment you have blended into your skin.
Because of the skin-shedding nature of glycolic acid, it increases sun sensitivity. Fresher skin cells are exposed prematurely and are ripe to be damaged by the sun.
I suggest using an SPF 50 which blocks an estimated 98 percent of UVB rays. I prefer body SPF over face as you usually get way more product for your money.
Caveat
Most body SPF products protect from UVB rays, and not UVA rays.
Here is an easy way to remember the difference:
UVBurning rays
UVAging rays
UVB rays produce melanin production in our skin that leads to spotting, redness, hyper-pigmentation (a cluster of spotting that appears as a darker patch), a weathered appearance and texture of the skin, and the worst- skin cancer.
UVA rays break down the ‘cushion’ (collagen) in our skin and results in the appearance of lines, loss of elasticity and a thinning of the skin.
Whatever you do, make sure your SPF lotion address both UVA and UVB rays. This category of sunblock is commonly called full spectrum.
Concise and correct article about SPF.
http://www.skincancer.org/skin-cancer-information/ask-the-experts/does-a-higher-spf-sunscreen-always-protect-your-skin-better
Besides using topical treatments, how else can you strengthen this area?
Consider targeted exercises for the neck.
One to try: Lay flat on a soft blanket, legs flat in front and head propped onto a soft, thin pillow. Slowly lift your head using the neck muscles but not the abdominal muscles, approximately four inches off the floor, hold and then release back onto the pillow. Repeat ten times. Try the same lifting motions with the head facing left and right. When finished, sit up on the blanket and tilt the neck towards the ceiling.
Beyond Self décolleté care
There are some concerns that go beyond what is possible with your own décolleté care. The same medical treatments available for the face are valid for the décolleté.
If you want dark spots removed or lines filled or any other concern you may have that you cannot address at home, some of the source links for this post provided below provide counsel on what dermatologists and plastic surgeons are able to offer.
My sources
http://www.besthealthmag.ca/best-looks/skin/are-you-damaging-your-dcollet/
http://kerrybenjamin.com/the-neck-and-decollete-how-to-treat-the-skin-in-this-oft-ignored-area/
http://www.express.co.uk/life-style/style/407044/Does-your-chest-give-your-age-away
http://www.beautyinthebag.com/wordpress/does-your-decollete-show-your-age/
Watch Makeup Gourmet Live on YouTube
Season 1. Episode 4. Décolleté Care
Warmly,
Chris Scott
5th of June, 2017
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CHRIS SCOTT, M.A. is the creator of San Francisco-based Makeup Gourmet®. Over his nearly 30-year career, in addition to doing makeup for top models from every corner of the planet, he also had the honor of working for legends like Paul McCartney, US Vice President Al Gore, Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor, Shirley Temple Black, Maya Angelou and Olympic Gold medalists Oksana Baiul and Kristi Yamaguchi. He was the creator and host of the TV show ‘Makeup Gourmet’ from 2008 – 2010. He was a leading Chanel Beauté national artist for over two decades, and is also the creator and guest teacher of Fashion Makeup at the Academy of Art University in San Francisco. He created his unique Makeup Gourmet line to ensure his clients and the public could have access to high-quality, ethically produced, ‘green’ makeup and skincare with a low-carbon footprint. Chris is also the author of Cosmetic Counter Survival Guide: How to Buy the Right Skin Care and Makeup and the international #1 bestseller Face with a Heart: Mastering Authentic Beauty Makeup.
‘The grass is always greener where you water it.’
CS
