To Neck or Not to Neck… bought to you by Purpletale

[ disclaimer:  I received this product in exchange for an honest and unbiased review. blog post contains affiliate links]

I was introduced to Purpletale by the lovely Jen at Beautibi ~ she sent me a facial sheet mask (see review here), which had FIVE (count ’em, 5!!) steps.  Purpletale started to produce more products and one area that I felt I really needed to care for is my neck ~ I normally use really thick creams on my neck that I cannot use on my face, but I wanted to try a cream specially formulated for my neck and décolletage.  Purpletale graciously sent me their Once Upon a Neck Cream  for review purposes and I have been using it for over a month now. Purpletale is a brand whose products are made in South Korea and they want not only for you to look good, but to feel good and to share that feeling with everyone around you.   .

That’s why we only use wholesome, enriching ingredients that nourish your skin and make it easy to feel beautiful from the inside out. Our products are simple and easy to use, making your regimen feel less like a process and more like pampering.  Together, we can help everyone see their beauty and share their story. (source)

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This purple-glass encased jar of neck cream comes housed in a cute 2-tone purple/lavender cylindrical box~ like a hat box!  It also comes with a nice sturdy plastic spatula to scoop out the cream, for those who hate using their fingers.  I stick my fingers in everything (hey, get yer mind out of the gutter!!) so I rarely use these spatulas.  The packaging is very beautiful without being too frou-frou.

Ingredients

Water, Panthenol, Glycerin, Cetearyl Alcohol, Isohexadecane, Butylene Glycol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Macadamia Integrifolia Seed Oil, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Stearic Acid, Cetyl Ethylhexanoate, Phytosqualane, Sorbitan Olivate, Cetearyl Glucoside, Beeswax, Beta-Glucan, Arginine, Carbomer, Allantoin, Sodium Hyaluronate, Alcohol Denat., Pueraria Mirifica Root Extract, Centella Asiatica Extract, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8, Copper Tripeptide-1, Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-3, Ginsenosides, Ethylhexylglycerin, Adenosine, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Fragrance cosDNA analysis

Let’s look a bit into the ingredients of this cream… Macadamia Seed Oil is a rich source of  3 essential fatty acids, Omega 6 (linoleic) , 7 (palmitoleic) and 9 (oleic), which help act as anti-aging ingredients, bring moisturize back into your skin, keeping your skin soft, supple and reducing the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride is an emollient made from coconut oil and this ingredient is not greasy or oily, but light and dry silky feeling on your skin.  It is an excellent anti-oxidant with a stable shelf life. Phytosqualane is another non-greasy emollient that penetrates your skin, leaving it silky smooth and soft.

Beta Glucan is one of three humectants in Purpletale’s Once Upon a Neck Cream ~  with glycerin and sodium hyaluronate are the other two .  This yeast or fungi derived ingredient will attract moisture to your skin, and then locking it in.  It is also an antioxidant, helping soothe your fine lines and wrinkles, as well as soothing your skin. Adenosine is yeast derived and has anti-aging,  anti-wrinkle and anti-inflammatory properties.

There is also a trio of anti-aging peptides, something perfect for your thinner and much neglected décolleté area ~ Acetyl Hexapeptide-8, which helps bind water to your skin, helps regenerate skin cells and reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles;  Copper Tripeptide-1 aids in the production of glycosaminoglycans which help support and maintain the production of collagen and elastin, making your skin firm and retain moisture;  Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-3 is a mixture of fatty and amino acids, stimulates collagen and elastic production, helping repair damage to your skin and reducing deep wrinkles and lines

Ginsenosides also known as ginseng saponin, has had numerous studies that show it is effective as a anti-wrinkle, anti-aging, anti inflammatory and brightening ingredient and can aid in the production of collagen.  It helps increase elasticity, improves blood circulation to your skin and also is a superb moisturizer.  Ginsenosides are compounds only found in ginseng and are an excellence source of anti-oxidants.

Description: Your face may be the star of the show, but your neck also shares the spotlight. The skin around the collarbone and neck is thinner and more delicate, and it can quickly start to feel like the ignored, ugly stepsister if it’s left untreated. Our revitalizing cream gives your neck the attention it deserves by tightening and keeping wrinkles at bay. No ugly ducklings here; just smooth, perfect swans. Think of it as your neck’s knight in shining armor — protecting you from aging and fighting to help bring forth the radiant, more youthful skin that hides within. Apply daily and show off your neck with confidence.   Using an upward motion, gently massage the cream over your neck and jawline. Best if used both morning and night.

This cream looks very dense and thick, but it actually has a beautiful whipped texture ~ it has density, but it is also lightweight, if that makes any sense.  When I pick it up with the spatula, it will stick to it without dripping off the spoon.

The scent is delicious as well ~ it is like apple blossoms ~ it is floral, but it is a delicate light scent that reminds me a springtime.  Now, you would think that a fluffy cream would have problems absorbing into my skin, but it doesn’t ~ it quickly soaks into my skin and leaves a satin finish and my skin feels very hydrated and plumped up.  When I did a skin moisture test, it averaged about 42% increase in moisture.  I don’t know if you can tell in the photos below, but if you look closely at the 2nd image, the area below the dotted line is where the cream has been applied.  It looks more blurred and soft, whereas you can see the lines on my skin that is above the dotted line.

I don’t need a lot of this cream either ~ a little goes a long way and if I do use too much, I actually apply it to my hands and wrists ~ I have lines on my wrists from years of typing on a computer keyboard.  I love the texture of this cream ~ it doesn’t make my neck and collarbone area greasy or oily, so I don’t have to worry about my clothes and jewelry.  However, it moisturizes and hydrates my skin, leaving a satin, soft finish.   This is a totally different experience than slapping on a heavy face cream on my neck!  I now have another item to add into my skin care regime ~ neck cream (and it is high time too, as I ain’t gettin’ any younger)  Do you use a neck cream?  How does it work for you?  You can purchase Purpletale Once Upon a Neck Cream at Purpletale’s online store for $39.99

Additional Tips for Neck and Décolletage Care

I was inspired by Angela at Beauty and The Cat’s review (read here) of this neck cream to include my tips for neck care. She has some great tips, all of which I agree with, and I thought I would add my own suggestions as well.

Exfoliating:  I just don’t exfoliate my face, but also my neck and collarbone area.  Your skin there is very thin, so you don’t want some heavy duty scrubs on your neck area.  I like to use a gentle peeling gel once or twice a week ~ B-Lab Natural Cleansing Peeling Gel (review) and Laneige Multiberry Yogurt Peeling Gel (review) are fantastic ~ Laneige is perfect for those with very thin and dry skin.  I also use Naruko Job’s Tears Powder Enzyme Wash (review) with my Foreo Luna Mini (review) just about daily.   The enzyme wash foams up nicely without the device, but I love my Foreo as it is gentle and adds more cleansing and exfoliating action ~ I even just use it alone with water!

Masks: There are facial sheet masks with neck pieces or just ones that are neck masks by themselves. I find the latter requires me to lay down for 60 minutes and one that I use is a White Tea neck mask by ToGoSpa (review) ~ it is a jiggly-jelly mask that really does hydrate.  The key to finding a good facial sheet mask with a neck piece is comfort, as they will include ear pieces that will “hook” over your ears to keep the neck part of the mask in place. I have found that Naruko Magnolia EX Brightening and Firming masks (review) are amazing and also very comfortable.  I do not feel that the mask is trying to rip my ears off my head.  I didn’t include any in the photo shoot, but I also love to slather on jelly wash off masks, like Annie’s Way (review) to add an intense boost of moisture.

Hydration:  Before I apply my neck cream, I like to add  a boost of hydration on my neck as well.  I love Oolu Ginseng Mist/Lotion ~ it is rich without being sticky and it is a moisture bomb (plus it smells like spicy ginseng)  I then apply the neck cream, which will just lock in this moisture.

Yoga:  Yep, yoga will help with your neck wrinkles, while firming and toning your skin!  Yoga helps not only prevent those lines and wrinkles and firm your neck skin, but also helps with the strain on your neck and back.

[ disclaimer: I received this product in exchange for an honest and unbiased review. blog post contains affiliate links]

[ descriptions in italics from purpletale.com ]