How To Get Rid of Chest Wrinkles: A 5-Step Routine for Your Décolletage

You’re likely aware that maintaining a consistent facial skincare routine is one of the best things that you can do to promote a balanced, healthy-looking complexion. But if you’re not giving your décolletage the same level of care, you’re not being as thorough with your routine as you thought. Like your face, your décolletage area is frequently exposed to potentially harmful stressors, including air pollution and UV radiation. Neglecting to cleanse, hydrate, and protect this area could leave you vulnerable to concerns like chest skin wrinkles down the line.

If you need some help creating a décolletage skincare routine, keep reading. Ahead, we’ll explain what, exactly, the décolletage is, share tips on how to care for it, and answer a few common questions about this oft-overlooked area.

What Is the Décolletage?

Before we get started, it’s important to clarify what, exactly, the décolletage is. In French, the word décolleté means a plunging neckline (or describes the act of wearing a garment with a low neckline). In the beauty world, the term décolletage refers to the skin exposed by a décolleté neckline—specifically, your neck, upper chest, and cleavage.

Why Your Décolletage Area Needs Special Care

The skin on the décolletage tends to be thinner and more delicate than many other areas of the body. Because of this—and the fact that it’s rarely completely covered by clothing—it’s uniquely susceptible to age-related skin concerns like fine lines, wrinkles, and dark spots caused by repeated sun exposure. Frequently tilting your head down to look at your tablet or phone can make neck wrinkles more prominent, too (this concern has its own name: “tech neck”). Using anti-aging neck and chest treatments and keeping the décolletage protected from stressors such as sun exposure can help to keep these concerns at bay.

How To Care For Your Décolletage

Now that you know what your décolletage is and why it’s important to care for, we can get to the how. Ultimately, the routine depends on your skin type and concerns. That being said, most products that you use on the face can be used on the décolletage, too. Ahead, we’ll share a simple five-step routine to care for the décolletage area, plus product recommendations to get you started.

Step 1: Wash away impurities

The first step in any skincare routine should be a gentle cleanse to remove any impurities (like dead skin, dirt, and oil) that may have built up throughout the day. To save some time, you can start your skincare routine in the shower by using a gentle body wash to cleanse your décolletage. Or, use a facial cleanser to cleanse your face and neck. We love the L’Oréal Paris RevitaLift Radiant Smoothing Cream Cleanser. It provides gentle exfoliation and helps remove all traces of makeup and impurities, leaving the skin smooth and radiant-looking. After you’ve cleansed your face and décolletage, dry off by gently patting a clean towel onto the area.

Step 2: Target concerns with a serum

Next, reach for a serum to help hydrate your skin and target your visible skin concerns. You can think of your serum as a décolletage treatment designed to help promote smoother, healthier-looking skin.

If fine lines and wrinkles are your primary concerns, use the L’Oréal Paris RevitaLift Triple Power Tri-Peptides Age-Defying Serum. This powerful anti-aging serum features a trio of anti-aging ingredients—vitamin C, hyaluronic acid, and peptides—and helps target a range of age-related concerns, including wrinkles, dullness, laxity, and uneven skin texture. Apply a small amount to your face, chest, and neck, and lightly massage upward until fully absorbed.

Alternatively, if you’re noticing dark spots or discoloration on your neck and chest—as many do after years of sun exposure—we recommend reaching for the L’Oréal Paris Bright Reveal 12% [Niacinamide + Amino Sulfonic + Ferulic Acid] Dark Spot Serum (pictured below). The powerful yet gentle formula helps visibly fade all types of dark spots, including sun spots, to promote brighter, clearer-looking skin over time.

Step 3: Moisturize, Moisturize, Moisturize

As skin matures, it gradually loses its ability to hold onto moisture effectively. Over time, this can leave your skin looking dry, dull, and wrinkled. To help minimize these concerns—and keep your skin feeling comfortable—moisturizing daily is a must. Ultimately, the best cream for chest wrinkles is whichever one you’ll use regularly, as consistency is key in skincare. With that being said, we do have a couple of recommendations.

If you’re looking for a moisturizer that you can use as part of your morning skincare routine, we recommend the L’Oréal Paris RevitaLift Triple Power Anti-Aging Moisturizer with SPF 30. This face, neck, and chest cream helps visibly reduce wrinkles, firms the skin, and boosts brightness within one week of consistent use. Broad-spectrum SPF 30 sunscreen, meanwhile, helps shield the skin from damaging UV rays that can further accelerate these signs of aging. Plus, the lightweight formula is non-greasy and won’t clog your pores—so you don’t have to worry about it contributing to breakouts.

In the evening, reach for a targeted anti-aging moisturizer, such as the L’Oréal Paris RevitaLift Pressed Night Moisturizer with Retinol + Niacinamide. This non-greasy night cream helps visibly reduce wrinkles, firms the face and neck, and improves the look of skin texture and tone—all without leaving the skin feeling dry. When using retinol on your neck and chest, it’s best to start slowly. Apply a pea-sized amount to your décolletage twice weekly to start and gradually increase your usage as your skin acclimates.

Editor’s tip: When applying products to your décolletage area, use a gentle touch. Start by smoothing your product onto the skin right above your cleavage and gently rub it in, working upward—rather than downward—to help “lift” the skin.

Step 4: Apply sunscreen

Even if your daily moisturizer contains SPF, it’s important to apply sunscreen every day, especially if you’ll be spending time outdoors. Follow the advice of the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and select a broad-spectrum formula with an SPF of at least 15 (30 if you’re fair-skinned). Apply a generous amount to all exposed skin at least 15 minutes before going outdoors, and remember to reapply every two hours—or after sweating, swimming, or towelling off—to maintain protection throughout the day. For added defense against the sun’s damaging rays, consider wearing a high-necked shirt that covers your décolletage area when spending time in the sun.

Step 5: Use makeup to add a glow

While this isn’t a 100 percent necessary step to include in your décolletage skincare routine, using a self-tanner or bronzer can give your skin a natural-looking, sun-kissed glow (without the sun damage) year-round. For a natural-looking tan, consider adding the L’Oréal Paris Sublime Bronze Hydrating Self-Tanning Serum-in-Lotion to your décolletage routine. The hyaluronic acid and coconut water-infused formula boasts a lightweight, serum-like texture that applies evenly and absorbs quickly with no greasy residue. Plus, it delivers up to 72 hours of hydration for smooth, plump-looking skin, making it an excellent addition to your décolletage skincare routine.

If self-tanner isn’t your thing but you want to give your décolletage a boost, use the L’Oréal Paris Lumi Glotion All-In-One Glow Enhancer & Tinted Moisturizer (pictured below) to do just that. The tinted face and body moisturizer hydrates the skin and leaves behind a subtle tint of color with a luminous, glowy finish—as if you’ve just come off a seriously relaxing tropical vacation. Use a color that closely matches your skin tone for a subtle, natural-looking glow, or highlight the high points of your décolletage (like your collarbones) with a slightly lighter shade.

Editor’s note: Our Lumi Glotion comes in two sizes, one smaller and one larger. We recommend investing in the XL 100mL tube if you plan on using it daily in your body care routine.

Can You Reverse Décolletage Wrinkles?

Chest wrinkles are a common concern as you get older, and it’s natural to wonder how to get rid of chest wrinkles if you’re starting to see them develop. Using a targeted chest wrinkle treatment can certainly help minimize the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, but topical products are unlikely to completely reverse the visible signs of aging on your décolletage (or anywhere else, for that matter).

Ultimately, adopting a consistent skincare routine as early as possible—and sticking to it—is the best thing that you can do to keep your skin smooth, healthy-looking, and youthful. Protecting your skin from the sun is a key part of that. In fact, research shows that sun exposure is responsible for up to 80% of visible facial skin aging. So don’t skimp on the SPF—it’s a must all year round.

Can You Use Retinol On Your Décolletage?

It’s generally safe to use retinol on your décolletage, provided you’re using a formula delicate enough for the sensitive skin in this area. Typically, experts recommend starting slow. Look for the lowest percentage of retinol you can find (a low-concentration serum, such as the L’Oréal Paris RevitaLift Night Serum, 0.3% Pure Retinol, is a great place to start) and incorporate it into your routine gradually. As your skin acclimates, you can slowly increase the frequency of use to a more consistent schedule (exactly how often will, of course, depend on the product you’re using). Always read the package instructions for usage guidelines, and consult with a dermatologist if you’re unsure how to use a specific product in your décolletage skincare routine.

Next Up: What Makes a Good Anti-Aging Cream? 11 Ingredients To Look For

Photo courtesy of L’Oréal Paris