Once upon a time – okay – a few years ago – I was introduced to the StriVectin-SD Stretch Mark cream at its Malaysian launch.
Of course, the brand representatives were waxing lyrical about the product’s magical properties – how it was originally supposed to just be a stretch mark cream, but users realised that it worked wonders on wrinkles too. Needless to say, this propelled the product to cult status.
I sat enthralled at the event, and took it all in (yes, sometimes jaded beauty editors can still get excited over a product), and left clutching a tube that I couldn’t wait to start using.
I can’t remember what happened, but I ended up passing it to my mother to try out (she was in her late 50s then).
One month passed by, then two … and then she started telling me about all these comments she’d get about her skin.
Sales assistants would ask her about her skincare, cashier girls at the local Giant supermarket would comment on her “great” skin – and twice, she was stopped on the streets by other women enquiring about what product she was using, because she had such great looking skin!
At the same time, my editor at Harper’s Bazaar was using the cream for her stretch marks (she was a mother of two). One day she cornered me at work, gushing about how a sizeable scar she had was disappearing.
Till today, both women swear by the product.
I kid you not.
I somehow recalled this last week, and remembered that I was passed a jar of the StriVectin Neck Cream last year which I hadn’t started using.
The thing about neck creams, is that they’re really one of those products that you feel you can live without. I mean, isn’t using a regular anti-aging moisturiser enough?
The truth is, the neck and chest area deserve as much love as the rest of our face. I admit, I don’t slap on enough moisturiser on my décolleté, let alone sunblock. But like the hands, your neck and décolleté area will be the first to go and reveal your true age – you can stretch that skin on your face, but not the neck (see Madonna and Joan Collins as evidence).
The worst thing that can happen is a whole lot of sagging – think turkey neck and you’ll get my drift. This is because the neck muscle isn’t connected to a bone structure, and hence loses elasticity sooo easily. There’s also a minimum amount of fatty tissue (no plumping motion there) and even less sebaceous glands. The effect? That leathery skin one associates with super-dry, old skin.
And this, girls, is why we need a neck cream.
Before the StriVectin Neck Cream, the only other one I can swear to is Sisley’s – only because I’ve seen proof (but that’s another story). And not only that, most brands tend to skip producing neck creams.
StriVectin’s Neck Cream promises to do everything to avoid you getting a turkey neck – and this means visibly firming and tightening the neck area as well as evening out skin tone and other discolourations.
While I can’t say anything about the second bit (mainly because I don’t have spots or discolouration issues on my neck), I have seen and felt a visible difference on what was once skin that was about to start drooping.
One week in, and my lines (those horizontal lines that go across the neck) aren’t as obvious anymore. And that my skin feels smoother to the touch, though I think you’ll still need to slather on moisturiser on top. That’s as much as I can report. I’m planning to get my mother on this too – reckon she’d be the best candidate for the job.
The cream itself is pretty thick, and like good creams, a little goes a looong way. It spreads out like butter, with no scent, which is great. As for application – twice a day, on clean, dry skin until you see results – afterwards it’s just three times a week to “maintain.” You’re also meant to wait a couple of minutes before applying any moisturiser or SPF.
I say use this if you have serious issues with your neck, or you’re at least in your mid-30s and aging FAST. It’s not cheap, but you only need a smidgen each time. And as usual, I’d like to say that this was how my skin responded to the cream. Remember, miracles don’t come in a jar – or tube (the brand’s hand cream, which I tried after my mom’s story, didn’t do anything to me).
Note: You might notice that I haven’t talked about a miracle ingredient or technology coming from this product. Well, that’s because the brand’s always been a bit elusive about its ingredients – they promise results, without shouting out how.
The ingredients list is below:
Water, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Glycerin, Silica, Yeast Extract (Faex), Hydrolyzed Soy Protein, Cetearyl Alcohol, Tridecyl Trimellitate, Glycereth-26, Dimethicone/Divinyldimethicone/Silsesquioxane Crosspolymer, Cetyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Cetearyl Glucoside, Polypeptide-1, Secale Cereale (Rye) Seed Extract, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis (Sweet Almond) Seed Extract, Phenylethyl Resorcinol, Dimethicone, Albumen, Titanium Dioxide, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Disodium EDTA, PEG-8, Disodium Distyrylbiphenyl Disulfonate, Phosphate Buffered Saline, Polysorbate 20, Phenoxyethanol, Aluminum Benzoate, Aluminum Chloride, Mica, Ethylparaben, Butylparaben, Methylparaben, Triethanolamine, Propylparaben, Isobutylparaben.
StriVectin Neck Cream costs RM470 and is available at Isetan KLCC, Parkson Pavilion, Escentials TANGS Pavilion and Metrojaya Mid Valley Megamall.
