Emma Hardie wants to be the Kim Kardashian of skincare. Kim K made contouring, the makeup trick that gives you chiselled cheekbones and a slimmer nose, all the rage. For years now, we’ve all had to figure out how the heck to swipe that bronzer on without looking like we’ve got mud splattered all over our faces (or is that just me?). Emma Hardie isn’t having none of that. She thinks contouring is a job for skincare, not makeup.
I know what you’re thinking. Sculpting skincare? Isn’t that science fiction? You’re right to be sceptical. A serum can’t give you the same results as a little nip-and-tuck, but it can still do its little bit to keep your skin looking young. Emma Hardie is starting her contouring skincare mission with the neck. It’s the first area that starts to go south as you get older. Her new Lift & Sculpt Firming Neck Treatment uses a combination of the latest peptide complexes and massage techniques to firm the neck area. Does it deliver? I’ve put it to the test. Here are the results:
What’s In Emma Hardie Lift & Sculpt Firming Neck Treatment?
NEODERMYL TO BOOST COLLAGEN
The Neodermyl complex is a mix of Glycerin, Water, Methylglucoside Phosphate and Copper Lysinate/Prolinate. Rumour has it, it’s a needle-free collagen & elastin filler. It boosts collagen and elastin production, making your skin firmer and more supple. It may even help your wrinkles look smaller.
Induchem, the company that sells Neodermyl, has done a small in-vivo (on real skin) study that shows the complex improves “collagen density and alignment, firmness and elasticity and wrinkle reduction.”
Induched also compared Neodermyl to hyaluronic acid injections. The result? Hyaluronic acid injections improve dermal thickness by about 3.5% after 1 month. Neodermyl improved it by almost 6% in 15 days.
Sounds very promising, doesn’t it? There is some evidence that copper peptides can boost collagen so I don’t see why Neodermyl shouldn’t work. But, I’m still waiting for more, independent this time, studies to confirm just how well it does this.
Related: Are Copper Peptides Better Than Retinoids At Fighting Wrinkles?
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LIFTONIN®-XPERT TO BOOST COLLAGEN, TOO
Liftonin -Xpert is a mixture of Bulbine Frutescens Leaf Juice, Sodium Benzoate, Potassium Sorbate and Citric Acid. According to the manufacturer, it can boost collagen production, reduce stretch marks and increase your self-esteem (no kidding, they really promise that).
Again, I’m not saying this isn’t true, but I’d like to see these claims confirmed by unbiased sources, too. After some digging, I’ve found a study that claims Bulbine Frutescens, a flowering plant from South Africa, can help wounds heal faster.
Ok, the study was done on pigs rather than human skin, but the researchers found it has some effect on collagen production. And more collagen = fewer wrinkles.
Related: 8 Science-Backed Ways To Boost Collagen (That Really Work)
SODIUM HYALURONATE TO HYDRATE SKIN
So far, Emma Hardie has been taking advantage of the latest technologies. Wether prematurely or not, only time will tell. But she didn’t forget about the old trusted allies that have been helping our skin for decades.
Like Sodium Hyaluronate.It’s a form of Hyaluronic Acid that can hold up to a 1000 times its weight in water. Its job is to attract all that moisture from the air, dump it into your skin and lock it in so it stays there. Once your skin has all that moisture, it’s softer and plumper. Your fine lines look smaller, too.
Related: Why You Should Add Hyaluronic Acid To Your Skincare Routine
The Rest Of The Formula & Ingredients
NOTE: The colours indicate the effectiveness of an ingredient. It is ILLEGAL to put toxic and harmful ingredients in skincare products.
- Green: It’s effective, proven to work, and helps the product do the best possible job for your skin.
- Yellow: There’s not much proof it works (at least, yet).
- Red: What is this doing here?!
- Aqua (Water): the base of almost every cream or lotion. It dissolves other ingredients and gives the formula that fluid, spreadable texture.
- Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride: a skin-softening oil made from coconut and glycerin. Super lightweight, makes your skin feel silky without greasiness.
- Glycerin: a hydration hero. It grabs water from the air and pulls it into your skin, keeping it plump and bouncy.
- Polysilicone-11: a silicone that blurs fine lines and gives skin that smooth, almost “airbrushed” finish. Also helps the formula spread like a dream.
- Glyceryl Stearate SE: an emulsifier that keeps oil and water from separating. Bonus: it also leaves skin feeling softer.
- Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis (Sweet Almond) Oil: a nourishing oil packed with fatty acids and vitamin E. Great for soothing dry, irritated skin.
- Glyceryl Stearate: another emulsifier, but it doubles as a skin conditioner, making skin feel smooth.
- Candelilla/Jojoba/Rice Bran Polyglyceryl-3 Esters: plant-based alternatives to waxes that help thicken the formula and lock in moisture.
- Galactoarabinan: a sugar-based ingredient from larch trees. It lightly exfoliates, helps hydration, and makes the product feel nicer on skin.
- Pouteria Sapota Seed Oil: a lesser-known tropical oil rich in fatty acids that nourishes and softens skin.
- Theobroma Cacao (Cocoa) Seed Butter: thick, rich, and buttery. It deeply moisturizes and creates a protective barrier to stop water loss.
- Plukenetia Volubilis Seed Oil (Sacha Inchi Oil): loaded with omega fatty acids, it calms inflammation and strengthens the skin barrier.
- Benzyl Alcohol: a preservative and sometimes part of fragrance. It keeps bacteria from growing in your cream.
- Carbomer: the thickener that gives lotions their gel-like consistency. Without it, the texture would be watery.
- Mica: a shimmery mineral that adds a glow or soft-focus effect on the skin.
- Cetearyl Alcohol: not a “bad alcohol,” but a fatty one. It conditions skin and helps thicken the cream.
- Sodium Stearoyl Lactylate: an emulsifier that makes sure oils and water don’t separate in the bottle.
- Phenoxyethanol: a preservative that keeps bacteria, yeast, and mold from growing in your skincare.
- Allantoin: a skin-soother. It reduces irritation and makes rough skin feel softer.
- Tocopheryl Acetate: a stable form of vitamin E. It’s an antioxidant that protects skin from free radicals and helps with moisture.
- Sodium Hydroxide: used in tiny amounts to adjust the pH of the formula so it matches your skin.
- Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate: a natural emulsifier that helps blend everything together.
- Xanthan Gum: another thickener that stabilizes the texture and prevents separation.
- Parfum (Fragrance): added scent. Makes the product smell nice, but can be irritating for sensitive skin.
- Geraniol: a fragrance component with a floral scent, often from rose oil. Can trigger sensitivity in some people.
- Limonene: gives a fresh citrusy scent but can be irritating if your skin is reactive.
- Disodium EDTA: helps preserve the product by binding to metals that could destabilize the formula.
- Rubus Idaeus (Raspberry) Seed Oil: full of antioxidants and fatty acids, helps fight free radical damage and lock in moisture.
- Citronellol: a floral fragrance component (rose-like). Again, potential irritant if you’re sensitive.
- Dehydroacetic Acid: another preservative that helps keep bacteria and fungi out of your product.
- Macrocystis Pyrifera Extract (Kelp Extract): rich in minerals, hydrates and helps calm skin.
- Tin Oxide: often used with mica to boost shimmer and pearlescence.
- Laureth-12: a surfactant that helps ingredients mix evenly, also gives the formula a smoother texture.
- PVP: forms a thin film on the skin that helps hold everything in place, like makeup or shimmer.
- Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein: broken-down proteins that condition and strengthen skin, sometimes used for anti-aging.
- Citric Acid: balances pH and can gently exfoliate in small amounts.
- Ethylhexylglycerin: a preservative booster that also softens skin.
- Potassium Sorbate: preservative that keeps mold and fungi away.
- Sodium Benzoate: another preservative for bacteria control.
- Citral: gives a lemony scent but is another common skin sensitizer.
- Farnesol: fragrance component with a light floral smell, can be allergenic for some.
- Tocopherol: the pure form of vitamin E. Works as an antioxidant to protect skin from free radicals.
- CI 77891 (Titanium Dioxide): a mineral pigment that gives opacity and brightness. It can also add a soft white cast and act as a UV filter in some formulas.
Texture
It’s creamy but not heavy, kind of like a gel-cream mix. Spreads super easily and doesn’t leave that greasy layer that makes your neck feel sticky. Once it’s on, you actually feel a little tightening – not “I can’t move my neck” tight, just a gentle lift.
Fragrance
Smells very spa-like. A little floral, a little herbal. Definitely noticeable when you put it on, but it fades. If fragrance isn’t your thing, you might side-eye it, but I like that it makes the whole thing feel more like a treat.
How To Use It
Emma Hardie Lift & Sculpt Firming Neck Treatment has a roller applicator that hits skin with a cooling touch (but warms up pretty quickly). Here’s how it works:
- Turn it around so the arrow is firmly pointed on “ON”.
- Apply some pressure to release the serum.
- Lift your chin, supporting the skin with your spare hand
- Apply the serum in a downward motion
Don’t go up and down with this thing (I’ve seen some “skincare gurus” doing this online and it’s so wrong). Just gently move it downwards for a few minutes.
Packaging
Emma Hardie believes that facial massage firms skin and fights wrinkles, too. She may have a point. There aren’t that many studies on the benefits of facial massages, but I’ve found a couple that say they can enhance the anti-aging effects of creams and make you relax (stress is wrinkles’s BFF, FYI). That’s why the neutral-coloured tube features a roller applicator. It’s practical and gets the job done.
Performance & Personal Opinion
New peptide complexes, collagen-boosting hyaluronic acid, cooling rollers and facial massages… Emma Hardie has thrown everytyhing at your neck to help it stay young and firm. Were all her efforts in vain?
Mmm, I guess it depends on how you look at it. Emma Hardie Lift & Sculpt Firming Neck Treatment is NOT an alternative to fillers or plastic surgery. But you already knew that, didn’t you? But when I look in the mirror after using this little gadgety serum, my skin does look more taut. It’s certainly a lot smoother and softer.
The catch? These results aren’t permanent. After a few hours, my skin starts to lose that taut look (but not its softness). Now, for the nitty gritty: The roller glides smoothly on my skin without tugging or pulling. The serum it releases sinks quickly into my skin, too. As I said, it’s not an alternative to fillers but I think it’s the best on the market in this category so far.
What I Like About Emma Hardie Lift & Sculpt Firming Neck Treatment
- The roller applicator feels cooling and makes application way more fun (and way less messy).
- The texture is lightweight but still moisturizing – no greasy neck situation.
- Gives that subtle “tightened” feeling so it feels like it’s actually doing something.
- Smells like a spa treatment, which makes using it feel kind of luxurious.
What I DON’T Like About Emma Hardie Lift & Sculpt Firming Neck Treatment
- The fragrance could be a dealbreaker if your skin is sensitive or if you just hate scented products.
- It’s pricey for what’s basically a fancy moisturizer in a tube.
- The tightening effect is nice, but don’t expect miracles – it’s not going to replace in-office treatments.
- If you’re in a rush, the roller can feel a little extra compared to just slapping on cream with your hands.
Who Should Use It?
If your neck is starting to feel a little less firm or you’re just tired of ignoring it while you baby your face, this is for you. It’s especially nice if you like a bit of ritual with your skincare – the cooling roller makes it feel like a mini massage. Probably not worth it if you’re super sensitive to fragrance or want hardcore results fast, but if you’re into luxe-feeling skincare that makes you actually want to use it, you’ll enjoy it.
Does Emma Hardie Lift & Sculpt Firming Neck Cream Live Up To Its Claims?
| CLAIM | TRUE? |
|---|---|
| Firming and tightening serum for the neck and décolleté. | It doesn’t do much firming, but it makes skin look tighter for a while. |
| Unique roller applicator for facial sculpting. | This type of roller ain’t nothing new. But, to the best of my knowledge, it’s the first time a neck product uses it. |
| Deeply hydrating and skin smoothing. | It’s hydrating and smoothing, but I wouldn’t say deeply so. |
Price & Availability
£70.00 at SpaceNK
Do You Need It?
Not really. If your wallet can afford it and you’re curious to try it, give it a go. But don’t expect it to work as well as fillers.
Aqua (Water), Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Glycerin, Polysilicone-11, Glyceryl Stearate Se, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis (Sweet Almond) Oil, Glyceryl Stearate, Candelilla/ Jojoba/Rice Bran Polyglyceryl-3 Esters, Galactoarabinan, Pouteria Sapota, Seed Oil, Theobroma Cacao (Cocoa) Seed Butter, Plukenetia Volubilis Seed Oil, Bulbine Frutescens Leaf Juice, Benzyl Alcohol, Carbomer, Mica, Cetearyl Alcohol, Sodium Stearoyl Lactylate, Phenoxyethanol, Allantoin, Tocopheryl Acetate, Sodium Hydroxide, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Xanthan Gum, Parfum (Fragrance), Geraniol, Limonene, Disodium Edta, Methylglucoside Phosphate, Rubus Idaeus (Raspberry) Seed Oil, Sodium Hyaluronate, Citronellol, Dehydroacetic Acid, Macrocystis Pyrifera Extract, Tin Oxide, Copper Lysinate/Prolinate, Laureth-12, Linalool, Pvp, Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein, Citric Acid, Ethylhexylglycerin, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate, Citral, Farnesol, Tocopherol, Ci 77891 (Titanium Dioxide)
About Gio
Hi, I’m Gio. I’m a no-nonsense, tell-it-like-it-is skin coach and writer on a mission to help you achieve your best skin day ever – every day. I bust skincare myths and debunk marketing jargon to help you figure out what’s worth the splurge and what’s best left on the shelf – using science, not hype. I also offer skincare consultations to help you create the best skincare routine for your unique needs.
