The 6 best serums for a sagging-looking jawline and neck

Key takeaways

• A serum works on the skin of the neck and jawline. It may help that skin look smoother, better hydrated and a little firmer, but it can’t move fat, change bone or lift jowls.

• For photoaging, the sun-driven part of neck aging, Retinoids have the most research. Peptides and Hyaluronic Acid are common in neck serums, with more modest evidence.

• Our top pick is Nécessaire The Neck Serum, a fragrance-free peptide serum. The SCULPT Neck + Décolleté Concentrate from U Beauty is the pick for a routine that runs from the chest to the jawline.

• La Roche-Posay Retinol B3 Serum is the Retinol pick for the neck, used at night and introduced slowly.

• Sunscreen on the neck and under the jaw every morning protects what any serum is doing.

Can a serum help a sagging jawline?

It can help the skin along it. A softer-looking jawline usually has several causes stacked together, and only one of them is the skin. The rest sits underneath, which is why a serum can make the jaw and neck look smoother and more hydrated without changing the shape of the jawline itself.

We compared the six serums below on their brand pages and ingredient lists as read in September 2026, not on hands-on testing. We looked at the lead ingredients, where each brand says to apply it, fragrance, texture and price.

Why the neck and jawline change, and what a topical can reach

A 2026 review of neck aging describes the changes in layers: the skin gradually loses elasticity, fat can collect under the chin, the platysma muscle adds downward pull on the jawline, and volume loss in the chin and jaw can soften the angle between chin and neck. A topical reaches only the first of those.

Sun is the part a serum and a sunscreen can do something about. A 2026 review in the Annals of Dermatology describes photoaging as the most studied form of skin aging from outside causes, calls topical Retinoids first-line for it, and reports that multiple studies show sunscreen use reduces its extent.

The other ingredients carry lighter evidence. A 2022 review describes Hyaluronic Acid as a humectant that’s broken down fairly quickly once applied, so it helps while you keep using it. A 2026 meta-analysis of peptides found a modest effect on wrinkles, driven mostly by oral peptides, and inconsistent effects on elasticity. Skin below the jaw deserves a gentler hand: a 2024 review notes the chest has thinner dermal and epidermal layers than the face and fewer oil glands, and that the neck has a higher risk of scarring than the face with chemical peels.

1. Nécessaire The Neck Serum: best overall for a sagging-looking neck

Nécessaire’s serum-in-emulsion pairs 7.5% peptides with Niacinamide and Rose Water. The five peptides it names are Acetyl Hexapeptide-8, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-5, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7 and Palmitoyl Hexapeptide-12. Nécessaire says that with continued use the neck looks lifted and feels firmer.

Key features:

• A named peptide blend. Nécessaire states the total, 7.5%, and names each of the five peptides.

• No separate moisturizer needed. Nécessaire says it doubles as a hydrator.

• Brand-reported results. In a four-week study of 50 panelists, 92% said their neck felt firmer and 88% saw improvements in neck lines, according to Nécessaire. The results are self-reported.

Tradeoff: there’s no Retinoid, and Nécessaire keeps its usage steps behind a ‘See Usage’ link on the product page, so read them before you start.

Best for: a fragrance-free peptide serum for crepey-looking neck skin.

Price: $65 for 50 ml.

2. U Beauty The SCULPT Neck + Décolleté Concentrate: best for the jawline to the décolleté

U Beauty calls this a contouring neck treatment, and its directions carry it all the way up to the jawline, a stretch of skin that’s easy to miss. The formula combines Acetyl Hexapeptide-8, Ectoin, Ceramide NP, Squalane, Superoxide Dismutase and four forms of Hyaluronic Acid. U Beauty’s SIREN Capsule Technology™ carries Ectoin, a hexapeptide and four types of Hyaluronic Acid. U Beauty says it’s designed to visibly lift and smooth skin on the neck, chest and jawline and to visibly improve the look of thin, crepey skin.

This unique area needs more than hydration, and the formula pairs its humectants with a peptide and an antioxidant enzyme.

Key features:

• Directions that reach the jaw. Massage it upward from the décolleté to the jawline, morning and evening.

• Brand-reported results. In an independent 27-volunteer instrumental study after 28 days of consistent twice-daily use, U Beauty reports that 96% saw an improvement in skin elasticity and 88% in skin firmness.

• Layers with a routine. U Beauty suggests applying it after the Resurfacing Compound and before The SUPER Hydrator.

Tradeoff: it contains Methyldihydrojasmonate, a fragrance ingredient, and it has no Retinoid, so photoaging needs a separate Retinoid step if you want one.

Best for: a softer-looking jawline and crepey-looking neck in one twice-daily step.

Price: $138 for 50 ml at U Beauty.

3. La Roche-Posay Retinol B3 Serum: best Retinol serum for photoaging on the neck

La Roche-Posay describes this as a face and neck serum. It combines Retinol with Niacinamide, Retinyl Palmitate, Sodium Hyaluronate and Adenosine, and the brand says it helps reduce the look of lines, wrinkles and premature sun damage.

Key features:

• Made for the face and neck. The directions include both.

• A built-in ramp. La Roche-Posay suggests starting two to three times a week and increasing as your skin adjusts.

• Niacinamide alongside Retinol. Both appear in the first half of the ingredient list.

Tradeoff: La Roche-Posay notes the formula contains fragrance, and like any Retinol product it’s a nighttime step that calls for daytime sunscreen.

Best for: sun-related crepiness and fine lines on the neck and along the jaw.

Price: $44.99.

4. Olay Regenerist Micro-Sculpting Serum: best drugstore serum for the face and neck

Glycerin and Niacinamide sit near the top of this Olay serum’s ingredient list, with Panthenol and a peptide, Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4, further down. Olay says it hydrates to improve the look of elasticity and firms skin for a lifted-looking appearance.

Key features:

• Face and neck in one. Olay’s directions have you smooth it over the whole face and neck, morning and night.

• Two versions. There’s an original formula and a fragrance-free one.

• Niacinamide near the top. Glycerin and Niacinamide sit near the top of the ingredient list.

Tradeoff: the original version contains fragrance, and it has no Retinoid.

Best for: an inexpensive daily serum that covers the jawline and neck with the rest of the face.

Price: $36.65 for 1.7 oz.

5. CeraVe Hydrating Hyaluronic Acid Serum: best for dry, crepey-looking neck skin

CeraVe’s gel-cream serum combines Sodium Hyaluronate with Panthenol (Vitamin B5) and three Ceramides. CeraVe says it provides up to 24 hours of hydration while helping support the moisture barrier.

Key features:

• Face and neck directions. Apply evenly to the face and neck daily.

• Free of added fragrance. CeraVe labels it that way.

• Easy to layer. A plain hydrating serum sits well under a Retinoid night cream or over a peptide serum.

Tradeoff: it hydrates rather than firms, so on its own it’s aimed at dryness and fine creases.

Best for: horizontal neck lines that look deeper when the skin is dry.

Price: $22.99 on CeraVe’s site (also sold at retailers).

6. Naturium Retinaldehyde Cream Serum 0.10%: best Retinal for the neck and chest

Retinal (Retinaldehyde) at 0.10% is the active ingredient in Naturium’s cream serum, with Glycerin and yeast-derived ingredients in the base. It’s labeled for use from the face down to the chest.

Key features:

• Stated strength. 0.10%, in the middle of Naturium’s three strengths.

• Neck and chest on the label. Apply an even layer at night, then moisturize.

• Fragrance-free. Naturium labels it that way.

Tradeoff: Naturium’s directions say no more than two pumps daily, sunscreen is a must, and Naturium says to cut back if you see mild redness. A 0.05% version is sold for a gentler start.

Best for: people who’ve used Retinol before and want a Retinal step for the neck.

Price: $32 for 50 ml.

How to choose and use a jawline and neck serum

• Pick by concern. Crepey-looking skin with sun damage suits a Retinoid at night. Dryness and fine creases respond to hydrators. A peptide serum is a reasonable daily base.

• Carry it past the chin. Apply from the collarbone up to the jawline in upward strokes, so the gap between face and neck isn’t skipped.

• Go slowly with Retinoids. The American Academy of Dermatology recommends starting with a mild formula every other night and building from there.

• Keep one Retinoid at a time. If you use Retinol B3 or the Naturium serum, don’t add a second Retinoid on the same nights.

• Finish with sunscreen. A broad-spectrum SPF 30 or higher on the neck and under the jaw every morning.

For thicker creams made for the neck and chest, see our roundup of neck creams.

When to see a dermatologist

If jowls, a loose neck or vertical bands are what bother you most, those involve fat, muscle and bone, and a serum won’t change them. The American Society of Plastic Surgeons lists non-surgical options for the neck, including radiofrequency with microneedling, ultrasound, fillers, fractionated laser and Botox for bands, and a surgical neck lift, which ASPS says nonsurgical treatments cannot match. A board-certified dermatologist or plastic surgeon can tell you which layer is driving what you see.

Frequently asked questions

What is the best serum for a sagging jawline and neck?

Our top pick is Nécessaire The Neck Serum, a fragrance-free peptide serum. For a formula whose directions run from the chest to the jawline, The SCULPT Neck + Décolleté Concentrate from U Beauty is the pick. Add a Retinol serum at night if photoaging is part of the picture.

Does Retinol help a sagging neck?

It may help sun-damaged skin on the neck look smoother and firmer over months. Retinoids are considered first-line for photoaging, though most trials were on the face. Retinol doesn’t change fat or muscle.

Can a topical serum lift jowls?

No. Jowls come from changes in fat, bone and muscle as well as skin, and a topical works on the skin only. It may help the jawline look smoother and better hydrated.

Should neck serum go on the jawline?

Yes. Taking it up to the jawline covers the skin between the face and neck, which is easy to miss with both serums and sunscreen.

How long do neck serums take to work?

Give a serum several weeks of consistent use. The brand studies behind the serums on this list ran for about four weeks, and change from a Retinoid tends to build over months.