My Favorite Formula Yet? The Story Behind Our New Neck + Chest Cream

Creating a new skincare product is definitely my favorite part of what I do.

It is also one of the most all-consuming.

There is always this point at the beginning of a new formula where I can sort of see what I want it to be, but I have absolutely no idea yet how I’m going to get there.

I know the skin concern. I know how I want it to feel. I usually have a handful of ingredients I’m already excited about.

Then comes the actual formulation.

And that’s where things get interesting.

Formulating is never a one-and-done

A new formula starts with a lot of questions.

What does this skin actually need?

Which ingredients make sense together?

How rich should it be?

How quickly should it absorb?

Does it leave a film?

Does it feel lovely enough that someone will actually want to use it every day?

I’m always trying to balance performance with the experience of using the product.

Because you can put fantastic ingredients into something and still end up with a product that just isn’t very pleasant to use.

And that gets especially interesting when you work with natural raw materials and herbs, because they come with personalities of their own.

Some smell absolutely beautiful, like cocoa butter or lavender.

Others, like tamanu oil or valerian, are a little more... earthy.

And sometimes “earthy” is being generous.

But if you don’t enjoy using a skincare product, you’re unlikely to use it consistently.

And consistency matters.

Why the neck and chest?

Most of us are pretty disciplined about our faces.

We cleanse. We moisturize. We use serums. We think about texture, hydration, fine lines, and tone.

Then we hit the jawline and apparently decide our job is done.

Meanwhile, the neck and chest are getting sun exposure, dryness, friction, movement, and time, just like the face.

And it’s one of those areas where the changes seem to sneak up on you.

One day you’re not thinking about your neck at all.

Then suddenly you look down and think, “Wait. What happened here?!”

I wanted to formulate something specifically for that skin, not just tell everyone to use their face cream and drag whatever is left on their hands down their neck.

This formula became a little bit of an obsession

I wanted it to feel substantial enough for mature skin without being heavy.

I wanted hydration, softness, and barrier support.

I wanted ingredients that made sense for the visible signs of aging we tend to notice in this area.

And I wanted it to feel really, really good.

Silky.

Cooling.

Comfortable.

Fast-absorbing.

No greasy coating.

No sticky neck.

This formula has actually been in development, in one form or another, for about three years.

There were versions I liked.

Versions I really liked.

And versions that still weren’t quite it.

Then somewhere along the way, everything finally clicked.

The texture became beautiful.

The absorption felt right.

The finish felt luxurious.

The ingredients all made sense together.

And I found myself coming back to it over and over, thinking, I really love this.

Like, really love it.

Possibly more than I expected to.

But loving my own formula is not enough

This is where formulation gets a little humbling.

I can love something. And boy, do I love this one.

My staff and friends can love something. They currently want allll the refills.

But that still doesn’t tell me what happens when someone takes the product home, puts it in their bathroom, and uses it every day on their own skin.

So we tested it.

We gave the formula to dozens of real women and asked them to use it consistently for six weeks.

And, most importantly, we asked them to tell us what they actually thought.

Not what they thought I wanted to hear.

The feedback changed over time

This was one of the things I found most interesting about the test.

The first comments were mostly about how their skin felt.

Softer.

Smoother.

More hydrated.

Less crepey.

One tester simply wrote:

“Smoother, less wrinkly.”

Another said:

“My skin feels softer and smoother. Younger!”

As the weeks went on, the comments started to change.

People began talking more about what they could actually see.

“Neckline is appearing smoother.”

“The fine lines are smoother. The crepiness has also improved.”

One of my favorite comments was:

“I didn’t notice anything for a while, but... it does seem a bit firmer and the crepiness has improved.”

I loved that one because it felt so real.

Not every skincare product needs to make some ridiculous overnight transformation claim.

Sometimes good skincare is quieter than that.

You use it.

You keep using it.

Then one day you look at your skin and think, Oh. That actually does look better.

Then came the final check-in

After six weeks, we asked everyone to compare their neck and chest with where they had started.

93% reported improvement.

That was the validation I had been hoping for.

But honestly, the number was only part of it.

The comments mattered just as much.

“My skin looks and feels less crepey. My skin feels more hydrated and smoother.”

“I think the fine lines are smoother now. I’m more confident in my neckline appearance.”

“I definitely noticed improvement with overall skin tone and diminishing appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.”

And this one stayed with me:

“Better! Very self-conscious of my neck. Feel better now!”

That’s the part I really love.

Skincare shouldn’t make us afraid of getting older.

I don’t want to sell anyone the idea that aging is something we need to panic about or erase.

But there is also absolutely nothing wrong with caring for your skin, enjoying how it feels, and wanting to feel good when you look in the mirror.

Both things can be true.

Why this might be my favorite formula

I have formulated a LOT of skincare over the years.

Some products are absolute workhorses, like Farm Hands.

Some came from trying to solve a very specific problem, like my original Eczema Elixir.

And some become customer favorites that surprise the heck out of me, like our Minis.

This one just feels different.

Maybe it’s because I love the texture so much.

Maybe it’s the combination of ingredients.

Maybe it’s because I got to watch the feedback unfold over six weeks instead of just releasing it and crossing my fingers.

Or maybe it’s because it takes an area so many of us quietly become self-conscious about and turns it into something we can simply take care of.

One tester wrote:

“I looked forward to pampering my neck & chest, an area that was easy to overlook before!”

And I think that may actually sum up the whole point.

Not panic.

Not perfection.

Just care.

And yes, I think this might be one of my favorite formulas I’ve ever made.

Meet Neck + Chest Firming Cream

Our new Neck + Chest Firming Cream is finally ready.

Created, reformulated, tweaked, tested, used, talked about, and lived with for a veeeeery long time.

Now it's ready to leave my lab and become part of your routine.

Your skincare shouldn’t stop at your jawline.

[SHOP NECK + CHEST]

Results from a six-week Pickle’s Potions consumer perception beta test. We provided the product to beta testers for evaluation. Individual results may vary.