Jamie Schneider is the former Senior Beauty Editor at mindbodygreen. She has a B.A. in Organizational Studies and English from the University of Michigan, and her work has appeared in Coveteur, The Chill Times, and Wyld Skincare.
Image by Jamie Schneider / mbg beauty editor
July 12, 2024
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A year ago, I would have told you to skip the fancy neck-firming creams and use the money for a professional cosmetic treatment (think lasers, microneedling, and the like). The in-office route is still the most efficient, but topicals are becoming pretty sophisticated.
Take the ShapeShift V-Line Jaw Defining Serum. From biotech beauty brand SickScience, this topical promises to create a more sculpted neck and jawline by influencing cellular behavior.
I’ll admit it: I was skeptical. But once I understood the science and saw the mind-blowing results for myself, my jaw was on the floor. (Good thing I now have a serum to keep it lifted!)
Editor’s note: This serum sold out extremely quickly at launch, and there’s been a waitlist for months—but it’s finally back in stock, so we recommend grabbing it while you can!
ShapeShift V-Line Jaw Defining Serum
$ 58
Neck- and jaw-firming products: Do they work?
If you’re anything like me, you took one look at the words “jaw-defining serum” and raised a brow.
Sure, certain ingredients are known for stimulating collagen and tightening the skin (AHAs, retinoids, etc.), but these topicals can do only so much. “For wrinkled and sagging skin, exfoliators can play a role, but it is important to be realistic and be mindful that exfoliators will make a nominal change,” board-certified dermatologist Flora Kim, M.D., FAAD, says about tightening the neck.
The same goes for retinol, which can even irritate the delicate skin if you’re not careful. “The neck skin is often more sensitive than other parts of the face,” board-certified dermatologist Jeremy Fenton, M.D., says regarding neck creams, suggesting you proceed with caution when it comes to harsher ingredients.
SickScience takes a different approach, firming the skin not with exfoliators or retinoids but rather with exosomes. These compounds are extracted from either human or plant-based stem cells (the latter, in SickScience’s case) that harness the power of your DNA to encourage certain outcomes, like a smoother, more contoured neck area.
The brand compares exosomes to couriers hand-delivering your cells’ information. Using biotechnology, they get loaded with “cargo” containing instructions for isolated cells. Exosomes then find those targeted cells, unload the instructions, and voilà—mission complete.
Image by Jamie Schneider / mbg beauty editor
SickScience’s exosomes—called NX35—specifically instruct fat cells to naturally release lipid droplets (which handle fat storage), thus revealing a more sculpted and lifted jaw and neck area over time.
Co-founders and molecular scientists Polen Koçak, Ph.D., and Merve Yildirim, Ph.D., actually created their exosome technology during their careers in regenerative medicine and cancer research. To this day, they still run a biotech research lab but have expanded their reach to skin health and even hair growth (more to come on the latter).
Why I love this formula
Being the scientists they are, Koçak and Yildirim of course have clinical results to back up their claims. In a third-party clinical study of 31 volunteers for eight weeks, 90% of participants reported increased firmness of the skin, and 94% said their skin feels smoother after using the serum.
But nothing prepared me for seeing these results in action—just take a look at Koçak’s own eight-week outcome. I mean, can you say transformative?! For a topical, that’s wildly impressive.
I tested the serum myself for a month and definitely noticed my neck appearing smoother and less irritated by week four. My own results aren’t as dramatic as Koçak’s, but everyone stores fat differently—plus age, hormonal status, and environment can all play a factor.
Still, my neck and jaw look more defined than ever, and the hydration from the extra glycerin, niacinamide, squalane, and ceramides certainly doesn’t hurt.
The serum itself has a lightweight, fragrance-free texture, so it seamlessly fits into my regular skin care routine. I already apply my skin care formulas down my neck and chest (as experts say, skin care shouldn’t stop at your jawline!), so ShapeShift was just one more serum to add to the rotation.
On that note: You might feel tempted to apply ShapeShift to the rest of your face and body—who doesn’t want firm, toned skin all over?—but both Yildirim and Koçak tell me to stick to a neck- and jaw-only application. (But stay tuned: They may have a body, face, and even scalp serum in the works.)
The takeaway
The ShapeShift before-and-after results are astounding. I’ve never seen a topical with this much contouring power, especially one that doesn’t rely on any potent exfoliators (meaning no irritation). Exosome technology is quickly dominating the skin care sector, and I’m excited to see launches like this one making waves.
What’s more, most exosome-infused products I’ve seen cost upward of $200 (which makes sense, as the science is very high-tech and still in its relatively early stages).
ShapeShift is a fraction of the price at $58, yet it features proprietary tech that rivals expensive options. If you’re curious about dipping your toes into exosomes but haven’t yet found a realistic way to do so, here’s your chance to dive in.
