Choosing Skin Care Products

It's unbelievable the number of skin care products that are available today. Many of them promising to get rid of wrinkles, reduce aging lines, repair sun damage, restore a youthful look to your face, etc. The skin care business is now a billion dollar industry world wide. With the market growing so large, how can you make a sound choice about taking care of your skin? This article will give you a few tips on how to choose a good product.

A major concern about these products is that many of them do not work. The products look great, smell wonderful, and have cutting edge advertising. Yet, many fall short on giving you the result you want.

Before you consider buying any over-the-counter products, be sure you know a few basics about your skin. These include:

o Your skin type - oily, dry, normal, sensitive, or a combination

o Complexion:

Do you have fair skin that burns easily or light to medium that may burn?

Do you have a medium tone that usually tans or a darker complexion?

Do you have a complexion so dark that you never burn?

o Skin Concerns

Do you have sensitive skin?

Do you have eye puffiness, dark circles or crow's feet?

Do you want to avoid premature aging, wrinkles and age spots?

After assessing your skin condition and before you begin spending hundreds of dollars on skin care products, be certain you have a healthy skin care routine. Do you have good habits? Here are 4 basic skin care tips.

1. Wash Your Skin Each Day

According to Brian B. Adams, MD, MPH, FAAD, associate professor of dermatology, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio, "Unless you have really oily skin, because you are a teenager or work with oils or gases, you don't need soap to get yourself clean. Pure water does the job to get you clean. However, you do need to use soap on your face, under your arms, and in the groin area. As you get older, the use of soap on the rest of your body can unnecessarily dry your skin." Skin care experts recommend using a mild unscented soap with emollient and moisturizing properties.

2. Moisturize Your Skin

Drink plenty of clean, filtered water, not tap. This helps to moisturize your skin from the inside.

3. Limit Your Sun Exposure

Some sun exposure is healthy. Sunlight helps our body produce vitamin D, which is necessary for good health. Try to avoid the mid-day sun between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. On days when the sun is very strong, wear a wide-brimmed hat that shades your face. Over time, excess sun exposure can lead to wrinkles, discoloration and skin cancer. Don't rely too much on sunscreen. Sunscreen contains a group of chemicals in it that are not good for the skin.

4. Do Not Smoke - It Causes Wrinkles

"Quit smoking or better yet, don't even start! More and more young people are smoking and doing so to relieve stress, but it's bad for your skin and causes wrinkles. Deep-set wrinkles will appear around your mouth from puckering, your skin will be dehydrated and dull, and you may experience premature aging." states Flor A. Mayoral, MD, FAAD, clinical instructor, departments of dermatology and cutaneous surgery, University of Miami's Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL.

So, if you have assessed your skin condition and established a healthy skin care routine, you are ready to begin your search for the best skin care products.

First, look for a product that has ingredients proven to stimulate your own body's production of collagen and elastin. Collagen and elastin play an important role in how your skin ages. They are important parts of the support structure that gives your skin a firm, young appearance. When levels remain plentiful, your skin looks young and fresh. When levels decline, you lose that support and wrinkles begin to form.

Products that have collagen listed as an ingredient are not effective. Collagen molecules are too large to be absorbed by the skin topically. It must be manufactured by your body to be effective. Substances like Phytessence Wakame and Nanobelle CoenzymeQ10 can help the body increase its production of collagen and elastin.

Next, the skin care product should help hydrate your skin. This will help keep your skin pliable and soft to the touch. Plant based oils such as avocado and macadamia work to hydrate your skin naturally, without the use of stringent chemicals.

Many products now claim to be all natural or organic. Read the ingredient list carefully. The best products contain no fragrances or parabens.Synthetic fragrances and parabens can actually cause more damage than they repair. The harsh chemical content of these ingredients, may in fact remove essential moisture from the skin, instead of replenishing it. True organic products will penetrate deep beneath the surface of the skin.