Articles

Mature skin requires a gentle touch. As we age, our skin becomes thinner and weaker which means it also becomes increasingly sensitive to the ingredients found in traditional skin care creams.

A good option for treating mature skin is the use of natural skin care products. Deciding which product is the right natural skin cream may be quite a chore because not all natural skin care products contain what we consider "natural".

Because ingredients such as petrolatum and propylene glycol are by-products of petroleum, they are considered to be natural. However, they can irritate older skin. Here is a list of products that you should avoid if you want to use the most natural products.

Ingredients to Avoid when purchasing a Skin Cream

Alcohol is one of the main ingredients you should avoid especially in face creams (cetyl alcohol and stearyl alcohol are ok). It is notorious for drying out your skin so if the product you are about to purchase lists alcohol as one of the first five ingredients, you should reconsider your purchase.

Many natural skin creams contain parabens because they are used to suppress microbial proliferation. However, they can led to irritation and other skin problems, but the absolute worst is probably the fact that this ingredient has also been linked to more severe issues such as cancer.

Most synthetic colors and fragrances are also known as coal-tars that can lead to cancer. Synthetic fragrances can also alter hormonal production which means you should always look for products that are fragrance-free and not unscented. Don't be fooled by products saying that they are unscented because this only means that they have used other components to mask the smell of the product's ingredients.

Ureas are also an ingredient to watch out for. Both imidazolidinyl and diazolidinyl urea are inexpensive and used in several skin care products, however, they can cause inflammation in some people.

Ingredients Every Natural Cream Should Contain

Once you have chosen a product that contains none or a couple of the previous ingredients, check to see if it has any of the following ingredients. Keep in mind that it isn't vital for these ingredients to appear in your skin cream, but having them is helpful, especially when trying to soothe sensitive skin.

*Licorice Root

Licorice root extract can be soothing to the skin. Some products may list is as glycyrrhizin. If you do decide to use products containing this ingredient, do a patch test before you try using it on larger areas of skin.

*Rose Hip Seed Oil

This vegetable oil is very well known for treating dry skin and scar tissue. It has a low viscosity, which allows it to absorb quickly into the skin. This makes it possible to apply this ingredient in its oil form or in skin care products.

Rose hip seed oil is another natural oil that helps soothe irritated skin and helps moisturize dry skin. In fact, it is an excellent ingredient in any skin cream for aging skin.