Just as it is important to consider the ingredients of your skin care products, it is important that you know what the terms and jargon are. So here is a handy list of common buzz words of the skin care market.

Antioxidants They are powerful nutrients that prevent free radicals from causing damage to the skin cells. Free radicals are actually unstable oxygen molecules that take away electrons from their surrounding molecules thus creating a chain reaction and damaging the skin. Antioxidant rich skin care products can enhance the skin quality. Chemical Sunscreens Unlike regular sunscreens (referred to as physical sunscreens that block the UV rays of the sun) chemical sunscreens absorb the ultra violet radiation. Popular chemical sunscreen ingredients are Avobenzone, Oxybenzone, Octisalate and Octinoxate. Collagen and Elastin They are protein fibers found within the skin cells that are responsible for the skin structure and elasticity. Collagen supports the skin tissues and keeps it firm and taut while elastin allows the skin to stretch and strain without getting ruptured. As we grow old, the levels of collagen and elastin fibers deplete thus leading to the formation of wrinkles and fine lines. Emollients They are special ingredients that help spread and keep other agents of the skin care product on the skin. 

They help lubricate the skin and protect the Nevi Skin barrier function of the skin. They lie on top of the skin surface and trap in the moisture. In this way, emollients help to prevent dehydration. Essential Oils Derived from herbs, essential oils have an extensive range of skin care benefits. They are often included in skin care products to deliver a soothing and stimulating feeling to the skin. However, it is not advisable to use essential oils during pregnancy. Humectants These are the ingredients that attract moisture to the skin and thus soften skin's surface. Because they help to keep the skin moisturized, they are effective in diminishing the appearance of wrinkles and fine lines that are a result of dehydration. Hypoallergenic This term is used to describe ingredients that do not or are less likely to cause any allergic reaction on the skin. Keratin Found in all the layers of the epidermis, this protein fiber that protects the skin against a range of stressors. Hard keratin is found in hair and nails. In fact, the epidermis is comprised of 95% of dead keratinocytes. This is why it is necessary to exfoliate the skin on regular basis in order to scrape off the dead-skin layer and reveal the fresh new skin cells underneath. Free Radicals Aggressive oxygen atoms that have lost an electron, and are therefore unstable. They must then look for an electron from other atoms, which can cause a damaging cascade effect. Noncomedogenic This is a common term used for skin care products that do not clog the skin pores or cause comedones. Open Comedones/ Closed Comedones Open comedones are whiteheads while closed comedones are blackheads. 

They are a result of accumulation of dirt and debris within the skin pores and subsequent blockage of the same. Physical Sunscreens These sunscreens reflect off and scatter the UV rays of the sun when they reach the skin surface. Physical sunscreens are advisable for people with sensitive skin. Common ingredients of physical sunscreen are Titanium Dioxide and Zinc Oxide. Parabens They are the artificial preservatives used in skin care products in order to prolong their shelf life. Though they are important to prevent the development of micro organisms in skin care products, but they can be harmful for the skin. It is not advisable to use products that contain a large concentration of parabens. Smaller concentrations of the same are safe though. Stratum Corneum This is the outermost layer of the skin. Skin cells that are formed within the deeper layers of the skin take about 28 days to reach the stratum corneum. The cells in this layer are all dead and require exfoliation to clear off. However, even though the cells are dead, they form the first line of defense for our skin. They prevent water loss and protect the skin from environmental toxins and UV rays. As we get older our skin ages, and as we start to notice ageing skin our thoughts turn to skin care. Today I want to examine the problems with mainstream anti aging products, find out what all natural skin care is and why this is important for you to know. Anti aging products are supposed to be good for us. 

They are supposed to reverse the effects of skin ageing and to reduce the visible results, namely wrinkles, skin sagging, fine lines, age spots and more. Using skin care products is supposed to be a positive in our life. But unfortunately for many people this is not the case. The numbers of people who suffer from allergies, skin irritation and skin problems like eczema from the use of mainstream big brand skin care products is huge. I know this because it's happened to a member of my family and because I spend my time researching this. And there is one simple reason for this, a reason that does not apply to all natural skin care products. The reason is this. Many of the antaging brands that you may take for granted and perhaps even use every day contain a range of chemical and petrochemical ingredients, many of which are known to cause cancer and many of which lead to skin problems as well as other health problems. I spend much of my time researching skin care products and looking at the health implications of many of the chemical ingredients which are used in them. For example just this morning I was reading the results of a study done on mice which has been published in the Journal of Investigative Dermatology which concluded that the use of moisturizers containing sodium lauryl sulphate increase the risk of skin cancer in mice by 69 percent. This is just one of the hundreds or even thousands of studies which have shown that many of the chemical ingredients used in modern big brand name skin care products can have a range of health implications. 

Ingredients such as mineral oil, parabens, sodium lauryl sulphate, fragrances, petroleum products and more are all used in many if not most of the big brand anti aging products that you see on the shelves every day. And each of these has been shown in various studies to put consumers at risk of health and skin problems. There are a wide range of well-known natural ingredients which are firmly established to be very beneficial to the health of your skin and which are perfectly safe to use in anti aging products such as all natural anti aging products. These ingredients are known to be safe and in many cases have been eaten by generations of people without negative health implications. Of course these natural ingredients are all available to any company to use in it's anti aging products. However with billions of dollars at stake in this industry competition is voracious, including competition on price. Whilst all of these natural ingredients found in so many good all natural skin care products are relatively expensive chemical ingredients such as mineral oil and sodium lauryl sulphate are extremely cheap. These companies use cheap ingredients so that they can market their products at a competitive price and include in the budget plenty of money for television advertising. However this situation offers an opportunity to new players in the market, and to some older players, to develop products which take advantage of the growing awareness of the problem of chemical ingredients in anti aging products. 

These niche companies produce excellent all natural anti aging products using ingredients which are known to be safe and which are highly effective, and usually more so than the chemical ingredients used in the big brands. All natural skin care products work very effectively, and if you choose wisely they are perfectly safe for you to use on your skin, regardless of skin type, and will not cause any skin irritation or allergies or any other health problems. Note that I said "if you choose wisely". There are many anti aging products advertised as all natural skin care products which contain many of the chemical ingredients used in the big brand names. There is no government regulation determining what can or cannot be used in anti aging products and what can or cannot be said on the label, so cheating is rife. The best all natural skin care products offer you an opportunity for excellent skin care without risking your health or your skin. They are highly effective and they need to be, because the best ones come with a money back guarantee to ensure that all customers are able to try the products risk free to establish for themselves how well they work. So if you're becoming concerned about the problems with mainstream anti aging skin care products and you can be confident in the knowledge that, if you choose wisely, you can find excellent all natural skin care products that really do produce optimum skin health without the chemical risks. Are you looking for help for aging skin?