Always read the labels on skin care products. The truth is that some ingredients may do more harm than good. The more ingredients are listed, the more potential harm they can do to your skin. Here is a list of some of the common ingredients found in skin care products that have the potential to irritate your skin:

• Ammonia
• Balsam
• Bergamot
• Citrus juices and oils
• Coriander
• Eugenol
• Fir needle
• Horsetail
• Lemongrass
• Marjoram
• Mint
• Papaya
• Sandalwood oil
• TEA-lauryl sulfate
• Arnica
• Bentonite
• Camphor
• Clove
• Cornstarch
• Fennel
• Geranium
• Lavender
• Lime
• Melissa (lemon balm)
• Oak bark
• Peppermint
• Sodium C14-16 olefin sulfate
• Thyme
• Balm mint
• Benzalkonium chloride
• Cinnamon
• Clover blossom
• Eucalyptus
• Fennel oil
• Grapefruit
• Lemon
• Linalool
• Menthol
• Orange
• Phenol
• Sodium lauryl sulfate
• Wintergreen
• Witch hazel
• Ylang-ylang

Dry skin has no permanent cure but the skin can be softened and made smoother by using a few remedies. Most popularly, lotions and creams are used to soothe the dry skin. Using a mild soap or a cleansing body wash might eliminate the problem temporarily. However, this option can turn out to be pretty expensive if the skin is genetically dry or just exceptionally dry.  Certain remedies can be used to soften the dry skin right at home.

A face pack made of fruits rich in vitamins and water can have a good effect on the dry skin. Some of the fruits that can be used are papaya, peach, and banana. Mashed avocado can also be applied to the skin for a glowing effect.  A mild lotion or moisturizer can follow these face packs, to retain the moisture produced by the face pack. It is advised to use oil-based lotions in such instances. Moisture has to be applied with upward circular motion always.

Night creams containing alpha hydroxy acids can be used as night cream so as to have a fresh looking skin in the mornings. These are more oily than the regular creams and work more effectively for longer time during the nights.

A diet consisting of a lot of Vitamin A, Vitamin B, and Vitamin E can be taken for an inner glow in the skin. Leafy vegetables help the most in replenishing the moisture in the skin. The water intake needs to increase a lot to help the body have the required amount of fluids. Fruit juices are also considered to be very helpful in softening the skin.

Rose water, almond oil, honey, olive oil, and beaten curd can all be used as good face packs. Other than this, daily massage or facial sauna with herbal oils and use of mild detergent and fragrance free soap can work wonders on dry skin.

Dry Skin provides detailed information about dry skin, dry skin care, and more. Dry Skin is affiliated with Ring Worm Symptoms.

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According to this article, a new Consumer Reports study has found that cheap wrinkle creams outperform the pricey ones. Despite making claims such as “scientifically proven” and “breakthrough treatment,” the benefits of most anti-aging creams are barely visible to the naked eye, a study by the publishers of Consumer Reports magazine has concluded.

The luxury brands, some priced over $300, don’t perform any better than more moderately priced drug store versions, which sell for less than $20, the non-profit consumer research group also said in its first-ever study of anti-aging products.

Olay Regenerist, priced at $19, was the top performer, while RoC Retinol Correxion Deep Wrinkle Night Cream scored the lowest.

After 12 weeks the top-rated products did smooth out some fine lines and wrinkles. But even the best performers reduced the average depth of wrinkles by less than 10 per cent, a magnitude of change that was barely visible to the naked eye.

The differences between the top and bottom scoring creams were “marginal,” the authors noted. However, consumers can improve their chances of getting better results by trying various brands as the same product performed differently on different women, the study showed.

The makers of top performing Olay Regenerist gave the report high marks. The most expensive product tested, La Prairie Cellular, which sells for $335 an ounce in the U.S., ranked second least effective. The Toronto Star was unable to reach the Swiss company for comment last night.

The consumer group also tested a brand that is currently the subject of a class action lawsuit in the U.S. and a Health Canada review over some of its health claims. StriVectin-SD Intensive Concentrate for Existing Stretch Marks, which sells for $135 in the U.S., scored seventh out of nine products listed.

The best prevention for wrinkles is the old standbys: Stay out of the sun, wear sunscreen, avoid tanning salons and don’t smoke, the report concluded.

Alpha hydroxy acids are now in common use by dermatologists, cosmeticians and the many people buying over the counter skin care products. They are available in moisturizers, cleansers, eye creams, peels, foundations and anti-wrinkle preparations.

They are most commonly used for dry skin care, but can tend to be too harsh and therefore damage the skin further. The damage can be repaired with a shielding lotion, but it might also be a good idea to try some of the gentler alpha hydroxy acids Mother Nature has to offer instead of those on the shelves.

Alpha hydroxy acids are plant extracts that, in themselves, are not harmful unless used in very high concentration - which can cause redness and swelling that may last for weeks. Their major benefit is in their ability to accelerate exfoliation. Dead skin cells are stripped away, leaving your skin looking fresh and young.

The acids also improve fullness and elasticity by stimulating the production of collagen and elastin. As dead skin cell build-up is more common with dry skin than other skin types, and as dry skin tends to be thinner and less supple, these properties are especially benefical in dry skin care.

If you would like to try these acids au naturel rather than in expensive treatments or preparations, here’s where you can find them:

* Bilberry extract - Bilberry is a shrub with leaves and fruit that have toning properties. The extract is a good source of natural alpha hydroxy acid and is available in health food stores.

* Citric acid - most concentrated in lemons and limes, is it high in both antioxidants and alpha hydroxy acids. Both lemons and limes are helpful for dry skin care and are easy to prepare. You can squeeze them for juice and apply them, or simply cut the fruit in half and run it in.

* Sugar cane and sugar maple extracts - extracted from the juicy pulp of sugar cane and the Sugar Maple Tree, these are both good natural sources of alpha hydroxy acids. Although these may be hard to find in stores, a quick search online will produce many sources.

Although bilberry, lemons, limes and sugar plant extracts may be easier on the skin than the usual products, the exfoliation process can still leave it a little raw and vulnerable. So make sure you follow your alpha hydroxy treatment - natural or otherwise - with a good shielding lotion specially formulated dry skin care.

Author, Gloria MacTaggart, is a freelance writer who contributes articles on skin care for Gloves In A Bottle, Inc. For more information, visit www.glovesinabottle.com.

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Can we really stop the aging process, slow it down, or even reverse the effects of aging on our skin and body?  It is an enigma for which so many have searched the answers to for years.  Now, with advanced modern science making breakthroughs and discoveries every day, the answers have become apparent to the age-old quest for the proverbial fountain of youth.

In large part, your everyday lifestyle choices contribute to the way you age, and at what rateyour body ages.  Diet, environmental factors, exercise and the topical skincare products and skin care regimen you choose, all affect the way you are going to appear now and ten, twenty, and thirty years down the road.  It’s no surprise your lifestyle plays a pivotal role in how your body and skin age over the years, since we’ve always known diet and exercise affect our energy levels, appearance, moods, and fitness level.

However, several key foods have been found to be very effective weapons not only against aging in general, but also against skin disorders ranging from acne, rosacea, thin skin, and photo aging (sun damage).  These foods can even help reverse and repair sun and other environmental damage done to theskin.  This powerful weapon is a goup of chemical compounds called antioxidants, and what they accomplish in high doses, along with adequate exercise, can mimic a surgical facelift over a relatively short period of time!

Think about all of the damage your skin is exposed to on a daily basis.  It is your largest and most vulnerable organ, exposed to toxins and other damaging elements, like the sun, every day.  These elements will actually accelerate the aging process by producing harmful compounds  called free radicals, which can damage cells and in turn damage the skin.  Antioxidants actually fight free radicals, and reverse some of the damage already done by them in the body.

Precautions to be taken to prevent these nasty little free radicals from wreaking havoc on your skin include wearing sunscreen every day, getting regular moderate exercise, using preventive skin care (cleansers, lotions, gels, creams, etc.) formulated with powerful antioxidants like Vitamin C and Alpha Lipoic Acid, and making sure your get an abundance of antioxidants in your every day diet.  Some examples of foods high in antioxidants include berries (strawberries, bluberries, raspberries, etc.),citrus fruits (oranges, grapefruits, etc.), and vegetables rich in color, such as broccoli, zuccini, spinach, and summer squash.

Green tea is also agreat source of antioxidants, not to mention  a better choice than coffee for a pick-me-up.  See the following links for more information on where to find these anti-aging priciples:
http://www.cosmeticsgalore.com/best-weightloss-supplements-reviews.html/

While there are many foods to be enjoyed while living by the “anti-aging” diet, there are also foods that need to be either avoided all together, or strictly minimized.  These are refined sugar, caffeine, and all starchy and white flour products.  The resulting surge of insulin created by these foods produces more free radicals and breaks down the cell’s defenses against damaging elements, leaving you wide open to more skin damage
(ie. wrinkles, skin disorders, and other premature aging effects).

These foods are highly inflammatory by nature, and while they may taste good going down, know that they are destroying good cells and allowing for future damage by weakening the cell’s defenses further.  Eating these foods results in less tone and definition.  The skin “droops”, hence the creation of fine lines, wrinkles, and dull color.  You will know a person that has a high sugar and high carb diet by looking at their face.  They may have almost a “doughy” appearance to their skin, lacking the sharp definition and tone enjoyed by those who follow a healthy diet based on the anti-aging principles.

So, there you have it, some of the core concepts that will get you started to minimizing and even reversing the affects of aging.  This is really just the tip of the iceberg. There is actually a lot more information on these concepts available that would be well worth your time to learn.  What you do with these principles is up to you, it’s just a matter of making some minor changes for a longer, happier and healthier life.  I’d say that is definitely worth the investment!

Danna Schneider is the webmaster of the beauty and makeup product review and advice website CosmeticsGalore.com http://www.cosmeticsgalore.com - providing reviews and research on everything from natural breast enhancement products and cellulite treatments to self tanners, acne treatments, and makeup.

She is a cosmetics and beauty product researcher and enthusiast.

Click here for skin care tips and anti-aging wrinkle creams.