You can't deny the simple fact that we will all, at one time or another, have to face the common signs of aging, however, this shouldn't be cause for concern. Aging doesn't mean you have to give up on life or feel less attractive in the process. In fact, skin care companies have seen the need for a special type of product catered to aging skin care needs.

Skin care creams for maturing skin should be gentle. A good choice for mature skin is the use of natural skin care products, however, you should be very careful when choosing a natural skin cream because some products contain ingredients that aren't always considered gentle or soothing.

For example, the skin care industry considers petroleum based ingredients as natural substances. Whether petroleum based ingredients are or aren't natural is beside the point. The real question is, would you find it natural to treat your delicate aging skin with petrolum? Let's take a look at other ingredients that you may want to avoid in your skin and face creams.

The most important ingredient to avoid is alcohol in all of its forms except cetyl alcohol and stearyl alcohol. Alcohol is known to dehydrate your skin and cause irritation so if you do purchase a product that contains this ingredient, make sure that it does not appear among the first 5 ingredients.

Parabens are another harmful ingredient that you can find in many natural skin creams. Even though they serve an important purpose by suppressing microbial formation in creams, parabens have been linked to irritation. They have also been linked to more severe problems such as cancer.

Other carcinogenic products that you will want to avoid are acryl amide (linked to breast tumors), polyethylene glycol (PEG), and dioxine (a synthetic derivative of coconut). You should also try and avoid products made with synthetic colors and fragrances because, not only are some considered to be carcinogenic, but most are known to alter hormone levels.

Phenol carbolic acid is a very common ingredient in skin care products. It is an antiseptic and disinfectant, however, if you are continually exposed to this type of ingredient you may experience irritation or dermatitis.

Stearalkonium chloride is used in creams for its conditioning properties. This ingredient is known to cause skin and eye irritation. It is not advisable to use it for prolonged periods of time.

Vital Ingredients for Face Creams

There are also some ingredients that you should look for in your skin care products. Not all products contain them, but try to use those that do, especially if you have sensitive skin.

Rose hip seed oil is one of the best natural moisturizers around. It has been used for centuries to treat dry skin, eczema, scar tissue and even stretch marks.

Licorice root extract is a very soothing ingredient. It may appear as glycyrrhizin on the product labels. If you are worried that this ingredient may cause irritation or produce allergic reactions, then you should do a patch test before trying it on your face.