3 Steps to Natural Skin Care

Our skin is a wonderful living organism, in fact it is the largest organ in our body and like every living thing it needs to be looked after. Natural skin care is really important if we are to protect our skin against the ravages of modern living and if it is to repay our care by making us look beautiful and healthy. The correct natural skincare regime not only helps us to keep young looking, but also helps in warding off dangers such as skin cancer.

There are many skincare products on the market and to gain competitive advantage cosmetics companies invent ever more fanciful ingredients and expansive claims to get our purchase. This is a poorly regulated industry and we are largely on our own in deciding what is best for bodies but if we follow three basic rules we can't go far wrong.

1 Buy products that are natural and organic and don't be fooled by claims.

Organic products are grown without the use of pesticides and involve no use of growth hormones. And there is of course a big difference in a product that is totally organic, ie all its ingredients are organic, and a product that contains many ingredients only one of which is organic. Cosmetics companies increasingly introduce some rare plant with miracle properties, claim it to be organic and conveniently overlook the cocktails of chemicals tat make up the large part of their product. Even when the this wonder ingredient has scientifically accepted proven beneficial effects it is nearly always in such small quantities as to make it ineffective.

2 Buy natural skincare products that contain as few chemicals and preservatives as possible. Just read the ingredients list and if it is a telephone directory of chemicals and preservatives that you have never heard of; don't buy. Many products such as parabens are extensively used as preservatives, but scientists are divided as to whether they can be harmful, so best to avoid wherever possible. Our skin is slightly absorbent and we should beware of using products on it that contain potentially harmful chemicals. Experts disagree on how absorbent our skin actually is and the majority of chemicals in our bodies are introduced through foods, however there is a strong argument that says any level of chemical introduced through the skin is a level too much.

3 Drink plenty of water. The skin is largely hydrated from within not from without and water should be drunk regularly both as a stomach cleanser and for skin hydration.

The right moisturiser for us will also add moisture and importantly will hold the moisture in the skin keeping it smooth and plumping up the surface of the skin. The role of a moisturiser is to assist the skin's natural functions, not to replace them. The skin itself produces a defence mechanism against the formation of bacteria and creates its own moisturiser and we should make sure that we do not remove this natural layer through frequent washing with caustic soaps. Our moisturiser should seal in these natural oils.

Moisturisers should be gently massaged into the skin in the morning to protect against the day ahead and at night to will help the skin to recover and revitalise itself whilst we sleep. This twice daily routine also helps our circulation and skin tone.

Ageing skin looses moisture more easily and the addition of the right moisturiser will help keep the sking plump looking and those wrinkles at bay.

Vitamins are essential in keeping our bodies fit and healthy and our skin is no exception. So we should look for moisturisers that contain Vitamin E and Vitamin A (particularly important for the night time cream).

So we are looking for a natural skin care product that contains no chemicals or preservatives, is natural and organic and contains beneficial vitamins and minerals. The answer for me comes from the growing number of small natural cosmetics companies who make their products in small batches to guarantee their freshness and to avoid the need for preservatives. Often these companies are driven by a passion for their products and can be trusted to be truly organic and to use only the best ingredients. Just because a product is from a recognised name and is expensive does not mean that it is any better for your skin and the other benefit from these small cosmetics houses is that their overheads and pricing are often significantly lower. Increasingly small is beautiful in our quest for natural skin care products.

You can find some excellent information about essential oils here - Natural Skin Care Products