Good skin care products are everywhere; we have never been more fortunate in choices. You can use upscale products over $100 per jar, or zip over to your local drugstore for generic products under $10; genetics and environment aside, there is much debate whether spending more actually works better for your skin.



Genetics factor in skin's appearance and resistance to aging; pale-skinned, blue-eyed people may show aging more quickly than dark-eyed and darker skinned people.

The environment is also responsible, with pollution, free radicals, and exposure to the sun; they all are skin damaging.

If you also add to the mix your own lifestyle, good or bad habits (sunbathing, jogging in cities and along highways, golfing, fishing, smoking, drinking), you start to see how your skin may be affected and why you need to protect it. And you can, easily.

Protect it, yes. Your skin is your biggest barrier to infection. Your skin helps to balance your system, cools you when you are over-heated, and much more.

It also can reflect how you are caring for yourself, and nothing shows aging like skin that hasn't had good care.

1. Always start clean. This means wash your hands first with an anti-bacterial cleanser. Use a clean cloth.

2. Don't scrub hard - that never helps.

3. Toner as needed. Toners can restore the skin's PH balance if needed.

4. Moisturize around the eyes and facially as needed.

5. Sunscreen of at least 30 SPF (sun protection factor; re-apply as directed if you are outdoors for long periods). Don't forget all of your exposed skin, especially your hands.

6. Sunscreen. It is important enough to repeat. Melanoma (a highly malignant form of skin cancer) is on the rise. Melanomas can strike at any age, and they are dangerous because the cancer cells metastasize (migrate) to other organs. Even squamous cell cancer is a worry; often huge areas of skin need to be removed until the borders are clear (there is no evidence of cancer cells surrounding the original area.

If not fatal, these diseases can be disfiguring. So don't shrug off that sunburn; the consequences multiply - your skin cannot totally repair the damage and it is cumulative.

7. Make skin care and preventing sun damage a habit. Have sunscreen in your bag, in your car, or wherever you are, at all times. Cloudy day? So what, protect your skin (the sun's rays still get through). Re-apply sunscreen as needed; it doesn't last all day, and if you are swimming or perspiring, you lose protection.

Make sure you have a sun visor or hat. Wear sunglasses with UV protection; cataracts are caused by sun exposure as well.

Get your children in step early and it will be one of the best things a parent can do for their children's health.

This may seem like a lot of effort, but follow these steps and be more of an English Rose than a leatherneck...and be healthier. There are a lot of products designed to give your skin the tanned look a lot of people would rather have, without the harm.