Many people want a skin care expert to just tell them what product to use or what brand is best, but really the skin is as unique to you as the fingerprints on it and is constantly changing as we age, are under stress, and because of other factors. Rather than have someone just tell you what product to use it's much better to learn about common skin care ingredients so that you can read labels and make the decision about what is best for you personally.



Most skin care ingredients are meant to accomplish one purpose or another; many are either moisturizers, cleansing agents, exfoliating agents, or are nutrients the skin needs such as vitamins or amino acids. For example common skin care ingredients that exfoliate include alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) and amino fruit acids. These work by drying up and sloughing away that top layer of skin where there are dead skin cells and other impurities. Astringents for oily skin usually contain alcohol and acetone; these are very strong ingredients so don't use any products with these unless you have very oily skin and even then only apply these to the oily areas of your face.

Some common moisturizing skin care ingredients include aloe, shea butter, essential fatty acids (EFA), and avocado oil. These ingredients all have natural oils and emollients that help skin to stay hydrated and that replace lost fatty tissue in the skin; this doesn't make you look fat but just works to plump up the skin and make it seem soft, supple, and healthy. Vitamins are also important skin care ingredients so look for vitamin A which is usually referred to as retinol and vitamin E or vitamin E oil.

Many women are also opting for organic skin care ingredients so that they're not adding unnatural chemicals and other additives to their face and harming their skin with any impurities. Organic means grown or produced without unnatural chemicals, hormones, or other additives and as far as skincare products go, they also typically leave out fragrances and perfumes, dyes, and preservatives as well. While many people are not typically bothered by the negligible amount of these ingredients in most skincare products some people are very sensitive. They may cause breakouts or irritations for some so choosing organic skin care ingredients can be a good choice for many; organic products are usually readily available at any retailer or cosmetics counter.

Of course there may be some skin care ingredients that are bothersome to you personally so you need to be aware of what products you're using and how your skin responds. If you notice that a particular brand or product makes your skin seem red and irritated then you should probably discontinue using it. Opt for skin care ingredients that are made for sensitive skin even if you don't think you have sensitive skin as these are usually water based and natural and also leave out many of the added chemicals that may irritate your skin.