Your skin is a remarkable organ that protects you from the harsh environment you live with every day. It's not only the largest organ of your body; it's also the hardest working. Healthy skin is essential to a healthy body. So what should be in your skin care in order to look younger and get rid of wrinkles? Excellent question!

Actually, it's what you don't find in skin care products that's so important. This is true for women and men wanting more youthful looking skin, and to get rid of wrinkles but especially true for teens and young adults battling acne.

Look at the ingredient label on your skin care products. Even if it says "natural" on the label, you may be using products that may contain harmful impurities or form toxic by-products. Some of these toxins can increase your risk of potentially dangerous disease. These chemicals include sodium laurel sulfate, methylparaben, coal tar, mineral oil and even formaldehyde.

That's right: the stuff that preserved your frogs in 10th grade biology class is found in your personal care products. Do these sound like the kind of chemicals you want your skin to be absorbing? You probably don't, and if you look at the ingredient label on your skin care products you are likely to find those chemicals and many more.

One of the most recent concerns over commonly used cosmetic ingredients involves the use of parabens. These parabens are chemicals used to preserve and inhibit the growth of bacteria and other life forms in your product. They are also known to disrupt hormone function. In more than 12 recent research studies, parabens have been shown to have a highly "estrogenic activity" when applied to the skin. That means they raise estrogen levels and increase the risk of certain cancers. These parabens are found in skin care products and many personal care products including deodorants, shampoos and lotions.

And when UV rays react with these preservatives, the aging process is accelerated.

Unfortunately, many so-called natural products contain these chemicals. The FDA office of cosmetics has stated that the FDA cannot require companies to do safety testing of their cosmetic products before marketing. You can't rely on the government to protect you. Instead you need to be educated and be aware of the dangers of these chemicals so you can avoid products that use them.

So, why do they use preservatives you might ask? Because they have to! Preservatives are used in skin care to keep the ingredients from disintegrating or spoiling. Without them, the products will not maintain shelf life. Is this what you want for your skin?

No! You want a system that is completely free of the parabens, sulfates, tars, talc and embalming fluids that have no place in your skin care or any personal care products. Why use skin care products that contain harsh, potentially harmful chemicals?

By replacing preservatives, colorants and fragrances with pure water and botanically based ingredients, your skin can receive the best care that nature can provide. In order to do this, you will have to do your due diligence. If you are serious, you'll have to research each and every ingredient found on the label of your skin and personal care products. And don't forget the water listed as an ingredient.

Not all waters are equal. Most of the water we are exposed to contain high levels of chlorine and very low levels of the natural minerals found in natural water sources. The water in your skin care products should have a perfect crystalline shape which passes through the skin's cellular walls easier than irregularly shaped tap water. This so-called "structured water" provides maximum hydration and cellular detoxification for your skin. It also allows the high-quality ingredients (if you are using a high quality system) to be more readily absorbed into the cells of your skin. Why use skin care products that contain harsh, potentially harmful chemicals, and plain water (or worse, oil)?

So if you're looking for results such as younger looking skin, and to get rid of wrinkles, steer away from parabens, preservatives, and tap water.

As the saying goes "the proofs in the pudding" - how has your skin care been working for you?