Exposure to irritants and chemicals in the everyday environment is one of the major causes. We live in a much more toxic environment today and our skin bears the brunt. When we are exposed to harsh conditions in the environment it can have a very negative effect on our skin.

The skin is our largest organ ? its primary function is to protect the body from pollutants, toxins and irritants. It keeps the bad stuff out. When it loses the ability to do that we are exposed to all that bad stuff.

In order to make an informed decision when it comes to selecting a skin care product, your first thought should be to consider your type of skin. When it comes to skin types, the general classifications are oily skin, dry skin, normal skin and sensitive skin.

Realizing your classification of skin will aid in your search for an effective skin care product, however, finding the best skin care product will require more details.

Recognizing whether your skin is dry, oily, sensitive or normal is the first part in choosing what skin care product is right for you. However, keep in mind that this is only the beginning of the journey to proper skin care.

First of all, you need to understand how the skin care products work. This is simple. You can consider all skin care products to be composed of 2 types of ingredients Active and inactive. The active ingredients are the ones that actually work on your skin.

The primary purpose of the inactive ingredients is to aid in the delivery of the active ingredients to your skin. Both active and inactive ingredients should work in unsion to make the product effective and useful for your skin.

The Effects of Modern Life On Your Skin

The outer layer of skin is made up of dead skin cells, natural oils and lipids (fats). It is designed by nature to protect your deeper layers of skin from irritants and toxins. Most soaps and cleansers contain fragrances, colorants, antibacterial agents and many other ingredients that strip away these protective elements of the outer layer of skin.

Daily use of most soaps and cleansers can greatly reduce your skin's natural ability to repel the thousands of irritants and toxins that are commonly found in the home and work place. Once these irritants penetrate your outer layer of skin they can cause dry skin conditions, eczema, psoriasis, skin allergies and many other less desirable skin and health problems.