Unless you want your skin to end up looking like an old potato, it is essential to take care of it. Most children's skin is beautiful and needs nothing more than the care of sunscreen when they go outside, but once they reach their teens, all sorts of problems begin to manifest. Acne is one of these, but even if you are fortunate enough to escape acne, you still need to take care of your skin. Most people know if their skin is oily or dry. Often skin that is a bit oily has dry patches in a T-section that includes the nose. If your skin seems dry and scaly here, you should apply moisturizer to it, but astringents to the oily part. The skin around the eyes is more tender and fine and should be treated with a product especially designed for it.

There are many products on the market and it might be perplexing to know which one is right for you. Seek the help of a beautician if necessary. There are some fun and inexpensive products you can make from the ingredients in your kitchen cupboard.

Oatmeal paste.

Mix 2 tbsp oatmeal, 4 tbsp plain yoghurt, 1 tbsp lemon juice, 1 tbsp chopped parsley, and 1 tsp olive oil together. Massage into the skin, rinse off after about 4/5 minutes. This is great for oily or irritated skin. You can put a handful of oatmeal into the toe of your old pantyhose and use it to scrub your whole body, too.

Mask to treat wrinkles.

Beat 1 egg into 2 tbsp of milk. Wash your skin first then gently dab this concoction on. Rinse with warm water after 4/5 minutes. Add moisturizer.

If brown spots trouble you, use a vitamin C lotion under your make-up. This will help to neutralize free radicals that sabotage your skin after exposure to sunlight. Revlon has a sunscreen that contains vitamin C in it already.

Copper peptide is one of the newest patented ingredients that works against sagging. It is an antioxidant thought to stimulate the production of collagen and elastin in the skin.

Neutrogena has a range of non-soap, skin-care products available. One of them is Neutrogena Healthy Skin Face Lotion that combines vitamins A, C and E with alpha-hydroxy acids to create a light lotion for delicate skin. Cetaphil is a good moisturizer for delicate skins and can be used on all parts of the body, while Lac-Hydrin 5 is excellent for scaly patches and dry, rough skin.

From about age 30 the skin's natural ability to get rid of dead skin is impaired and this makes it look dull. Exfoliating your skin regularly, will keep it in good condition and help to create that translucent look. Look for products that contain alpha-, beta-, and poly-hydroxy acids. They will help slough off the dead skin, bringing fresh new cells to the surface.

Be sure to remove make-up every night and cleanse with a gentle toner, but if you do nothing to your skin except wear sunscreen that your skin will be able to rejuvenate itself to a great degree, and give wrinkles and crinkle the flick.