You can't deny the simple fact that we will all, at one time or another, have to face the common signs of aging, however, this shouldn't be cause for concern. Aging doesn't mean you have to give up on life or feel less attractive in the process. In fact, skin care companies have seen the need for a special type of product catered to aging skin care needs.

Gentle skin care creams are the best choice for aging skin. A good choice for mature skin is the use of natural skin care products, however, you should be very careful when choosing a natural skin cream because some products contain ingredients that aren't always considered gentle or soothing.

For example, the skin care industry has said that petroleum based ingredients are natural substances. This may be so, but no one wants to put petroleum on their skin right? Let's take a look at a few other ingredients that you may want to avoid when in search of gentle face creams.

One of the ingredients you should try to avoid is alcohol in all of its forms except cetyl alcohol and stearyl alcohol. Alcohol is known to dehydrate your skin and cause irritation so if you do purchase a product that contains this ingredient, make sure that it does not appear among the first 5 ingredients.

Parabens are another ingredient that should be banned from natural skin creams. Although parabens serve an important purpose in the make-up of some creams, they have also been known to produce irritation and even cancer.

Other carcinogenic products you may want to avoid are acryl amide, polyethylene glycol, and dioxine. Synthetic colors and fragrances are more problematic still. Besides being considered carcinogenic, they can also alter hormone levels.

A very common ingredient found in several skin care products is phenol carbolic acid. It is an antiseptic and disinfectant that can lead to irritation and dermatitis if used continually.

Stearalkonium chloride is used in creams for its conditioning properties. This ingredient is known to cause skin and eye irritation. It is not advisable to use it for prolonged periods of time.

Vital Ingredients for Face Creams

There are a few very special ingredients that you should look for in all skin care products, and if at all possible, prefer them over products that don't contain these ingredients.

Rose hip seed oil is not only one of the best natural moisturizers around, but it has a long history of helping to treat dry skin, eczema, scar tissue, and even stretch marks.

Licorice root extract is another natural ingredient that is very soothing on sensitive skin. It may appear listed as glycyrrhizin on the product labels so look closely before purchasing. If you are worried that this ingredient may cause irritation or produce allergic reactions, then you should do a patch test before trying it on your face.