Are you tired of spending hundreds of dollars each year on skin care products that don't work? If so, you are like millions of people who continue to waste money just because they don't know what to look for. A good skin care tip to keep in mind is this: pay careful attention to the ingredients. What you see is not always what you get.

If it goes on your skin, it goes in your body

Many people think that the skin is an isolated part of your body. Not true. Anything that you apply to your skin gets absorbed into your bloodstream. Therefore, you want the ingredients that you use to be natural, and even safe enough to eat. Many companies use synthetic additives, which besides being ineffective can be outright harmful to your body. Skin care tips like these will help you decide which products are safe for you to use.

Natural is Better

Natural ingredients, such as those derived from plant products, work better on human skin for several reasons. Most importantly, natural ingredients work in synergy with one another, and increase each other's effects. Also, the makeup of plant ingredients very closely approximates that of human skin cells. If skin care tips are important to you, then make sure any product you buy includes natural, plant derived ingredients.

Avoid, Avoid, Avoid

Another helpful skin care tip is to avoid products that use preservatives called parabens. These are used in many commercial products as a preservative. They have long been suspected in the development of several types of cancers in humans. Many quality manufacturers will make an obvious point of letting you know that their products are paraben-free. Also, stay away from fragrances, as they can cause drying and irritation of your skin, as well as trigger off allergic sensitivity reactions.

Science Meets Beauty

The newest wave of technology in the skin care field is the incorporation of antioxidants into skin care products. Antioxidants are found in nature, and they function to protect the cells in our body from aging and damage caused by free radicals. A good skin care tip will tell you to use products with antioxidants in high concentrations. This can supplement your natural supply and help reverse the aging process that free radicals cause. This will help keep your skin young and healthy, which is the reason you are looking for a product in the first place!

The take home message is this: Don't sacrifice quality to save a little money. It won't be worth it in the long run. Study the ingredients on any product you buy, and make sure you are getting a safe, effective product. With the information you will learn, you can then pass this skin care tip on to your friends and family.