Any quality anti aging skin cream will have ingredients that act synergistically with each other, and will contain a wide array of these ingredients for maximum effect. So, the question is, what should be among these ingredients?

Retinol, which is derived from vitamin A, should be among them. Such derivatives are powerful anti-oxidants which thus fend off aging. Retinol has been scientifically proven to increase the production of collagen while plumping out the skin, so that fine lines and wrinkles are diminished. Skin tone and color are improved, and hyperpigmentation (those unsightly mottled patches) on the skin is diminished by retinol in skin creams, too.

Retinol’s even more powerful counterpart, tretinoin, is used in dermatologists’ prescriptions, including those designed to fight severe acne. Now, while retinol hydrates the dermis and hypodermis, or the skin’s under-layers, the epidermis may become flaky and dry from contact with it; but, in a complete anti aging skin cream, there will be plenty of high quality moisturizers that remove this side effect.

Speaking of vitamins, how about vitamin C? This anti-oxidant rich vitamin has been demonstrated to increase the body’s production of elastin and collagen, the chemical compounds that keep your skin flexible, strong, and resilient so that wrinkles, fine lines, and scar tissue are diminished.

Your body naturally begins producing less and less elastin and collagen as you get older, so it’s important to start putting them back into you. You can supplement an anti aging skin cream’s vitamin C effects by eating “an orange a day”, too. If like broccoli, you can get plenty of vitamin C from that, too. (If you don’t care for it, try eating it with melted cheese over it–yummy.)

There is another compound that you have probably heard of called CoQ-10 (co-enzyme Q-10), which is naturally produced by your body to maximize the tissues’ use of energy, which in turn means you have stronger immune and cardiovascular systems that fend off free radical damage and, as one result, keep your skin looking and feeling young.

Again, this is another substance that slowly diminishes in production as you age, and it is said that anyone over the age of 40 should be taking CoQ-10 supplements for general health and increased energy. Some research has demonstrated that CoQ-10 helps to diminish wrinkles crow’s feet around the eyes. A skin cream that has CoQ-10 in it will be yellow or orange.

Look for these ingredients among many others in your anti aging face cream.

You have determined you need a skin care regime, it’s time to find the proper skin care products for your use. The first important rule to stick by is that you should never use regular bar soap on your body, especially on your face. Even the best and most expensive bar soap is still going to be harmful and drying on your delicate skin, so you need to make sure that you always use an appropriate face cleansing product instead. You should never wipe your face dry after cleansing. For proper skin care you should stick to just patting it dry. Regular stimulation with moisturizer is also very important, but remember that only moisturizing a certain amount is going to be enough, and if you try to overdo it, you are just going to make the problem worse. By including a proper amount and type of moisturizer in your daily skin care regime, you will be increasing the water content of the outer layers of your skin, thus nourishing it with the moisture that it needs.

Drinking a proper amount of water is crucial to proper skin care. Not only do you have the keep the exterior of your skin moisturized, but your body as well so that it can produce and pump moisture to your skin. Drinking at least eight glasses of water a day will help tremendously, and you also want to eat a healthy diet that is rich in fresh fruits and vegetables. You should also try to avoid having baths and showers that are very hot, as this will only dry your skin out even more. When you can, rinse your skin and hair under lukewarm to cool water. As well, when you have a bath, try adding a few drops of bath oil to the water, as this will help lubricate your skin. Make sure that the moisturizer you apply after the bath will adhere properly on your skin.