The aging process will eventually take its toll on our bodies and it's on our skin that we first notice any real changes. In fact, the aging process not only increases the appearance of wrinkles and ages spots on our face, but it also makes our skin thinner and more brittle.

This is why, when treating mature skin, you should use gentle skin care creams. A good option for mature skin is natural skin care products. However, it may difficult to choose the right, natural skin cream because some products contain ingredients that we would not consider gentle or soothing.

Ingredients like propylene glycol and petrolatum are considered natural because they are by-products of petroleum. Nevertheless, they can be irritating to mature skin. Here is a list of products that you should avoid if you want to use the most natural products.

Avoid the Following Ingredients especially in 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 dehydrates skin and is also known to cause irritation. That is why if you do find yourself buying a product that contains this ingredient, make sure that it isn't among the first five ingredients.

Parabens are another ingredient that should be banned from natural skin creams. Although they serve an important purpose such as suppressing microbial formation in creams, parabens have been linked to irritation and cancer.

Another ingredient you should keep an eye out for are ureas. Both imidazolidinyl and diazolidinyl urea can cause inflammation. They are widely used in skin products because they are inexpensive.

Synthetic colors and unnatural fragrances are usually known as coal-tars that can lead to cancer. Synthetic fragrances can alter hormonal production. Always look for products that are fragrance free and not unscented as unscented products use other components to mask the smell of the product's ingredients.

The Good Ingredients: Look for them in Your Skin Care Cream

There are a couple of key ingredients that are very beneficial to have in your skin care product. If at all possible, you should prefer products that contain these ingredients over products that don't, especially if you have sensitive skin.

Rose hip oil is very well known for treating dry skin and scar tissue. It has a low viscosity, which allows it to absorb quickly into the skin. This makes it possible to apply this ingredient in its oil form or in skin care products.

Rose hip seed oil helps soothe irritated skin and helps moisturize dry skin. In fact, it is a great addition to any skin cream for aging skin.

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 it concerns you to use this, or any other natural product on your skin, you should do a patch test before trying it on your face.