Mature skin requires a gentle touch. As we age, our skin becomes thinner and weaker. It also becomes increasingly sensitive to the ingredients found in traditional skin care creams.

A good option for treating mature skin is the use of natural skin care products. It's not always easy choosing the right natural skin cream because not all natural skin care products contain what we consider "natural".

Because ingredients such as petrolatum and propylene glycol are by-products of petroleum, they are considered to be natural. However, 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.

You're your Skin Cream Should not Contain

Alcohol is one of the main ingredients you should avoid especially in face creams (cetyl alcohol and stearyl alcohol are ok). It is notorious for drying out your skin so if the product you are about to purchase lists alcohol as one of the first five ingredients, you should reconsider your purchase.

Many natural skin creams contain parabens because parabens are used to suppress microbial proliferation. However, they can lead to irritation and other problems. They have also been linked to more severe issues such as cancer.

Synthetic colors and unnatural fragrances are usually known as coal-tars that can lead to cancer. Synthetic fragrances can also alter hormonal production which means you should always look for products that are fragrance-free and not unscented. Don't be fooled by products saying that they are unscented because this only means that they have used other components to mask the smell of the product's ingredients.

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.

Ingredients You'll Want in Your Natural Cream

Once you have chosen a product that contains none or a couple of the previous ingredients, check to see if it has any of the following ingredients. Keep in mind that it is not absolutely essential for these ingredients to appear in your skin cream, but it is a good option especially for soothing sensitive skin.

*Licorice Root

The extract from this root can be soothing to the skin. Some product labels may have it listed as glycyrrhizin. Do a patch test before you try using it on larger areas of skin.

*Rose Hip Seed Oil

This vegetable 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 is another natural oil that helps soothe irritated skin and helps moisturize dry skin. In fact, it is a great addition to any skin cream for aging skin.