Mature skin reacts best with a gentle touch. As we age, our skin becomes thinner and weaker which means 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. Deciding which product is the right natural skin cream may be quite a chore because not all natural skin care products contain what we consider "natural".

Ingredients such as petrolatum and propylene glycol are by-products of petroleum and are, therefore, considered natural. 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.

Ingredients to Avoid in your Skin Cream

Alcohol is one of the top ingredients you should avoid especially in face creams. It is notorious for dehydrating the skin. If the product you are looking at contains alcohol in the first five ingredients, it is best to choose another one.

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

Most synthetic colors and fragrances are also 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.

Another ingredient to avoid are ureas. Both imidazolidinyl and diazolidinyl urea can cause inflammation, but 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 few of the previous ingredients, you should check to see if it does contain 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

Licorice root extract can be soothing to the skin. Some products may list is as glycyrrhizin. Before you try using it on larger areas of skin, do a patch test.

*Rose Hip Seed Oil

This vegetable oil has been known to help treat dry skin and scar tissues. It is a very gentle ingredient that can be used directly in its oil form or in skin care products. It has a low viscosity, which allows it to absorb quickly.

Rose hip seed oil is another natural oil that helps soothe irritated skin and helps moisturize dry skin. As a matter of fact, rose hip oil is an excellent ingredient in any skin cream for aging skin.