For most women, part of the morning and evening routines

involve a skincare regimen of applying creams, moisturizers,

tonics, lotions, and the like. Why do women put themselves

through this? They do it primarily to combat the signs of

aging, and to maintain youthful looks and beautiful skin! It is

a safe bet, however, that most women haven't put much thought

into what is in the products that they are using.

Some women probably do not realize that what they are putting

on their skin may actually be undermining what they are trying

to prevent to begin with. In fact the average woman puts twelve

products on her skin daily, most of which contain harmful

chemical preservatives. Dr. Myron Wentz, founder and

chairperson of USANA Health Sciences, has this to say about

beauty in the company magazine's June/July 2005 issue: "Some

say that beauty is only skin deep. Nonsense! I believe that

true beauty is a reflection of true health, and true health

begins deep inside each and every cell in the body. But true

health and true beauty have an outer component, which is why we

require protection from environmental insults such as solar

radiation, pollutants in our environment and the drying effects

of air. . . The fact is you simply cannot contain a healthy body

if your skin isn't healthy. And your skin can't be healthy if

your are subjecting it to toxic substances that are ultimately

absorbed into your body."

So, what can women do? How can they combat environmental

pollutants, the affect of solar radiation, and the drying

effects of air? How can they be sure they are using the very

best products on their skin so they can be healthy inside and

out? Here are 7 tips to assist in this process:

1. Be very aware of what is in skincare products. Use products

that are all natural as much as possible.

2. Look for products that contain Dermal Surface Renewal

Technology. DSR smoothes away existing signs of aging such as

laugh lines, crows feet, and dullness.

3. Use products that have regenisomes. Regenisomes penetrate

the skin to speed cell renewal after sun exposure. They also

use the light of photosomes to undo sun damage, and have

ultrasomes to renew skin while sleeping.

4. Find products with Proteo-C and Proflavonol-T. These two

vitamins protect the skin from premature aging caused by the

sun, pollution, and other environmental factors. They also

provide advanced nutrition to the skin to keep it appearing

smooth and firm.

5. If possible, use products that are paraben free. Parabens

are synthetic chemical preservatives that are widely used in

personal care products such as shampoos, conditioners, hair

styling products, make-up, facial masks, skin lotions and

creams, and deodorants. They also are typically ingredients in

baby lotions, shampoos, and other personal care products for

infants and children. In addition, parabens are in many foods

and pharmaceutical products. Researchers are beginning to find

parabens in benign and malignant human breast tumors. While

some studies have challenged their toxicity in many products

and question their long term affect on humans, using products

that are paraben free can eliminate the risk of exposure to

this harmful chemical.

6. Drink plenty of water! Water hydrates skin and hair as well

as flushes toxins out of the body.

7. Limit stress or learn to manage it effectively. Stress is

harmful both emotionally and physically. Find that stress

reliever activity that works best and use it on a daily basis!

Follow the above 7 tips to true beauty and health.