Organic skin care has a healthy ring to it, but the real meaning of organic products doesn't necessarily coincide with what consumers might expect. In fact, when a product is labeled as organic it means that it contains no artificial ingredients, petroleum-based ingredients or other unsafe ingredients.

Nevertheless, some ingredients that we may not consider natural or safe enough for our skin may still be considered within the guidelines of what is or isn't natural for skin care products. One example is petroleum. This ingredient doesn't seem like something that you would want to put on your skin, however there are several skin care products that do contain it. So the best way of protecting your skin from ingredients you don't want, is by learning how to spot them on the product labels.

Anti Aging Products Should Not Contain These Ingredients

Organic skin care products and aging skin products are supposed to keep your skin young and healthy, but this is actually the opposite of what happens when you use certain products that can actually speed up the aging process and lead to dull skin and wrinkles.

Avoid Petrochemicals

This group of ingredients is derived from crude oil, giving it the name of Petrochemicals. These petrochemicals coat your skin and make it impossible for your body to eliminate toxins. They can lead to dull skin, and cause allergies and clogged pores.

Stay away from anti aging creams that contain mineral oil, paraffin and petrolatum. This is especially true for people with oily or combination skin.

Stay away from Quats (Quaternary Ammonium Compounds)

These components are used in conditioning products. However, they have been linked with antibiotic resistance. Try and avoid using products that contain benzalkonium chloride, cetrimonium chloride and cetrimonium bromide, among others.

Avoid Synthetic Colors

Most synthetic colors are made from coal tar and heavy metal salts. They can lead to eye wrinkles and dull skin because they produce free radicals. If the product labels contain the abbreviations FD&C or D&C, it is best to avoid purchasing that product.

Sulfates Are Not Your Friend

Sulfates are usually found in soaps, detergents and cleansers. They are listed under the following names: sodium lauryl sulfate and sodium laureth sulfate. Sulfates are known to dry out the skin (remember dry skin is more prone to wrinkling), cause rashes and lead to ocular problems.

Avoid Certain Alcohols

An anti wrinkle cream should never contain alcohol because it is known to dehydrate the skin and lead to wrinkles. Alcohol can also lead to irritation and rashes, but this isn't true for all types of alcohol. In fact stearyl and cetearyl alchol are both acceptable ingredients in any wrinkle treatment cream.

With a bit more research you can find other ingredients that you should avoid. In fact, it's well worth the effort when you're looking for the best wrinkle creams out there.