More and more people are looking for anti aging natural skin care products and safer cosmetics of all kinds. They have become aware that the chemicals and synthetic ingredients used by the major cosmetic companies are not healthy. Organizations like the Environmental Working Group (EWG) have helped to spread the word. Health writers, like me, try to help, too.

One of the latest reports by the EWG concerned the lead that was found in lipsticks and other colored cosmetics. Lead, of course, is a toxic heavy metal. It is hazardous whether it is consumed or absorbed through the skin. With items like lipstick, it is inevitable that both things will happen.

Lead-based house paints have been outlawed for years. Plumbers are no longer allowed to use lead-based solder in drinking water pipelines. But, cosmetic companies are still allowed to use lead-based dyes. It doesn't make sense.

If you want the best anti aging skin care creams, look for a manufacturer that has signed the Compact for Safe Cosmetics. Although they were invited to do so, none of the major manufacturers have signed up. Obviously, they don't care if the items they make are safe or not.

If you want something effective, you're in luck, the safest anti aging natural skin care products are also the most effective. What could be safer than a nutritional supplement?

One of the most effective ingredients, when applied topically, according to a number of clinical studies, is an antioxidant called coenzyme Q10. In one study, the volunteers had sun damage that included deep wrinkles, sagging and excessive dryness. After three months of using the COQ10 cream, they saw a 30% reduction in wrinkles and nearly a 30% improvement in the skin's moisture content.

Obviously, if a company wants to make the best anti aging skin care cream, they will include COQ10 as an ingredient. There are many companies that do. It's just that most of them fail to use the concentration used in clinical trials. So, their customers fail to see the desired results.

Basically, the companies include the ingredient for advertising and marketing purposes. They want to be able to "say" that their products include the ingredient.

You can get an idea of the concentration of a specific ingredient by looking at where it appears on the label of ingredients. Water is often the first ingredient listed, because it is used for mixing and hydrating plant extracts.

If you want the best anti aging skin care creams, you will need to learn to read the label of ingredients, boring as it may seem. In addition to artificial preservatives and added fragrances, there are a number of other ingredients to avoid.

Of course, once you find a manufacturer that provides the most effective and safest ingredients in a solution that is free of artificial preservatives and added fragrances, then you can stop reading labels, as long as you continue to buy the same anti aging natural skin care products and you continue to be happy with them.