At the heart of all skin care is the desire to have the skin of a young person when you aren’t quite that young anymore. This can sometimes be overshadowed by the fact that we now take care of our skin for many other important reasons like preventing skin cancer and dealing with skin problems like eczema.

But looking young is at the real focal point of proper skin care. Can you really prevent crows feet and worry lines? Maybe not entirely, but here are a few helpful tips to keeping those signs of age away from your face as long as humanly possible.

The single biggest cause of wrinkles, not only on the face but on the entire body is that pesky sun. Of course, you can’t avoid the sun your whole life and nothing beats the look of a freshly tanned body, but there are things you can do that are inexpensive and work wonders for keeping lines away from your face.

The first is to always wear sunglasses if you’re going to be out for any length of time on a sunny day, even if it is the wintertime. The sun can reflect off the road, or the snow, and cause crows feet in no time flat. The second major tip is to always make sure you wear sunscreen if you’re going to be out in the sun.

Even if you’re trying to get a tan, you should wear a low SPF to delay any skin damage you might receive from getting burnt. It is a fine line to walk between enjoying a beautiful sunny day and allowing the sun to damage your skin to the point where you start getting wrinkles before your time.

You’ve heard it before and you’re about to hear it again. The effects of smoking are traumatic on the skin. Studies have shown that smoking can literally add years to your skin and age you long before you should be. The same goes for any illegal drug, especially crystal meth. Many folks try things once and then, before you know it, you have a serious problem. If the long term health of your skin is your top priority, then keep the smokes and the drugs as far away as possible.

If you’ve ever wondered why you always see Hollywood starlets carrying around bottles of water that are almost as big as they are, it is because they know nothing, no single substance on Earth helps your skin more than simple, every day water. Staying hydrated at all times does wonders for your skin. It will help you stay looking young, help your skin be soft and healthy, and you’ll feel better each day, to boot.

While it is sometimes tough to always drink the 8-9 glasses per day that are recommended, by making sure you have a water bottle with you at all times will serve as a great reminder. Oh, and if the water bottle is filled with ordinary tap water, that’s fine too.

Finally, using a moisturizer on a daily basis, usually right after your morning shower, can really help to keep your skin’s health on track. But finding a moisturizer that helps your skin isn’t as hard, or as expensive, as it sounds. The two ingredients you want to look for are aloe and lanolin. That’s it. You don’t need a 50 dollar a bottle concoction of moisturizers that have been imported from Paris.

People overspend millions of dollars per year on moisturizers and creams that they simply don’t need. By using a conventional moisturizer once per day, every day, your skin will thank you!

Getting the most out of your skin is the goal of every woman, and every man, who cares about their looks. You only have one body, treat it right and it will reward you with beautiful skin for years to come.