The natural fountain of youth: try these natural alternatives to invasive antiaging treatments.(PERSONAL CARE: NATURAL BEAUTY)

Let's face it, wrinkles, fine lines, brown spots, dryness, and sagging skin are the unmistakable signs of age. Plastic surgery and treatments such as laser resurfacing and Botox are quick fixes, but they can also pose serious health risks. Natural alternatives, however, not only improve the look of your skin, they also improve its health.

Five of the latest and most effective ingredients in antiaging beauty products are hyaluronic acid, retinyl palmitate (vitamin A), green tea, CoQ10, and A peptides.

Healthy skin has a natural glow. Plump skin cells fit together like pieces of an intricate puzzle. When skin cells dry out, however, they begin to lift and separate at an angle, giving skin a dull, flaky look that makes it appear older. Nature's most effective moisturizer and wrinkle smoother is hyaluronic acid. It occurs naturally in soft tissue and muscle, and its purpose is to hold water in the skin cells and also to help hold skin cells together. Unfortunately, it diminishes with age. This depletion is a primary cause of skin aging. Natural skin care products containing hyaluronic acid actually help plump up fine lines and wrinkles.

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Retinyl palmitate, a natural vitamin A derivative, is a natural skin smoother that encourages cell renewal and increases collagen. "Retinol is great for turnover of dead skin cells and will help to give a fresh glow to the skin," says Christine Rodgers, MD, a plastic surgeon based in Denver and a breast cancer survivor who has created her own toxin-free, antioxidant-rich skin care line.

Free radicals that are generated by ultraviolet light, pollution, smoke, and chemicals attack your skin cells, causing them to deteriorate. Antioxidant and anti-inflammatory green tea has also been proven to fight free radical damage. "Green tea is an effective, soothing antioxidant in skin care products, says Yael Halaas, MD, a New York-based plastic surgeon and creator of a skin care line infused with high doses of green tea.

CoQ10 is an essential antioxidant found in every living cell that provides the energy source for cellular renewal ...