You can tell yourself that these are only laugh lines.(skin care)

THE GOOD NEWS IS THAT YOU DON'T HAVE to submit to the aging of your skin without a fight. Instead, you can arm yourself against the ravages of advancing years and environmental toxins and keep the signs of premature aging at bay. How? With two very simple and effective tools -- moisturizers and exfoliants.

The ABCs of moisturizers

So, if you haven't yet reached your thirtieth birthday, you should chuck this article and worry about wrinkles in another 10 years, right? Not so fast, kiddo! Even though there may not yet be a wrinkle in sight, consider that you probably have more days of being able to boast supple and smooth skin behind you than ahead. Remember, the effects of time and the environment have a way of sneaking up on you and (thankfully) don't take their toll overnight. So, learning how to properly moisturize your skin now will enable you to face the future with confidence.

For the most part, moisturizers are composed of varying degrees of oil and water. It's likely that for this reason one of the most widely held and misguided beliefs about moisturizers is that they can add moisture to the skin. Not only is this untrue, but poorly formulated moisturizers can actually hurt your skin. Moisturizing creams and lotions are simply a temporary relief for dryness. They do not add moisture, but help to keep existing moisture from escaping the surface.

Moisturizers that contain mostly heavy oils may help to retain moisture on a "need to fix" basis, but they can also trap dirt and toxins and prevent the skin from breathing. This action suffocates the skin and deters its ability to generate new skin cells. Without cell renewal, old cells continue to die but cannot be pushed to the surface and replaced. Instead, they stay put and give skin an unhealthy pallor and texture.

Humectants are a different breed of moisturizers in that they're usually oil-free and can actually help skin cells to better metabolize and promote cell renewal and moisture retention. Alpha hydroxy acids (AHAs), for instance, which are fruit or milk-based, are considered to be skin humectants.

Antioxidants also play an important role in reducing the signs of aging, not only in our diets but also with our skin. Collagen, is at the core of hair, skin, bones and nails, and its ability to synthesize and remain intact from peroxyl radical damage depends on vitamin C. Once vitamin C is absorbed into the skin, it can't be removed by washing, rubbing or perspiring. However, there's a catch to the topical use of vitamin C in moisturizers. To be of any value at all, the vitamin C must be in the form of L-ascorbic acid (a low molecular weight and pH) and in a concentration of at least 10 percent. Other vitamin C derivatives (such as ascorbyl palmitate or magnesium ascobryl phosphate) are easier to stabilize in manufacturing, but are either not absorbed or converted to L-ascorbic acid when applied. You should also be aware that the name L-ascorbic acid carries a trademark and it may be listed on a product under a different name, such as ascorbic acid or even as simple citrus oil. If you're not sure if the vitamin C in your moisturizer is getting into your skin or evaporating into thin air as soon as it leaves the bottle, call the manufacturer and ask if it is in the correct form.