Choosing a Neutrogena moisturizer can be difficult. The company offers a variety of different products, from therapeutic daily body to continuous hydrating facial moisturizers. They all contain different formulas.

In order to compare the brand to others on the market, you need to look at the ingredients. You want to compare safety and effectiveness. If it is an anti-aging product, you want to know if there are clinical studies backing up the claims.

Reading ingredients labels can be boring, to say the least. You are likely to have a hard time understanding what the chemicals are. Most of the ingredients are unpronounceable.

But, learning about and reading the ingredients label is what the US FDA recommends in order to avoid allergic or other adverse reactions. Let me give you a little help. The most common causes of allergic and adverse reactions are artificial preservatives and added fragrances.

The Neutrogena moisturizer for the body is called Norwegian Formula Daily Therapeutic Lotion. It is fragrance free. The preservative it contains is benzyl alcohol, which can be toxic, but the concentration in this product is very low. It is unlikely to cause a reaction.

One of the clues to look for on any lotion is a warning label. If you are advised to discontinue use in the case of irritation or rashes, then the product contains known irritants and allergens. If you are advised to contact a poison control center in the case of accidental ingestion, the product contains some kind of poison.

Usually, the poisons are mild toxins, but the safest course of action is to never use anything on your skin that you could not eat. The reason is simple. Toxins can be absorbed through the skin and enter the bloodstream.

The Neutrogena moisturizer for continuous facial hydration bears all of those warnings, as well as one about avoiding contact with the eye area. The bottles sold in the European Union will bear another label “contains oxybenzone”.

Oxybenzone was developed to be a sunscreen ingredient. Research has shown that it has the ability to penetrate the skin and cause increased production of free radical molecules. It is free radicals that cause the damage leading to skin cancer and photo-aging.

Because of these findings, oxybenzone is categorized as a possible photo-carcinogen, a compound that causes cancer when activated by sunlight. The ingredient has not been banned. It is still found in at least one type of Neutrogena moisturizer. There is some debate about whether the free radical production is as dangerous as what would occur if the sunscreen were not being used.

In any case, there are always safer alternatives. Zinc oxide for example is a very effective sunscreen that will not penetrate through the skin and will not cause free radical damage.

Sunscreens are often found in anti-aging formulas, because of the free radical damage caused by the sun. It is blamed for many of the visible signs of aging.

When it comes to proven effective anti-aging ingredients, there are none in the Neutrogena moisturizer. My advice would be to choose something different.

Author Bio: Valerie Rosenbaum has spent years searching for the best natural skincare products available. The skin care product line she discovered uses a proprietary blend of all natural ingredients like Cynergy TK and Wakame. To learn more visit her anti aging skin care website.

Category: Aging
Keywords: Neutrogena moisturizer