Your Most Important Cosmetic? Sunblock by a mile! Are you a skin care junkie? Is your bathroom closet overflowing with bottles and jars? Does the content of these bottles and jars actually do anything to improve your skin? My guess is "sometimes". We all get seduced by promises of younger looking skin or banish wrinkles overnight. But the sad fact is a lot of the pretty looking products out there do not do what they promise and the wrinkles, acne, broken veins or whatever ails you is still there the next morning. There is one cosmetic that stands head and shoulders above the rest - Sunblock. Sunblock is the best preventative of aging skin you can buy in a bottle. It won't make you look younger in a few applications, you need to use it regularly - like every day - but over time it will make a tremendous difference to the appearance of your skin. Sunblock can be found as lotion, gel, roll on, or spray. If you're on a tight budget you can usually buy a bottle for just a few dollars from a supermarket or drugstore. Test it on an inconspicuous part of you first in case you have an allergy to it! This is more important for the cheaper brands. Use sunblock even if its cloudy outside. Ultraviolet (UV) rays can penetrate clouds by up to 80%, yes even if its raining. If you're driving, UV rays can penetrate glass, they can also be reflected off glass or water. And don't just use sunblock on your face. Put it on your hands, feet, arms or whatever bits of you that are not covered up. This is not just for appearances, sunblock can prevent potentially fatal skin cancers and melanomas from developing. Even if you have never used sunblock and you've already developed premature aging, its not too late! Regular use of sunblock and staying out of the sun can actually reverse some of the damage. Make sure you use a sunblock which has a sun protection factor (SPF) of over 15 and apply it fairly generously for best results. Its also best to apply at least 20 minutes before venturing out. Remember - prevention is better than cure! Wendy Owen is a health researcher and author. For advice on absolutely natural skin care visit http://www.just-natural-skincare.com. A gift of 5 free beauty books are yours if you sign on for our newsletter.