How your skin appears on your face, your neck or even your hands is one of the first telltale signs of how old you are. No matter how youthful you dress or behave, your skin usually doesn’t lie. And while most of us try to slather on the balms and creams and serums to wish away the wrinkles and lines, in reality, once they start appearing, there are limited options for making them disappear. Your best bet is to maintain a healthy lifestyle and protect yourself from the sun before the damage sets in. But since most of us already have some sun damage, it’s useful to take a look at the 5 most popular anti-aging skin care ingredients available and see what they can do for you. And if this winter weather has taken an additional toll, look at some helpful hints of how to lessen the impact of winter weather on your skin.

But the benefits of good skin care may not only result in more pleasing facial features. New research just out suggests that good skin care may also lead to decreased inflammation in your body and thus reduce your risk for some of the most pressing chronic conditions afflicting us as we get older, such as heart disease and diabetes. In a new pilot study out of UCSF, scientists examined the role of skin in age-related chronic disease. As we age, our skin has more trouble keeping moisture in and harmful pathogens out, leading to the release of cytokines into your bloodstream. This may lead to a chronic situation of inflammation (known as Inflammaging) in older bodies, that has a connection to many of the chronic diseases of old age. While not proven, it’s suspected that the use of moisturizers to protect the skin could thus cut back on a major source of inflammation in older people. As one of the researchers commented, “Decreasing inflammation simply by treating skin dysfunction seen in aging could have profound health effects.” So stock up on your moisturizer, for healthier aging inside and out.