Originally Posted by Maride
... her secret is that every day she uses a tiny bit if Vaseline around her eyes. There isn't a wrinkle on that face and she looks more beautiful than many younger women I have met.
That's interesting, because I had an aunt whose skin at age 70 made her look like 40. She had very dry skin, and her secret was using Vaseline as a moisturizer every night. Not all skins can handle Vasleline, though; mine would break out in acne. She also never got a suntan.
It also helps to live in a climate that is humid year-round. Humidity in the air prevents the skin from chronically drying out. Keeping a moisturizer on your skin at all times is a good alternative, as it will protect from drying winds, dry air, air pollutants, etc. It is the cumulative damage from all these things (and sun) that ages the skin. (Actually, sun is probably the single most damaging thing for skin; wind, dry air, and pollutants are probably a close second.)
I don't think there is a huge difference among low- and high-priced moisturizers. Whatever your skin can tolerate is good, and lanolin is the ingredient that is supposed to be the most useful. A lot of the higher-priced lotions and creams simply feel nicer on the skin, become invisible faster, don't leave a greasy feeling, maybe smell better, etc. Although retinol and similar ingredients are good, the amounts in over-the-counter cosmetics are often not worth the high cost. It's cheaper to get a doctor's prescription and pay for a tube yourself.