What can body creams do for you? That depends on the ingredients they contain. A cream might do nothing more but make you feel greasy all over and stain your nice clothing.

But if it contains the right ingredients, it can help fade stretch marks and scars, tighten sagging skin, heal blemishes and prevent new ones from forming. It can reduce age spots, even out pigmentation and repair sun damage. If it sounds like there’s nothing that good body lotion and creams can’t do, then you are getting the picture.

Traditional healers from around the world have always made use of the botanical and plant-based oils that were right outside of their front doors. Modern researchers have evaluated most of these plants for their nutritional value and healing qualities.

For example, olive oil has been used for thousands of years to anoint the skin and soothe burns. Women down through the ages have credited their continued good looks to the use of olive oil.

Research indicates that the oil is very compatible with the skin’s own, which is called sebum. When oils are compatible with sebum, they are quickly and readily absorbed, leaving no greasy feeling and moisturizing thoroughly.

Most body creams contain mineral oil or petrolatum, which are not compatible with human sebum. They clog the pores, contribute to the formation of blemishes and in large amounts, can cause premature aging of the skin, by interfering with the natural rejuvenation processes.

Manufacturers do not use mineral oil or petrolatum because the ingredients are beneficial. They use them strictly because they are cheap.

Lucky for us, we live in a time when we can get information about how to choose the best products of all kinds, including body lotion and creams. Lucky for us, we live in a time when the ingredients used traditionally from all over the world are readily available, right at our fingertips. There is no need to pick just one.

In addition to olive oil, there is jojoba. Jojoba is also very similar to sebum. It helps to balance sebum production, meaning that it works well for combination skin types. Oily spots become less oily. Dry spots are moisturized. Grape seed oil is another beneficial ingredient that is rich in antioxidants, which help to counteract the damage done by the sun and free radicals.

Today’s better body lotion and creams contain Active Manuka Honey from New Zealand. The benefits are due to the honey’s natural antibacterial and antioxidant activity. The antibacterial activity helps to heal blemishes and prevent new ones from forming. It is a particularly important ingredient for people with acne.

The vitamins E and B5, as well as the antioxidant coenzyme Q10 are ingredients that should be in all creams and lotions. B5 helps repair skin tissue and improves the skin’s moisture content, while providing natural protection against sunburn. Vitamin E and coenzyme Q10 have been shown in scientific studies to reverse the signs of aging, including wrinkles and age spots.

You won’t find many body creams that contain all of the good ingredients mentioned here. But, it is definitely worth your time to look for one that does.