Our mothers are not reliable pictures of how we will age. My mom had deep lines in her face early on; I don't have any. I have good skin, even though my mother's is rough and wrinkled.

In fact, dermatologists assign only 10% of our skin issues to our genes. That means we can be in control of how our skin ages; the bad news, of course, is that we can't blame anyone but ourselves for what happens to it.

Dry skin is often a result of neglect. Fortunately, it responds quickly to quality care. In most cases, dry skin can be rejuvenated with a mild cleanser and a rich, organic moisturizer. I also recommend a natural exfoliant and an alcohol-free toner. Those are all the products that are needed to take care of your skin, even though there are so many specialty formulations on the market, each with their own claim to fame.

The ingredients in anti-aging and anti-wrinkle formulations have been proven to slow the breakdown of collagen and to help boost its production. They provide protection against free-radical damage and contribute in other ways to firming the skin, reducing wrinkles, and maintaining a youthful appearance. However, the only anti-aging products that have been proven to work are prescription-strength retinoids. The rest have not measured up to their promise. How can that be?

It boils down to a simple problem: anti-aging ingredients - collagen, vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, peptides - are not well-absorbed by the skin; yet they must penetrate deeper than the outer layer of dead cells in order to be effective. So the ingredients are good, but they never get to any place inside our skin where they can do any good.

Fortunately, there is a better way to deliver anti-aging compounds to our skin. All of the anti-aging ingredients in skincare formulations are abundantly available in foods and beverages at a fraction the price of skincare products; plus they are absorbed very efficiently by our digestive system and delivered without fuss to our organs and tissues, including the deep, alive layers of our skin.

They may not be glamorous, but oranges, avocados, walnuts, green tea and a host of fruits, vegetables and everyday foods are packed with freely-available, anti-aging compounds that can keep our skin healthy, and our complexions clear.

Meanwhile, Americans consume an average of a gallon of soda each per week. It is normal to eat badly, and when our skin reflects the poor nutrients it receives, we try and fix the problem from the outside by putting potions onto it that contain the anti-aging ingredients we could be getting from our food, if we ate a little better. It is hardly a surprise that this approach does not work very well.

Dry skin can be rejuvenated quite easily and simply. There is no need for a closet-full of products. A mild cleanser, a non-drying, hydrosol toner, a rich, organic moisturizer, and a natural exfoliant are all that is needed by way of skincare products. If you use them regularly, and eat well, with beauty in mind, your skin will rebound and become lustrous and radiant, no matter how dry it might be today.