The present invention relates to the use of creatine compounds such as, for example, creatine, creatine phosphate or analogs of creatine, such as creatine-pyruvate, creatine-ascorbate, cyclocreatine, 3 guanidinopropionic acid, guanidinoacetate, homocyclocreatine, guanidino benzoates as energy generating systems and antioxidants for preservation of skin against adverse aging effects and damage secondary to insults such as harmful sun radiations, stress and fatigue. The creatine compounds which can be used in the present method include (1) creatine, creatine phosphate and analogs of these compounds which can act as substrates or substrate analogs for creatine kinase; (2) molecules that mimic the biological activity of creatine (3) molecules that modulate the creatine kinase system.