Introduction

You probably don't need an expensive facial cleanser

There are hundreds of skin-care products, including facial cleansers, on the market that say they do everything from clear up acne to erase wrinkles. But do they really work? We turned to the highly rated book "Don't Go to the Cosmetics Counter Without Me" and companion website Beautypedia.com by Paula Begoun, who combines detailed analysis of ingredients with hands-on testing to come up with Paula's Picks. Consumer Reports and Natural Health magazine also provide informative reviews that are backed up by extensive testing and scientific opinion. The annual beauty awards presented by virtually every beauty magazine on the market serve as another good resource for finding effective facial cleansers, although some perform better in testing than others.

Every year, cosmetics companies introduce myriad new products, some of which are more notable than others. Still, with all of the advances that have been made in the beauty industry, products for acne-prone skin have remained largely unchanged. In her review of the best beauty products of 2007, Paula Begoun describes acne products as "a slew of drying cleansers, irritating toners, ineffective BHA products, and a lack of topical disinfectants with benzoyl peroxide." Begoun warns that for acne-prone individuals, careful shopping is a must.

For example, Proactiv Renewing Cleanser (*Est. $40 for 4 oz. with toner and lotion), though heavily marketed, receives mixed reviews at consumer websites like MakeupAlley.com and TotalBeauty.com. Many consumers say it helps clear up blemishes within just a few days, but others say that after an initial period of effectiveness, it suddenly seems as though Proactiv Renewing Cleanser no longer works for them; one person reports her dermatologist's agreement that this is a common finding. Others say Proactiv Renewing Cleanser is too harsh and irritating. Paula Begoun agrees; she says that many of Proactiv's products "contain irritating ingredients that don't help acne-prone skin." She also states that including benzoyl peroxide in a cleanser (as Proactiv does) is effectively useless because the benefits it could provide are essentially washed down the drain. Benzoyl peroxide can also be irritating around the eyes. It should be noted that Begoun does think that some of Proactiv's products are useful and effective, but not the entire package. In fact, she states that none of the so-called "acne kits" available on the market today are effective in their entirety.

The same can be said of the many skin-care lines created by doctors and dermatologists for profit. It's wise to not assume these skin-care products are any better than the cleansers at your local drugstore, many of which use the same ingredients. In fact, the American Medical Association has issued guidelines advising physicians not to sell health-related products for profit, recognizing the conflict of interest this creates. Begoun, in her highly acclaimed book "Don't Go to the Cosmetics Counter Without Me," also points out that the phrases "Dermatologist Tested" and "Dermatologist Approved" are meaningless because there's no standard for what these mean -- they often only indicate that one or two dermatologists tried a skin-care product at the manufacturer's request and liked how it felt.

Some companies have begun to add ingredients commonly used in moisturizers to their cleansers. Ingredients such as glycolic acid, antioxidants and even sunscreen are touted as adding additional benefits to the cleanser. Although experts at Allure magazine are skeptical of some of these ingredients, especially antioxidants and retinol, they say that cleansers with sunscreen, such as St. Ives Elements Protective Cleanser (*Est. $7 for 4oz.), work surprisingly well. Sunscreen particles in this cleanser (titanium dioxide) are microencapsulated and stick to the skin, even after rinsing, as a result of film-forming agents. Editors still recommend using a moisturizer with SPF 15 or higher, though, because the cleanser provides only an SPF of 10, which is more for "incidental exposure than hard-core protection." A couple of reviewers at Drugstore.com say that St. Ives Elements Protective Cleanser can sting if it gets in your eyes.

Along with a facial cleanser, you also need a daily facial moisturizer. Please see our separate report on facial moisturizers, the best of which also contain protection from the sun, which is the leading cause of skin damage and a contributor to aging. If you have acne-prone skin, you might also want to read our report on acne-control treatments.