Facial moisturizer information

Facial moisturizers should only be applied to clean skin; see the ConsumerSearch report on facial cleansers for information on the best commercial cleansers. Other ConsumerSearch skin-care reports are in the works, including reports on eye cream, body lotion and acne treatments.

We found the following sources particularly helpful when researching facial cleansers:

Julyne Derrick, beauty guide for About.com, writes a host of articles about "Skincare Basics -- Facials, Regimens, Makeup and More". (Note: ConsumerSearch is owned by About.com, but the two don't share an editorial affiliation.)

Rona Berg discusses the need for facial moisturizers, how they work and the different types in her book, "Beauty: The New Basics."

P&G.com discusses why skin loses moisture, the makeup of facial moisturizers and what ingredients to look for.

"Facial Skin Basics" is an informative article at iVillage.com about proper care of facial skin and the issues inherent to it.

The Environmental Working Group's Skin Deep cosmetic safety database lists safety-assessment ratings for about 3,750 moisturizers based on carcinogenic ingredients, pregnancy concerns, safety violations, penetration enhancers, unstudied ingredients, harmful impurities and allergens. The details presented about products and their ingredients are impressive (and sometimes slightly overwhelming), with many links to further information.

GoodGuide.com is a new website that is similar to CosmeticsDatabase.com in that it rates products on the safety of their ingredients for both the body and the environment. The database at GoodGuide.com is not quite as large, but users can also rate and review products.

The Green Guide outlines the beneficial qualities of various natural moisturizing ingredients in their article, "Earth-Friendly Moisturizers."

Daily skin care guidelines can be found at SkinSite.com.

Flare magazine offers "Flare's Flawless Skin Guide," a guide to choosing the perfect moisturizer.

Manufacturers' websites are also helpful sources of information:

Olay

Neutrogena

Clinique

Aveeno

RevaleSkin

CeraVe

Jason Natural

Pangea Organics

Desert Essence