Product Guides: Choosing the Right Skincare Products

Some skincare decisions are about your skin's needs — that's what our Skin Concerns guide covers. Others are simpler than that: you just need to know which format or texture to buy within a category you already know you need. This guide organizes our product-buying advice that way — by category, not by concern. The American Academy of Dermatology's skin care tips dermatologists use cover many of the same category-level basics — cleanser, moisturizer, sunscreen — that these guides go deeper on.

Moisturizers

The most built-out section here. Start with the full framework, then go deeper on the specific angle that applies to you.

Cleansers

Toners

Serums

Facial Oils

Sets & Bundles

Eye Care

Makeup

FAQ

Where do I start if I'm not sure which product category I need help with?

Start with Moisturizers — it's the most complete section and the product almost everyone uses daily, and the framework in the main guide (how humectants, emollients, and occlusives work together) applies to evaluating most other product categories too.

What's the difference between this guide and the Skin Concerns guide?

This guide is organized by product category — you already know you need a moisturizer or a cleanser, and want help choosing the right format. The Skin Concerns guide is organized by what your skin is doing — sensitive, dehydrated, showing fine lines — regardless of which product category addresses it. Many articles are useful from either direction.

Why are some sections more complete than others?

We're building this out section by section as we consolidate the content behind each category, rather than publishing thin placeholder pages. Moisturizers went through that process first; the other sections will get the same treatment over time.