For the simple task of washing your face, your dizzying options include foaming and fizzing liquids, creams, lotions, mousses, pads, cloths, pillows, and those old standbys, bars. Our tests help take some of the mystery out of what to purchase: Almost all the cleansers we evaluated did the job just fine.

Our panel of 25 testers, including men as well as women, judged nine facial cleansers in blind tests of cleaning ability, ease of application and removal, and how convenient they were to use. Each product had fans and critics, because fragrance, texture, and many other factors influence whether you like a cleanser.

Five of the nine products in our facial cleanser review were foaming or fizzing varieties, and three were disposable pads or cloths. One was cold cream. All were perceived as excellent or very good at cleaning except Pond's Cold Cream and a Bioré-brand cloth (see So-so cleaners).

One disposable pad cleaned better than some liquid cleansers, and the pads and cloths generally rated highest for convenience and ease of use, although they do help fill the trash can.

The overall best cleanser in our tests was a department-store product from La Prairie. But it's $70 per tube, 3 to 10 times more expensive than others in the facial cleanser review that also washed well. A foaming cleanser from Estée Lauder scored nearly as well and cost $19 for a similarly sized tube.

Why consider a special facial cleanser at all? Compare facial cleansers and you'll find that many of them are milder than soap and may contain conditioners or moisturizers that help prevent skin from feeling dry--ingredients that plain bar soaps often lack. Liquid body washes, which can be less expensive than facial cleansers, might also be an option, especially if you have normal or dry skin. (Their fragrances and moisturizers may irritate sensitive or oily skin.) To choose a good cleanser, follow these tips:

Buy a product for your skin type. Many people don't know whether they have normal, oily, dry, or combination skin, including half our panelists, who incorrectly judged their own skin type. (Our consultant for this test, a dermatologist, set them right.) Here's how to tell:If your skin gets shiny two hours after washing your face, you probably have oily skin. If you can't see your pores at the end of the day, then you probably have dry skin. Flaky skin usually indicates sensitive skin, not dry skin. A person with sensitive skin may experience stinging, burning, itching, or tightening after cleansing.

Using the wrong type of product might cause discomfort or inflammation, our consultant warns.

If you have sensitive skin, compare facial cleansers and find a product labeled "fragrance-free" because fragrances can cause more allergic reactions than any other ingredient. Cleansers labeled "unscented" might still contain a fragrance to mask chemical odors.

Consider fragrance and texture. Fragrance is important because the product is, after all, on your face.

Two liquid cleansers, Clean and Clear Oxygenating Fizzing Cleanser and Neutrogena Fresh Foaming Cleanser, cleaned well, but many panelists said they would not purchase them for reasons such as fragrance.

As for texture, some face washes such as the Aveeno pads have a rougher side that exfoliates the face; others such as the Lancôme Self-Foaming Mousse Cleanser offer a lighter cleansing experience.