The 25 Best Acne Products for Clearer, Brighter Skin
These cleansers, serums, and moisturizers were made to fight acne.
Every product on this page was chosen by a Harper's BAZAAR editor. We may earn commission on some of the items you choose to buy.
Whether you're dealing with regular breakouts or the occasional errant zit, when a blemish turns up, you want it gone fast. Here we've rounded up some of the best products for making that happen, as well as keeping new breakouts at bay in the future.
Cleanse
If your skin is both sensitive and acne-prone, Elta MD's foaming cleanser will deep-clean without leaving the skin feeling stripped and tight (thanks to ph-balancing properties). Just one pump of this cleanser, which uses enzymes found in pineapple to reduce inflammation and slough away dead skin cells, works for the entire face.
EltaMD Foaming Facial Cleanser, $27.50, dermstore.com.
Cleanse
Give your skin a refreshing boost with Maelove's face wash, which contains a blend of AHAs (lactic, tartaric, malic) to gently rid sebum and natural mint oil for a cooling treat. Plus, you can use it both morning and evening—it's that gentle.
Maelove The Refresher, $18.95, maelove.com.
This clear gel mask is packed with 2.5 percent benzoyl peroxide, which kills bacteria below the surface, to zap zits overnight (or throughout the day if applied in the morning). Since it causes zero irritation, use it as a preventative treatment daily.
Cleanse
Use this foaming clay cleanser (carbonated water and kaolin clay work together to create a refreshing lather) twice a week to exfoliate away excess sebum and buildup, or every day to prevent blackheads and completely remove makeup.
Neogen Canadian Clay Pore Cleanser, $27, sokoglam.com.
Cleanse
Acne starts with blocked pores, so the key to ripping acne in the bud is clearing away dirt, oil, and dead skin cells that can stop up your follicles. This version uses salicylic acid to gently exfoliate without irritating any breakouts you might already have.
PanOxyl Acne Foaming Wash with 10% Benzoyl Peroxide, $10, target.com. SHOP
Exfoliate
Acne starts with blocked pores, so the key to nipping acne in the bud is clearing away dirt, oil, and dead skin cells that can stop up your follicles. This version uses salicylic acid to gently exfoliate without irritating any breakouts you might already have.
Clean & Clear Acne Triple Clear Exfoliating Facial Scrub, $7, target.com. SHOP
Moisturize
Oil may seem like the last thing you want to add to acne-prone skin, but this blend includes pore-clearing salicylic acid as well as acne busters like tea tree, neem, and black cumin seed oils.
Sunday Riley U.F.O. Ultra-Clarifying Face Oil, $80, nordstrom.com.
Moisturize
This light lotion keeps fighting bacteria all day while calming redness and dry skin with allantoin.
Paula's Choice Clear Daily Skin Clearing Treatment, $18, nordstrom.com.
Moisturize
Short on time? Opt for this 2-in-1 cream, which boasts retinol to get rid of excess oil and heal breakouts and citrulline to hydrate and protect the skin.
Perricone MD Acne Relief Retinol Treatment & Moisturizer, $45, ulta.com.
Moisturize
Heavy-duty acne treatments can leave skin dry, but this moisturizer replaces all of that lost hydration without leaving behind an oil-slick on your face.
Tata Harper Clarifying Moisturizer, $105, nordstrom.com.
Spot Treatment
Wipe out red spots with pink ones: dab this rosy treatment onto blemishes at night and wake up with noticeably smaller pimples, thanks to oil-eliminating sulfur.
Kate Somerville EradiKate Acne Treatment, $26, nordstrom.com.
Spot Treatment
Studies have found that if you have one zit showing, odds are there are others lurking under the skin, just waiting for their moment. Instead of spreading this exfoliating spot treatment onto just your problem area, blend it out to the surrounding skin to banish new blemishes too.
Kiehl's Blue Herbal Spot Treatment, $18, nordstrom.com.
Spot Treatment
Drying spot treatments can lead to even more inflammation and acne. But Payot's Drying and Purifying Gel has calming ingredients (think tea tree and melaleuca oil) to combat irritation, while five types of salicylic acid to prevent breakouts.
Payot Drying and Purifying Gel, $21, us.payot.com.
Spot Treatment
Salicylic acid and benzoyl peroxide team up to one-two punch acne-causing bacteria and pore blocking gunk in this treatment.
La Roche-Posay Effeclar Duo, $37, ulta.com.
Pimple Patch
Draw out the oil and moisture that keeps pimples swollen by using a hydrocolloid patch. Starface's star-shaped patches are meant to be seen and come in a cute refillable case.
Starface Hydro-Stars, $14.99 for 32 patches, target.com.
Mask
Clay, like the kind found in this fragrance-free mask, is a classic for absorbing the excess oil that can contribute to acne.
Clinique Acne Solutions Oil-Control Cleansing Mask, $25, nordstrom.com.
Mask
A combination of activated charcoal, clay, and exfoliating acids makes this mask a pore-clearing wonder.
Glamglow Supermud Clearing Treatment, $69, nordstrom.com.
Mask
Sheet masks are typically associated with moisturizing and restoring benefits. But this sheet mask combines three types of acids (salicylic, glycolic, and lactic) with Vitamin A (aka retinoid) to knock out breakouts, while fading dark spots and calming the skin with Niacinamide.
ZitSticka Press Refresh sheet mask, $36 for 5, zitsticka.com.
Mask
The mild antimicrobial properties of sulfur push back against the bacteria that causes acne, making it a good choice for people whose skin doesn't respond well to ingredients like benzoyl peroxide.
Peter Thomas Roth Therapeutic Sulfur Masque, $47, sephora.com.
Mask
When you feel like treating yourself, reach for this Kinship mask, which is reminiscent of mint chip ice cream. While lactic acid exfoliates, bentonite and kaolin clay unclogs pores. But this mint mask won't make your skin feel taut: moringa leaves the skin feeling plump and refreshed.
Kinship Mint Mud Deep Pore Detox Mask, $23, lovekinship.com.
Lauren Hubbard is a freelance writer and Town & Country contributor who covers beauty, shopping, entertainment, travel, home decor, wine, and cocktails.
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