We can buy a new skin treatment all day, everyday—but everyone who has battled acne and come out on the other side victorious knows that clear skin really begins with an amazing cleanser. Beyond that, if you’re using the wrong face wash, it can actually be making your acne-prone skin worse. But not these products—they’re truly the best of the best.
What makes these acne cleansers so good for blemishes is the ingredients that they include when formulating the product. Many of these face washes contain salicylic acid or benzoyl peroxide, both which deep clean and reduce blemishes. Many also contain natural products like clays and herbs that do wonders to suck up excess oil and vanish breakouts.
If you struggle with acne, toss your typical drugstore soap and make sure to give these acne cleansers a try.
Originally published December 2014. Updated October 2017.
Even without a Clarisonic cleansing machine, you can use this face wash and achieve dreamy results. It works to remove dirt, oil and impurities while being safe and gentle enough to use twice daily. It contains two percent salicylic acid and Lipo Hydroxy Acid to gently exfoliate without stressing skin.
Clarisonic Pore and Blemish Gel Cleanser, $19 at Clarisonic
For a more natural option, you can cleanse with LUSH's acne face cleanser, Herbalism. With natural ingredients like ground almonds to gently exfoliate, kaolin clay and rice bran to give you a deep cleanse and mop up excess oils and a balancing blend of herbs like rosemary, nettle and chamomile, your skin will feel fresh, clean and calm helping to keep your skin balanced and blemish-free.
Herbalism Cleanser, $16.95 at Lush
Designed to remove impurities without over-drying, fight acne-causing bacteria and stabilize oil production, this acne treatment cleanser will give your complexion a fresh start, setting skin on the path to clarity. It's also gentle enough to use twice daily putting your skin on the fast-track to healing.
Kate Somerville Detox Daily Cleanser
If you need a rescue for your acne prone skin, here is the answer to your prayers. This foaming gel cleanser removes excess oil, unclogs pores and purifies your skin with a seriously beneficial combination of red clay, rosemary leaf oil and botanical antioxidants. The powerful clay helps to draw out any toxins in your skin to make your pores instantly appear smaller and your complexion feeling deeply cleansed.
First Aid Beauty Skin Rescue Deep Cleanser With Red Clay
Many times those with acne prone skin have a problem with redness and irratation. This cleanser helps to combat those problems as well as your acne. You can use this cleanser day and night soothe, clear restore balance and deeply cleanse your skin with a powerful blend of aloe vera, chamomile and tons of beneficial vitamins.
Ole Henriksen Aloe Vera Deep Cleanser
With the powder of salicylic acid, this gentle cleanser will do the job of ridding your skin of enlarged pores, excess sebum and harmful bacteria. This wash is packed full of beneficial ingredients that will help to clear away blemishes without any of the harsh additives many face washes use that can potentially cause irritation and breakouts. Without drying out your skin, this cleanser is also formulated without dyes, fragrances or oils.
Peter Thomas Roth Beta Hydroxy 2% Acne Wash
Formulated without parabens, sulfates, and phthalates, this antibacterial cleanser works to to combat acne while helping to prevent future breakouts and blemishes. REN uses their ClearCalm 3 system—a system that combats the three key causes of breakouts which include excess sebum, buildup of dead skin cells and blemish-causing bacteria. It also uses the latest hi-tech bio actives and is free from synthetic ingredients.
REN ClearCalm 3 Clarifying Clay Cleanser
