Life & Style has affiliate partnerships so we may receive compensation for some links to products and services.
At 15 or 40 (or any age in between), pimples can be a real pain. Whether it’s oily skin, clogged pores, hormonal acne, maskne, acne scars or blackheads, treating acne requires some specific products.
With so many products on the market to fight acne, including cleansers, clay masks, sheet masks, serums, patches, spot treatment, creams and beyond, it may be hard to figure out exactly what products you need to tackle these pesky zits head on.
But having a solid skin care routine for acne-prone skin is really important, and it’s all about using good skin care products for acne in order to prevent it from recurring.
When the time comes to select which formula is right for you, it really comes down to the active ingredients in each product. Here are some key ingredients to look for when in the market for the best skin care products for acne:
- Salicylic acid: This powerful acne fighter helps shed and renew dead skin and improves redness and inflammation.
- Benzoyl peroxide: This ingredient dries up excess oil, fights bacteria, and peels away dead skin.
- Retinol: Apt for more mature skin, this product unclogs pores, firms skin, and helps lighten acne scars.
- Vitamin C: This vitamin fights redness, hyperpigmentation, and inflammation, and lessens the appearance of acne scarring.
- Vitamin B3/niacinamide: This vitamin helps improve skin texture and redness by drying up lesions and simultaneously hydrating skin.
- Tea Tree Oil: This antimicrobial oil helps fight bacteria while improving inflammation and redness.
If you’re searching for the perfect product to clear up your acne, this list has something for everyone — regardless of if you’re dealing with hormonal acne, skin repair, acne scars, or clogged pores. Here are the best skincare products for acne.
The Best Skincare Products for Acne
Best overall skin care product for acne: PCA SKIN The Acne Control Regimen – Four Step Routine for Clear Skin (Includes Cleanser, Moisturizer, Acne Gel and Retinol Treatment)
Best vitamin skin care product for adult acne: Eva Naturals Vitamin C Serum Plus 2% Retinol, 3.5% Niacinamide, 5% Hyaluronic Acid, 2% Salicylic Acid, 10% MSM, 20% Vitamin C – Skin Clearing Serum – Anti-Aging Skin Repair, Face Serum (1 oz)
Best oil-free skin care kit for teen acne: Clean & Clear Daily Acne Skincare Essentials Set with Foaming Facial Cleanser, Deep Cleaning Astringent & Dual Action Moisturizer, Oil-Free, 3 items
Best skin care product for hormonal acne: Acne Treatment Kit by Exposed Skin Care, with Clarifying Mask (60 Day Supply Amazon Exclusive Includes Facial Cleanser, Clearing Tonic, Acne Treatment Serum, Clear Pore Serum, Clarifying Mask, & Cloth
Best repairing skin care product for acne: Acne Treatment Serum, BREYLEE Tea Tree Clear Skin Serum for Clearing Severe Acne, Breakout, Remover Pimple and Repair Skin (17ml,0.6oz)
Best skin care product for acne scars: CeraVe Retinol Serum for Post-Acne Marks and Skin Texture | Pore Refining, Resurfacing, Brightening Facial Serum with Retinol | 1 Oz
Best skin care product for clogged pores: Neutralyze Renewal Complex – Maximum Strength Acne Moisturizer Cream with Time-Released 2% Salicylic Acid + 1% Mandelic Acid + Nitrogen Boost Skincare Technology (3.4 oz)
Best moisturizing skincare product for acne: Era Organics Tea Tree Oil Face Cream – For Oily, Acne-Prone Skin, Extra Soothing & Nourishing Non-Greasy Botanical Facial Moisturizer with 7X Ingredients For Rosacea, Cystic Acne, Blackheads & Redness
Best skincare pads for acne: ZO Skin Health Oil Control Pads Acne Treatment, 2% Salicylic Acid- 60 pads formerly called”ZO MEDICAL Cebatrol”
Best skincare clay mask for acne and blackheads: Green Tea Purifying Clay Face Mask, Face Moisturizes Oil Control Blackhead Remover Deep Clean Pore Purifying Clay Stick Deep Cleansing Mask, for All Skin Men Women
Best skincare sheet masks for acne: Korean Skin Care Face Masks Sheet – Facial Natural Ampoule Set (pack of 6) – Skincare Treatment Beauty Products for Women, men, teen girl – Hydrating Moisturizer pore acne blackhead pimple remover
Best revitalizing skincare product kit for acne: Amazon Brand – Solimo Acne Treatment System, 30 Day Kit
Best collagen skincare product for acne: Collagen + Vitamin C Clay Face Mask for Skin Care | Reduces Wrinkles, Acne, Blemishes & Blackheads | Deep Cleansing Face Mask | Brightens Skin, Minimizes Pores, Moisturize & Purify
Best spot treatment skincare product for acne: QTH Salicylic Acid Acne Spot Treatment Gel Acne Control Rapid Relief Redness and Blemish for Face, Back, Chest, 2% Salicylic Acid Pimple Acne Cream for Acne-Prone Skin Care
Best patch treatment for acne: Mighty Patch Original from Hero Cosmetics – Hydrocolloid Acne Pimple Patch for Zits and Blemishes, Spot Treatment Stickers for Face and Skin, Vegan and Cruelty-Free (36 Count)
The best overall skincare product for acne you can buy: PCA SKIN The Acne Control Regimen
Price: $159.00
The PCA acne control regimen helps get rid of acne from start to finish. The kit comes with four key items. Start with a 5% benzoyl peroxide cleanser, followed by a lightweight moisturizer that hydrates and soothes irritated skin. There’s also a salicylic acid spot treatment for blemishes and a retinol nighttime treatment to prevent future breakouts.
Use all the products in the set together for some serious acne-fighting action, or use specific, single products to address particular skin concerns, like the retinol night cream to tighten skin and fade acne scars, or the spot treatment to banish that persistent pimple.
Best vitamin skincare product for adult acne: Eva Naturals Vitamin C Serum
Price: $14.95
This Eva skin serum is chock-full of vitamins and ingredients to keep your skin not just acne-free, but also youthful. The ideal serum to fight adult acne, the salicylic acid dries up acne, retinol keeps skin youthful, vitamin c gives skin a bright glow, and niacinamide nourishes skin.
Eva Naturals also uses natural plant essences in their serums to keep your skin glowy and smooth. The vitamin-rich serum is free of harmful additives that can irritate skin and is made right here in the U.S.A.
Best oil-free skincare kit for teen acne: Clean & Clear Daily Acne Skincare Essentials Set
Price: $12.70
The Clean & Clear Acne Skincare Essentials Set comes with a foaming facial cleanser to gently remove dirt and debris from the skin, a deep-cleaning astringent made of 2% salicylic acid to dry up blemishes, and a dual-action moisturizer that hydrates without clogging pores.
This oil-free kit is best for youthful, oily skin prone to excessive breakouts. If your skin doesn’t dry out, you can work up to applying the astringent several times a day for persistent acne.
Best skincare product for hormonal acne: Acne Treatment Kit by Exposed Skin Care
Price: $89.95
Rid your skin of hormonal acne, irritated pimples, blackheads, whiteheads, redness, and inflammation with this 60-day treatment kit.
The kit comes complete with a salicylic acid-based, gentle cleanser with vitamin B5 to help regulate oil production, a clearing tonic that helps exfoliate your skin and treat blackheads, a benzoyl peroxide-based acne treatment serum, a pore-cleansing night serum to rebalance your skin and prevent hormonal acne, and a clarifying mask to purify skin and visibly minimize pores.
Best repairing skincare product for acne: BREYLEE Tea Tree Clear Skin Serum
Price: $9.99
Those with pocked skin and severe acne are likely in need of serious treatment and this BREYLEE serum is an optimal fix.
With active ingredients like tea tree oil and Camellia Sinensis Leaf extracts, the serum penetrates deep into your skin with small molecules to treat redness, inflammation, and pimples. With long-term use, it can repair scarred or acne-damaged skin, shrink pores, improve elasticity, and smooth the skin.
Best skincare product for acne scars: CeraVe Retinol Serum for Post-Acne Marks and Skin Texture
Price: $16.50
This CeraVe product with encapsulated retinol helps resurface and rejuvenate skin, reducing post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation and acne scars, as well as preventing fine lines and wrinkles.
The lightweight cream also shrinks the appearance of pores and uses licorice root extract to help skin retain its glow. It also has ceramides such as niacinamide to restore elasticity and fullness so your skin will appear clear, youthful, and blemish-free.
Best skincare product for clogged pores: Neutralyze Renewal Complex
Price: $16.10
This extra-strength anti-acne moisturizing cream has active ingredients such as salicylic acid, nitric oxide, and time-released mandelic acid to exfoliate skin and increase cell turnover. It minimizes pores while deep cleaning them.
Apt for both teens and adults, the cream will hydrate skin without causing additional breakouts. The anti-redness, anti-aging, and anti-irritating ingredients will fight all types of blemishes, as well as skin issues like rosacea or eczema, too.
Best moisturizing skincare product for acne: Era Organics Tea Tree Oil Face Cream
Price: $19.00
This non-toxic Era Organics cream soothes and balances oily skin without harsh ingredients. Ideal for all types of acne, including cystic acne and blackheads, the cream’s active ingredients of tea tree oil, zinc, and salicylic acid clear skin of bacteria and banish blemishes.
Natural ingredients like St. John’s Wort, pomegranate seed oil, burdock root, dandelion root, and goldenseal help to cleanse and soothe skin to fight acne with a gentle strength.
Best skincare pads for acne: ZO Skin Health Oil Control Pads Acne Treatment
Price: $55.31
For anyone looking to use skincare pads to treat acne, the ZO Skin Health Oil Control pads use active ingredients like salicylic acid, glycolic acid, and natural extracts to clear up blemishes and reduce oil.
At first use, the pads will remove dirt and debris from the pores and clear off dead skin cells. After continued use, the pads will smooth the skin’s surface by soothing skin irritation, shrinking pores, and drying up oil.
Best skincare clay mask for acne and blackheads: Green Tea Purifying Clay Face Mask
Price: $4.99
This affordable clay mask uses natural green tea to reduce acne, purify skin, and replenish that natural glow. The easy, roll-on formula ensures you won’t get your hands messy and you can apply the stick directly to your face using the rotating head.
The green tea active ingredient will cleanse pores, which will even out skin tone, hydrate skin, and dry out pimples. After continued use, your skin will be balanced, tighter, and clear.
Best skincare sheet masks for acne: Korean Skin Care Face Masks Sheet
Price: $6.30
This set of six different Korean sheet masks is apt for those with acne, large pores, and oily or dull skin. The masks also treat wrinkles and aging. They won’t erase that one stubborn pimple, per se, but are best for all-over oil control and smoother skin.
Depending exactly on what you’d like to treat, choose the mask that fits your current skin condition. With six different options, you can select aloe for sensitive skin, cucumber for hydration, white pearl to soften skin, red ginseng for smoother skin, snail for nourishment, or collagen for anti-aging.
Best collagen skincare product for acne: Collagen + Vitamin C Clay Face Mask
Price: $23.49
This vitamin C and collagen gold mask also has ingredients like retinol and hyaluronic acid, that fight acne and dry up oil in addition to nourishing and hydrating skin, too.
The mask fights wrinkles and brightens skin while removing excess oil and clearing out pores. The formula is fortified with antioxidants which will help reduce acne scars and revitalize skin, making it appear fuller and more youthful.
Best spot treatment skincare product for acne: QTH Salicylic Acid Acne Spot Treatment Gel
Price: $13.99
Best for persistent acne or red, inflamed pimples, this spot treatment uses a salicylic acid-based formula to get rid of redness, swelling, and irritation.
The treatment gel will also help clear up acne scars or hyperpigmentation, too. The QTH gel can be used all over the face as well as back and chest, banishing blemishes wherever they pop up.
Best patch treatment for acne: Mighty Patch Original from Hero Cosmetics
Price: $12.99
For those days you wake up with a giant pimple, these acne treatment patches will get rid of your blemish within 6-8 hours. The hydrocolloid patches soak up all the bacteria and shrink the zit, drying up redness and oil.
You can wear the stickers overnight and wake up pimple-free, or put them on during the day. The thin patches have a translucent matte finish that will blend right in with your makeup.
Which skincare products for acne are best for your Life & Style?
Purchasing the right acne skincare product doesn’t have to be complicated. First, analyze both your skin and your acne situation. Is your skin dry or oily? Do you have persistent, all-over acne, or just the occasional blemish? Do you have a large, red pimple, or do you have blackheads?
Once you’ve decided what type of acne you need to treat and what other skin issues you’d like to resolve at the same time, you can pick the best acne skincare product for you.
For example, if you’re tired of getting those large, red pimples, a patch or spot treatment may be best. If you have sensitive, dry skin with acne, you may prefer a cream or all-over face serum.
It’s also important to consider the active ingredients of the product you’re using. For example, salicylic acid and benzoyl peroxide are the most common acne-fighting ingredients. Those with other skin concerns may want products that include vitamins, antioxidants, collagen, or aloe.
Acne is a common skin concern, but it doesn’t have to ruin your day. Pick the right product for you on this list and start using it to fight acne and prevent pimples before they even form.