Acne Face Wash

Tackling acne should start at the very beginning of your skincare routine, and the first step is to cleanse your skin with an acne face wash! According to the Mayo Clinic, there are many different types of acne — and beyond that, so many different skin types in general. Naturally, this makes finding the right cleanser seem like a monumental task. If you’ve been searching for a new cleanser and feel like you’re shopping blind, you’ve come to the right place.

This guide can help you better determine which of the best acne face washes will work for your skin and actually clear up your complexion in the process. You’ll also get a sense of the various washes on the market, which will help you make a better-informed decision. And to get started right away, we have 10 of the absolute best acne face washes already lined up for you below — read on and shop now!

This gel cleanser is arguably one of the most popular products sought out by shoppers who deal with acne. It comes in gel form, which is the preferred cleanser type for both acne-prone and oily skin, it’s super affordable and has thousands upon thousands of amazing reviews! It contains crucial ingredients like salicylic acid and benzoyl peroxide, which are very common in all acne treatments, but there’s more to this cleanser than the basics.

Charcoal Acne Cleanser

To balance out the skin-purifying and exfoliating properties, this cleanser includes arginine and pro-vitamin B5 to help soothe irritation and give your skin a soft feel. Yes, you want your skin to feel properly cleansed, but not totally stripped of all its suppleness, which is what this face wash aims to do. Paula’s Choice is an industry leader in acne-fighting products, and this pick is no exception.

For any shoppers out there working with a tighter budget, this drugstore cleanser is an excellent choice! The gentle exfoliation you will receive from the salicylic acid is safe for daily use, even if you have sensitive skin. It’s a well-known fact that making sure your pores are free of dead skin cells and other build-up is crucial if you want to prevent pimples. This is a cleanser which may be best suited for anyone who has acne-prone skin, but doesn’t grapple with consistent breakouts.

Shoppers claim that it does a good job of keeping pimples at bay and leaving skin feeling clean, but if a more serious acne flare-up comes around, they use other spot treatments to help target those areas. If you’re a low-maintenance skincare person, some reviewers say that over time, this acne cleanser worked in their favor and helped keep their blemishes banished for good. Bonus: CeraVe products are famously skin-friendly, so you don’t run much risk of irritation.

Best Salicylic Acid Cleansers In 2023, Per Dermatologists

There’s skin that’s semi-sensitive, and then there’s skin which instantly gets irritated by products many shoppers would consider mild. If that sounds like your skin type, the best acne-clearing solution may be this extra gentle cleanser! Instead of salicylic acid, which can be harsh on your skin, it utilizes soy proteins and amino acids to deep clean your pores, which is not nearly as irritating on the skin.

Although this isn’t a cleanser specifically designed for acne-prone skin, reviewers enthusiastically say that it’s helped them clear up their breakouts without any redness or additional flare-ups. One shopper proclaimed this product as the “best cleanser I have found for my sensitive yet acne prone skin.” While it may not work for everyone’s acne situation, it’s seriously worth a try — especially for those with sensitive skin!

This is another example of a cleanser that’s not necessarily made for acne treatment, but shoppers have found it’s helped them clear their breakouts in a pinch! What makes this face cleanser an excellent choice for mature skin are the nutrients and antioxidants which are naturally derived from superfoods. Phytonutrients from cold-pressed kale extract helps cleanse the skin, while at the same time delivering vitamins C, E and K. Spinach helps keep inflammation at a minimum and green tea soothes are nourishes the skin.

Best Acne Face Washes For Men 2023

This blend of ingredients helps clean out your pores without stripping your skin. Shoppers report that it’s “mild yet effective” and has been great at addressing issues the tricky combo of having mature yet acne-prone skin presents. This cleanser is basically the ultimate green juice for your skin, and we all know hydration is key when fighting acne!

You’ll find everything you would expect an acne-fighting cleanser to have with this product. It has salicylic acid and lactic acid, which help treat and prevent breakouts, plus turmeric, which is a natural antioxidant to soothe any inflammation. As far as what makes it specifically great for men comes down to the details!

This cleanser only contains a 0.5% concentration of salicylic acid, while many other cleansers women traditionally use have 2% or higher. In general, men’s skin is far less oily than women’s, so using a cleanser which has a higher salicylic acid potency can cause excessive dryness (which can lead to more breakouts). This won’t happen with this cleanser, and shoppers can attest to that! It does help control excess oil which may cause breakouts — but in a non-irritating, stripping way.

Oil Free Acne Wash Pink Grapefruit Facial Cleanser

When it comes to teen and pre-teen skin, you have to be extremely selective with the face wash you choose. This cleanser is specifically formulated for kids who are 8-17 years old and includes ingredients that are extremely gentle on very young complexions. Instead of relying on salicylic acid to help fight and prevent breakouts, it utilizes tea tree oil, which is a natural alternative.

The cleanser only has 0.4% natural tea tree oil, which while particularly mild, is enough to actually help treat acne. Of course, if the adolescent acne is more severe, this cleanser likely won’t do the trick in full. But for the typical pre-teen or teenage acne which almost everyone gets once in a while, this is an excellent cleanser to help control the breakouts and keep confidence up!

If you’re pregnant, it’s highly likely you’ve consulted with an OB/GYN who has given you a list of items to avoid, including certain skincare products (like retinol). But this bestselling cleanser isn’t one of them! It has gentle exfoliating properties to help unclog pores, which is what makes it particularly suitable for acne-prone skin. It does this with prebiotics and probiotic extracts, plus turmeric, to leave your skin feeling super clean and balanced. It can also boost your skin’s radiance and even out your texture to boot!

Acne Clear Neem Face Wash

With pregnancy comes a great deal of lifestyle adjustments, and you may feel bummed out you’re being forced to temporarily part ways with an acne cleanser that you know and love, but you may be pleasantly surprised by switching things up. The nourishment this cleanser provides has made it a staple in the routines of acne-fighting shoppers.

Hormonal acne is a different beast than your average breakout situation. This type of acne is persistent, can lie deep within the skin and can even become super painful. An extra-strength formula is definitely needed if you struggle with this issue, which is what makes this acne cleanser an ideal option! It utilizes two different forms of salicylic acid to treat and prevent acne.

One form starts treating blemishes right away on contact, while the other keeps working well after you rinse the cleanser off. This time-release feature is what shoppers say makes this cleanser specifically suited for hormonal acne. When you have a cleanser like this one that continues treating acne throughout the day, it can make a huge difference in how quickly your skin clears up and stays looking clear. As noted, this will be a secret weapon for those suffering from pesky hormone-related pimples that never seem to disappear.

Acne Face Wash

It’s well-known that oily skin is one of the most common reasons people can be prone to breakouts, but for some, the situation is dire — resulting in the frequent formation of acne. If you have excessively oily skin and extra congested pores, this is the acne cleanser you want to have in your corner. It has oil-minimizing extracts which essentially work like a vacuum on your pores, while jojoba beads naturally exfoliate the skin.

Using this cleanser helps you control oil and unclog your pores to tackle existing breakouts and stop future acne from popping up. It also helps to refine the look of your pores via lilac stem cells to make them appear smaller and less noticeable. It’s the perfect example of a product whose benefits are shown right away, but it’s actually working overtime to help you achieve your goals.

Keeping skin properly exfoliated is an excellent way to keep pores clear to avoid acne, which is what this cleanser accomplishes! While you’re removing makeup and impurities from your face, you also have glycolic and lactic acids digging deep into your pores, plus different naturally derived enzymes making sure they’re fully unclogged once you rinse the cleanser off.

Acne Plus Face Wash

The best part about this cleanser is that it’s safe to use on a daily basis. Many other exfoliating