I’ve Crowned a New Best in Class Acne Face Wash

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Skin type:All skin types| Active ingredients:Glycolic acid| Texture:Gel

I’m skeptical of expensive face washes, mostly because cleansers come off almost as quickly as they go on. But sometimes there’s a formula that feels truly worth it — that’s cosmetically elegant and leaves the skin better than you found it. I was initially introduced to this cleanser during a facial, and my skin felt so nice afterward that I immediately added it to my routine. I’ve been cycling between this and the Prequel Gleanser (mentioned later) and have been impressed by the formula and feel. In the past year, I’ve been dealing with a bit of hormonal acne, and hyperpigmentation from popping said pimples, so I like that this contains glycolic acid, a gentler acid that works well for lightening dark marks and improves overall texture. After using it, my face feels ultraclean but not stripped, a feat given that my skin is both acneic and dry. Another Strategist writer, Dominique Pariso, is also a fan: “It gets my skin to neutral without stripping it,” she says. “It keeps the skin clear while still being super-gentle.” It’s an expert favorite as well.Carrie Lindseyand Sofie Pavitt are fans of this high-performing gelcleanser, a blend of glycolic acid derived from sugarcane, willow-bark extract, and chamomile-flower extract, from iS Clinical. “The acids gently exfoliate the skin to help keep pores from becoming blocked, while the chamomile is calming and soothing to the mostsensitive skin,” says Lindsey. Pavitt adds that “it’snondryingand cleans thoroughly without leaving any residue.” Brooklyn-based oculofacial plastic surgeon and founder ofEpi.logic SkincareDr. Chaneve Jeanniton is also a fan, noting that the willow bark (a form of salicylic acid) is good for breaking up pore-clogging oil and keeping it under control.

Skin type:All skin types |Active ingredients:Salicylic acid| Texture:Gel

While I do love the iS Clinical cleanser, it’s admittedly expensive, which is why I’ve also included The Old Faithful ofacne cleansers. It has a silky gel texture that works up to a nice lather. It left my skin feeling squeaky clean but not parched, which I believe is due to the inclusion (albeit toward the end of the ingredients list) of aloe and glycerin. The main ingredient here is 2 percent salicylic acid, which reduces inflammation and clears out pores. Thedrugstoreclassic is frequently recommended by dermatologists.Dr. Robert Anolik,Dr. Alicia Zalka, andDr. Amy Wechslerall gave it high marks. The “salicylic acid helps break up the oil-and-dead-skin-cell matrix that plugs pores,” says Zalka, who has been pointing patients toward it for 20-plus years. If your skin is both sensitive and acne-prone, I’ll caution that this face wash contains fragrance (though it smells antiseptic, which feels anti-fragrance), which could be sensitizing.

Skin type:All skin types| Texture:Gel

A cleanser is a good first line of defense when dealing with acne, but if you’re already using actives elsewhere in your routine, it may be more irritating to use a cleanser that also contains acids and exfoliants. This one from esthetician Sofie Pavitt, who’s something of an acne whisperer, has become a favorite among beauty writers, who love that it offers a deep clean but doesn’t leave skin dry and stripped. It’s a gentle option that provides a nice clean slate for applying other skincare. It’s a favorite of Strategist writer Domonique Pariso, who says it gives her skin a “good, thorough cleanse.” She points to the inclusion of glycerin and panthenol, hydrating ingredients that leave skin feeling hydrated and nourished even after you’ve washed the cleanser off. I’ve also taken this cleanser for a spin and agree that my skin feels moisturized yet fully clean, a rarity.

Skin type:All skin types| Texture:Gel

For a cheaper option, I like this moisturizing cleanser from Prequel that’s half-glycerin and packed with soothing ingredients like oat extract and aloe. It also includes arginine, an amino acid that helps to hydrate skin.I’ve been using this for a few weeks. Having both dry and acneic skin, I’ve noticed that my skin feels nourished but not greasy and there haven’t been new breakouts as a result.It also has an elegant feel. It’s thick and soapy but not stripping. Strategist writer Brenley Goertzen agrees: “I find it super silky and non-stripping with a similar feel to my pricieriS Clinical Cleansing Complex,” she says. I also like the price point. You get 13 ounces of product for just $18, coming out to a little over a dollar an ounce. Most cleansers at that price point are firmly in drugstore territory or come in a dropper from The Ordinary.Prequel exists in this medical-grade-adjacent space: created by a dermatologist but not solely available in a doctor’s office or on Dermstore (the brand’s only other retailer is Target), sleek aesthetic, and offered at a wallet-friendly price.

Skin type:All skin types except sensitive, rosacea, and post-procedure skin| Active ingredients:Salicylic acid| Texture:Milky gel

I recently proclaimed that physical exfoliation is back after noticing an uptick in products that contain ingredients designed to manually remove dead skin cells and reveal fresher skin underneath.The caveat, though, is that it can be irritating to sensitive skin types or inflamed acne breakouts, so I’d recommend this if you’re dealing with closed comedones or trying to prevent future breakouts. Thiscleanser from Dr. Loretta is a favorite of esthetician and founder of Ställe StudiosElizabeth Hand, who says that it helps to clear up breakouts without stripping skin.Its main ingredients are salicylic acid — a popular acne-fighting ingredient that helps to dissolve oil — and diatomaceous earth, which physically exfoliates without causing micro-tears. It also includes coconut oil to hydrate skin.“Coconut oil has a high lauric-acid concentration, which is great for acne-prone skin types while also helping balance out acidity of the salicylic and maintaining hydration,” says Hand. Coconut oil is typically a no-go for acne-prone skin, as coconut oil is generally considered comedogenic, but the brand has run its own testing to determine comedogenicity and found it safe for acne-prone skin. Still, I would patch test it before using all over skin.

Skin type:Sensitive skin| Active ingredients:No actives| Texture:Foam

For the mostreactive skin, I like the Elta MD foaming cleanser, a gentle sulfate-, oil-, phthalate-, and paraben-free pH-balanced cleanser. It doesn’t contain any actives and will support and cleanse skin without irritating it. Even if you aren’t sensitive, it could be a good option if you want to alternate between a cleanser with actives and one without. A gentle cleanser like this one, along with a spot treatment (like thesepimple patchesrecommended by Pariso, orthese, recommended by Rio Viera-Newton), will save you that tight, itchy, stripped feeling on your skin, not to mention lots of redness. The main ingredients here are bromelain — an enzyme found in pineapple — which reduces the inflammation caused by acne, and apple amino acids, which hydrate the skin.

Skin type:Sensitive skin| Active ingredients:No actives| Texture:Foam

The EltaMD is admittedly a little pricey for something you immediately wash off your skin. For something less expensive, Neutrogena’s Ultra Gentle Daily Cleanser is a good option and comes recommended by Strategist deals writer Sam Daly. “My dermatologist recommended it since I use azelaic acid for acne and rosacea,” she says. The active-free cleanser is designed specifically for sensitive skin and is fragrance-free. It also contains hydrating glycerin, which works with the cleansing ingredients to clean skin without stripping it.

Skin type:Sensitive skin| Active ingredients:No actives| Texture:Foam

Vanicream is a go-to recommendation for ultrasensitive skin types because it’s formulated without typically sensitizing ingredients. That’s why it’s a favorite of esthetician Sydney Utendahl, who recommends it to anyone seeking a face wash that won’t irritate their acneic skin. Some cleansers that are marketed as gentle don’t foam and can leave a bit of residue on the skin or not completely remove sebum, says Utendahl. Vanicream isn’t like that. “It cleans your skin but doesn’t strip your skin,” she says.

Skin type:Oily skin| Active ingredients:Salicylic acid| Texture:Foam

Tess Adams, a facialist and co-founder of New York’sTake Care spathinksexfoliating acidslike salicylic and alpha-hydroxy are a must for healing cystic or severe acne. This foaming cream, which happens to have both, is particularly well suited for those skin conditions — and for treatingextra-oily skin. “It loosens dead cells and increases cellular turnover to reveal new skin,” says dermatologistDr. Sonia Batra, co-host of the talk showThe Doctors. Your instinct may be to completely dry out oily skin, but be mindful about exactly how drying your products are. If you sop up too much oil, it will only cause your skin to producemoresince you tricked it into thinking it was deprived of oil. You should follow up any cleanser with a good moisturizer (some good options for oily skinhere), but this cleanser does include hydrating ingredients like glycerin to prevent skin from feeling stripped.

Aside from salicylic acid, benzoyl peroxide is a go-to ingredient for addressing acne. It kills acne-causing bacteria by introducing oxygen into the pores and also reduces redness and inflammation. With that said, it can cause a bit of redness and flaking, which is why Utendahl likes to use it as a spot treatment rather than all over the face. Her go-to is Panoxyl, a foaming face wash that uses a high concentration of benzoyl peroxide (10 percent). “It’s good for an inflamed pimple,” she says, but notes that because it’s at the upper limit of efficacy, it’s very drying. “I never use it all over my face.” Utendahl does use it liberally on the body, which has thicker skin and tends to handle actives a bit better. “It’s great for any chest or back acne,” she says.

Skin type:Oily skin| Active ingredients:Salicylic acid| Texture:Gel

This cleanser from sensitive-skin-friendly La Roche Posay is lipophilic, which means it can dissolve oil and “concentrates on sebaceous-gland areas,” according toDr. Hope Mitchell, the founder of Ohio-based Mitchell Dermatology, where oil is secreted through hair follicles, allowing it to quickly and easily wipe out any excess from the skin. This is good for those who suffer with cystic acne because it addresses the root issue rather than drying out the surface stuff. It also contains 2 percent salicylic acid to help further exfoliate the skin and ultrahydrating glycerin, which keeps the skin moisturized.

Skin type:Normal, combination, and oily| Active ingredients:Salicylic acid, azelaic acid, and niacinamide |Texture:Gel

If you deal with both acne and rosacea, you’ll want to be mindful that your cleanser doesn’t further irritate your already-sensitive skin. This one targets all form of acne (including fungal) and contains a mix of acids, including salicylic, niacinamide, and azelaic. The blend, says Lal, helps with both conditions.

Skin type: Dry, normal, oily, and combination skin |Active ingredients:Glycolic acid and glycerin |Texture:Gel

In some cases, a breakout will leave behind scarring or hyperpigmentation. While spot treatments or an overall brightening serum can help, a good cleanser can be effective too. We’ve previously written about this cleanser from Skinceuticals, which comes recommended by two dermatologists. Its main ingredient is glycolic acid, which encourages cell turnover and lessens scarring and hyperpigmentation. It’s also formulated with glycerin to minimize water loss, increases skin hydration, and protect from irritation, reducing the chances it’ll dry out your skin.

Skin type: Dry, normal, oily, and combination skin |Active ingredients:Glycolic acid and gluconolactone |Texture:Gel

After a breakout often comes the hyperpigmentation, or dark spots, an annoying reminder of the last bout of acne.This is particularly prevalent in melanin-rich skin, which makes dark pigment more easily. A cleanser like this one from Epi.logic can help with that. It contains exfoliating ingredients like glycolic acid, an AHA (alpha-hydroxy acid) and gluconolactone, a polyhydroxy acid, which work together to clear pores, fade dark marks, and stimulate collagen production.There are also some botanical extracts, which help with brightening skin tone overall. “It’s a gentle mix,” says Hand, who likes that it “clarifies, resurfaces, and cleans congested pores without stripping the skin.”