14 Best Face Washes and Cleansers for Acne, According to Experts

Key ingredients: Salicylic acid, niacinamide, hectorite clay
Size: 8 oz., 12 oz., 16 oz.
Pros: Niacinamide helps calm acne-prone skin, while ceramides maintain your skin barrier.
Cons: Dry skin types may want to use this cleanser every other day.

You really can’t go wrong with CeraVe, and if you’re looking for the best face wash for acne, the Acne Control Cleanser is a great place to start. Give the ingredients list a quick glance and you’ll see some acne-fighting heavy hitters, including salicylic acid and hectorite clay to absorb excess oil. As an added bonus, you get a ton of product in the easy-to-dispense pump bottle. The gel-to-foam cleanser lathers up on the skin to thoroughly cleanse the pores and gently exfoliate skin for a fresh start, day after day.

Key ingredients: Ceramides, allantoin, avocado oil
Size: 4.2 oz.
Pros: This cleanser is fragrance-free and gentle enough for dry, sensitive, irritated skin.
Cons: Some users felt it didn’t leave their skin feeling clean.

Dry skin types should look for creamy and hydrating formulas when shopping for the best acne cleansers, especially if you’re following up with an acne-fighting serum or topical treatment. Bubble’s Soft Launch Cream Cleanser contains ceramides to support the skin barrier and avocado oil to nourish the skin. Allantoin soothes dryness, and the creamy, nurturing formula lavishes skin with extra hydration and moisture — making it ideal for anyone dealing with dehydrated or flaky skin prone to redness and irritation.

Key ingredients: Zinc, ceramides, green tea extract
Size: 4.05 oz.
Pros: This gel cleanser gets your skin squeaky clean without leaving it stripped of moisture or feeling tight.
Cons: There is a subtle musky scent that may not be appealing to those with sensitive noses.

“As someone who has struggled with hormonal acne for most of my adult life, I’ve tried tons of acne cleansers — which can leave my skin feeling stressed out and out of balance. Phyla’s pH Balancing Gel Cleanser is gentle but powerful; it deeply cleanses oil, makeup, and other impurities without disrupting my skin’s (easily irritable) microbiome. Acne cleansers aren’t exactly glamorous by nature, but I feel so chic sudsing up with this one.” — Kara Nesvig, freelance writer

Key ingredients: Aloe, oat extract
Size: 5 oz.
Pros: The cleanser was awarded the National Eczema Association Seal of Acceptance. It’s National Rosacea Society Accepted and National Psoriasis Foundation Accepted.
Cons: None to note.

When you’re trying to treat acne with sensitive skin, think about the turtle from the fable: “Slow and steady wins the race.” It can be tempting to pile on all the active ingredients at once, but that can cause redness and irritation and even exacerbate breakouts and make things worse. Tower28’s ultra-gentle cleanser stands out because it’s formulated with nurturing aloe and oat to soothe potential irritation and support the skin barrier. Gentle Hydrating Gel Cleanser is soap- and sulfate-free.

Key ingredients: Salicylic acid, glycerin
Size: 3.4 oz.
Pros: This cleanser is fragrance-free and gentle enough for oily-yet-sensitive skin.
Cons: None to note.

If you’ve got oily skin, that does not mean you should be stripping all moisture out of your skin to try and treat your acne! You still need moisture to keep things balanced. La-Roche Posay’s daily cleanser is formulated with salicylic acid to fight acne and zap excess surface oil and glycerin to hydrate, so skin feels comfortable and refreshed. La-Roche Posay is also a dermatologist fave; the products are thoughtfully formulated with quality ingredients that work for sensitive skin.

Key ingredients: Salicylic acid, glycerin, hyaluronic acid
Size: 5 oz.
Pros: Star Wash cleanses pores of build-up without stripping skin.
Cons: None to note.

Not everyone loves a scented skincare product; fragrance can cause irritation for sensitive noses and skin types. Luckily, many acne face cleansers are fragrance-free! Starface has since branched out into other aspects of skin care since launching its viral yellow star-shaped zit stickers. The adorably titled Star Wash cleanser is a fragrance-free face wash with salicylic acid, a key ingredient to help clean pores of oil and dead skin — a.k.a. the building blocks of acne. Glycerin and hyaluronic acid help soothe and moisturize skin during and post-cleanse so your skin feels fresh but never tight. Plus, the subtle (microplastic-free!) shimmer and blue gel is a fun touch.

Key ingredients: Glycerin, betaine
Size: 6.76 oz.
Pros: This cleanser works on all skin types and also comes in a fragrance-free version.
Cons: It has a higher price point than some other cleansers on this list.

If you do enjoy a touch of aroma as you suds up in the a.m. and p.m., Dieux’s Baptism Gentle Gel Facial Cleanser is a luxurious pick; we love the woody-citrus-floral scent, which feels elevated but not too strong. Its creamy, gel-to-foam formula cleanses skin without stressing the skin barrier thanks to hydrating glycerin and betaine. The cleanser also comes in an unscented version if you love the feel but aren't sold on the scent.

Key ingredients: Benzoyl peroxide
Size: 5.5 oz.
Pros: The cleanser can be used on face and body and contains the max strength amount of benzoyl peroxide available over the counter.
Cons: The formula may be too intense and drying for people with sensitive skin or occasional acne.

You don’t have to spend a ton of cash on an effective acne face wash. PanOxyl’s Acne Foaming Wash is formulated with a whopping 10 percent benzoyl peroxide, making it the maximum strength face cleanser you can get without a prescription. The powerful formula can be used on both face and body and is best for people dealing with more intense, stubborn acne; if you get a few zits a month, it may not be the best option for you. But if you’re looking for an effective cleanser to help treat those annoying (and sometimes painful!) pimples, this may be a good option for you.

Key ingredients: LHA (caproloyl salicylic acid), glycolic acid
Size: 8 oz.
Pros: This is a dermatologist-approved choice with a gentle formula.
Cons: It's much pricier than other options.

Double-board-certified dermatologist Divya Sachdev, MD, says that gentle exfoliating agents like salicylic or glycolic acid — such as this option from SkinCeuticals — are among her favorites for acne. At $45, this product is definitely on the pricey side but perfect for those who want to add a little luxury to their face-washing ritual.

Key ingredients: Benzoyl peroxide
Size: 4 oz.
Pros: This acne-fighting cleanser is gentle enough for everyday use.
Cons: There's a slight chemical smell.

“This cleanser with five percent BP is quite gentle. It's a great option to remove all the oil and impurities without over-stripping your skin,” says Dr. Kim. Benzoyl peroxide is also one of the best acne-fighting ingredients. It exfoliates the skin and increases skin turnover to remove sebum and dead skin cells from the pores. Whether you’re dealing with a blackhead or a whitehead, benzoyl will come to the rescue.

Key ingredients: Oat extract, fulvic acid
Size: 5 oz. each
Pros: The Inkey List is a B-Corp and its products are cruelty free, vegan, and come in recyclable packaging.
Cons: Some users say they wish the cleansing balm was in a jar versus a tube.

Double cleansing is a great way to make sure you’re getting your skin as clean as possible at the end of the day; when oil, impurities, dead skin, and bacteria build up in your pores, they can turn into acne. This two-piece routine begins with an oil-based cleanser to melt away makeup and sunscreen, then a traditional foamy cleanser to wash everything away while gently exfoliating and brightening skin. Easy does it!

Key ingredients: Salicylic acid, kaolin clay, vitamin E, glucosamine
Size: 4.3 oz.
Pros: This product can be used as a cleanser, scrub, or mask.
Cons: The price point is higher than other options.

Got a new batch of blackheads on your nose or chin? Time to play defense and deep clean those pores! Clinique’s Blackhead Solutions 7-Day Deep Pore Cleanse & Scrub isn’t just a face wash; it’s a scrub, cleanser, and mask, all in one powerful formula. Salicylic acid dives deep within the pores to cleanse away dirt, oil, and other impurities. It also helps shrink the look of pores, control excess oil, and prevent new blackheads from popping up.

Key Ingredients: Aloe leaf extract, glycerin, glycolipids, linoleic acid
Size: 5 oz.
Pros: This cleanser has a fun jelly texture.
Cons: The scent may not be for everyone.

At some point in history, a skin-care genius thought: “Hey! What if we put jelly on our face?” and wow, are we grateful for that idea?! Drunk Elephant’s lightweight Beste combines a bouncy jelly texture with a gentle, acne-friendly formula for a truly delightful face-washing experience. And while it’s a little pricey, we did notice that you only need a scoop full of product for a great wash. “While I enjoyed the clean, but not too clean feel of Beste, some reviewers said it made their skin a bit dry. Others did find the smell a bit chemical-y,” says Kells.

Key Ingredients: Salicylic acid
Size: 6.7 oz.
Pros: The creamy formula feels great on skin.
Cons: This formula does not contain as much salicylic acid as other options.

Gentle, creamy, and unscented, Avène’s take on acne face wash is pleasant and refreshing. Avène has garnered a reputation for great products at a great price, and this cleanser is no exception. It also contains two percent salicylic acid, a great ingredient for treating acne, exfoliating the skin, and regulating sebum production.