9 Best Acne Face Washes (Tested and Reviewed for 2024)

Think about the other products in your routine.

If you're already using topical actives to treat your acne, you may not need an acne face wash with actives too. "Someone with more severe breakouts might benefit from a more aggressive approach by using a cleanser, treatment. and cream with acne-fighting ingredients; however, for someone else, the effect of combining products may prove to be too much and lead to further irritation and frustration," says Pacitti. If your skin is sensitive or you're already using a strong topical, a gentle face wash for acne (like Neutrogena's and La Roche-Posay's above) is probably your best bet.

Keep an eye out for these key ingredients.

If you decide to use an acne face wash with active ingredients, our experts say that salicylic acid (BHAs), benzoyl peroxide, and/or sulfur should be on the ingredient list since they're all excellent and treating and preventing breakouts. Other helpful ingredients include AHAs (like glycolic acid, mandelic acid, and lactic acid), azelaic acid, willow bark extract (a mild BHA), niacnamide, and oil-absorbing clays.

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