Dermatologists Say These Are the *Best* Face Washes for Acne-Prone Skin

There are probably many reasons why you wanted to leave your teen years behind, and saying goodbye to your acne was surely one of them. But don’t freak out if those pesky pimples stuck around. The best face wash for acne can help improve the appearance of pimples, soothe redness, and prevent future breakouts from happening.

“Adult acne in women is super common,” says Nazanin Saedi, M.D., director of the Jefferson Laser Surgery and Cosmetic Dermatology Center in Philadelphia. The main cause: hormonal imbalance. That’s why dermatologists often recommend medications like birth control, which can help keep hormones like estrogen and testosterone in check.

However, what you put on your face also matters. The first step in your anti-acne regimen? A face wash that you can lather up with morning and night. “Nighttime cleansing washes off dirt and excess oil that’s sitting on skin, while morning cleansing will clear off anything that accumulated overnight,” says Dr. Saedi.

How to choose (and use) the best face wash for acne-prone skin

Look for active ingredients. A few ingredients to look for in your face wash include benzoyl peroxide (to clean out the bacteria that contributes to acne), salicylic acid (to exfoliate and remove pore-clogging debris and break up blackheads and whiteheads), sulfur (to lessen inflammation), or glycolic acid (an alpha hydroxy acid that clears away dead skin cells).

But go mild if need be. One downside is that face washes with anti-acne ingredients can be drying. You may also be tempted to overdo it on cleansing—and see skin irritation as a result. Pro tip: If you do get a bit dry or flaky, scale back to every other day and follow with a noncomedogenic moisturizer designed for oily or acne-prone skin.

Or, if you’re using a super-drying medication, stick with a mild “nothing” cleanser to minimize your irritation. These face washes are formulated for sensitive skin and really just prep your base (cleaning out makeup, oil, and dirt) so your acne medication (say, a prescription retinoid) or spot treatment can do the heavy lifting.

Listen to your skin. Finding the right cleanser for your acne-fighting routine can be tricky, and you’ll like have to try both cleansers for sensitive skin and those formulated with active ingredients to figure out which you prefer. If your skin gets red, itchy, flaky, or irritated in general, talk to your doctor about switching to a milder formula instead.

When it comes to cleansers, you don’t have to pick an expensive one—drugstore buys will get the job done, says Dr. Saedi. But there are options in every price category: Here, dermatologists share the best face washes for acne, from those with ultra-mild properties to top-notch pimple-fighting power.