Azelaic Acid Products Dermatologists Say You Need to Try ASAP

"Hearst Magazines and Yahoo may earn commission or revenue on some items through these links."

Caring for acne-prone and sensitive skin types prone to melasma and rosacea isn't easy. Thankfully, these dermatologist-approved azelaic acid products can help alleviate your beauty burden by targeting hyperpigmentation issues. The board-certified dermatologists I interviewed agreed that azelaic acid is one of the best skincare ingredients for targeting these common skincare concerns without irritation. And as the Best Products beauty editor, you already know I had to bring you the best of the best dermatologist-approved azelaic acid products.

Best Azelaic Acid Products

• Best Overall: The Ordinary Azelaic Acid 10% Suspension Brightening Cream

• Best Budget: Peach Slices Peach Slices Redness Relief Azelaic Acid Serum

• Best for Acne-Prone Skin: TULA Clear It Up Acne Clearing + Tone Correcting Gel

• Best Lightweight Formula: Paula's Choice BOOST 10% Azelaic Acid Booster Cream Gel

• Best for Sensitive, Acne-Prone Skin: Proactiv Clean Azelaic Pore Perfector

What Is Azelaic Acid?

According to board-certified dermatologist Dr. Michelle Henry, M.D., founder of Skin & Aesthetic Surgery of Manhattan, azelaic acid works by inhibiting the melanin-producing enzyme called tyrosinase, which causes hyperpigmentation. Henry explains, "By blocking this enzyme, azelaic acid inhibits epidermal melanogenesis and prevents the excess build-up of pigment cells on the skin."

Azelaic Acid Benefits

Beyond treating and preventing hyperpigmentation and melasma, azelaic acid offers several other skin benefits. I asked Henry and fellow board-certified dermatologist Dr. Anar Mikailov, M.D., FAAD, founder of Skintensive, to break down the many benefits of azelaic acid.

• Azelaic acid is super gentle and safe during pregnancy and while lactating, making it ideal for those experiencing melasma and acne while pregnant and new moms.

• Azelaic acid promotes skin exfoliation, so you'll have a nice and smooth complexion. Plus, it doesn't increase sun sensitivity. However, you'll still need to slather on sunscreen to avoid the solar rays from undoing all the good benefits an azelaic acid skincare product provides.

• Azelaic acid is compatible with all skin tones and types, including darker skin tones and sensitive skin. Azelaic acid is especially incredible for oily and combination skin because it is antibacterial with keratolytic properties, targeting acne and rough skin patches.

• Given its anti-inflammatory properties, azelaic acid also helps calm rosacea by soothing redness and minimizing swelling.

• Azelaic acid can even treat perioral dermatitis, which occurs when small, inflammatory papules and pustules pop up around the mouth.

What to Consider

Ingredient Concentration

Henry and Mikailov say it's essential to check the amount of azelaic acid in each product when you're shopping. As dermatologists, they're keen on prescription-strength concentrations (20% or higher) because they typically work within a month or two. But, they say you can easily find over-the-counter products that contain the maximum 10% concentration of azelaic acid and still experience visible results within 3-4 months.

While that may sound like a long time, it's worth being patient for — I promise! After all, it takes about the same time to see results from using salicylic acid and benzoyl peroxide skincare products to tackle acne. Plus, using just one of these azelaic acid products is way cheaper than chemical peels and undoubtedly not as painful as expensive laser treatments.

Other Active Ingredients

Great news: Azelaic acid is compatible with several ingredients. For example, you'll find vitamin C and niacinamide working together in TULA Clear It Up Acne Clearing + Tone Correcting Gel, and alpha hydroxy acids (AHAs) and beta hydroxy acids (BHAs) paired up in Paula's Choice BOOST 10% Azelaic Acid Booster Cream Gel. Mikailov says it can also be paired with typically irritating ingredients, like retinol, once daily or every other day.

How We Chose

Azelaic acid sounds pretty amazing, right?! To help you clear up your complexion before your next summer vacation, be sure to utilize one of these expert-loved azelaic acid products. With diligent use, you'll experience clearer, more youthful-looking skin without foundation.

I asked several skin care experts, including board-certified dermatologists, about their best azelaic acid products. These recommendations are aligned with the previously mentioned guidance and are from well-loved skincare brands we know and trust, like Paula's Choice and Tula. The best part? Our best overall recommendation is The Ordinary Azelaic Acid 10% Suspension Brightening Cream, which costs around $12 at Sephora. And don't worry: The vast majority of these azelaic acid products are $48 or less. Clean, smooth skin on a budget? BRB, if you need me, I'm adding them all to my Amazon
and Sephora shopping carts right now.

Check out our favorite azelaic acid products below!

Azelaic Acid 10% Suspension Brightening Cream

My best overall recommendation happens to be the most affordable, but it doesn't skimp on quality. Its impressive formula combines azelaic acid with dimethicone, a non-comedogenic and hydrating ingredient. Plus, it earned snaps from every expert I chatted with for this guide on the best azelaic acid products.

Henry and board-certified dermatologist Dr. Diane Madfes, M.D. FAAD are both fans of this over-the-counter azelaic acid skincare product. “The azelaic acid is in a hydrating vitamin E base that is good for calming inflamed skin,” says Madfes, who is an assistant professor of dermatology at Mount Sinai School of Medicine.

Dr. Tiffany Libby, M.D., FAAD, notes the lightweight gel-cream formulation also helps brighten a dull complexion while targeting rosacea, acne, and discoloration.

Fellow board-certified dermatologist Dr. Hadley King, M.D., FAAD, appreciates its cruelty-free and vegan-friendly. Above all, the Suspension Brightening Cream has been a favorite of her rosacea patients for years because it offers antioxidant protection, lightens hyperpigmentation, and improves skin texture.

"The Ordinary Azelaic Acid 10% Suspension is a budget-friendly topical azelaic acid that exfoliates to improve texture and prevents breakouts by reducing inflammation and fighting acne-promoting bacteria. It is safe to use during pregnancy," adds Dr. Blair Murphy Rose, M.D., FAAD.

This illuminating cream earns snaps from Dr. Jodi LoGerfo, DNP, thanks to its versatility for being incredibly beneficial for all skin types. Yes, even for those with the most sensitive skin. LoGerfo appreciates that it's free of pesky ingredients, such as parabens, formaldehydes, phthalates, oxybenzone, and sulfates like SLS and SLES.

It sounds sublime, doesn't it? Board-certified dermatologist Dr. Marisa Garshick of MDCS in NYC highlights this as one of her favorite products because it brightens the skin tone while evening out. This serum will also help improve the texture of your skin.

"The affordable price point makes it a great option for someone interested in starting azelaic acid for the first time. While the formulation may feel thicker, it is oil-free and won’t clog the pores," she notes.

More: The Best Summer Skincare Products of 2024, According to Beauty Experts

Redness Relief Azelaic Acid Serum

Those looking to spend $20 will adore this azelaic acid product suggestion from Taylor Worden, a celebrity esthetician and founder of Taylor Worden Skin.

"This product is considered a clean and effective product for stubborn skin issues like perioral dermatitis, acne, rosacea patches. This product can be layered and it’s so light that it does pill under other products," explains Worden.

It also utilizes algae extract to condition and soften, the skin, while panthenol targets itching, redness, and inflation. There's also Centella asiatica extract, which is commonly called cica. It's prominent in Korean beauty products for its anti-aging and calming properties.

BOOST 10% Azelaic Acid Booster Cream Gel

This impressive azelaic acid cream is also popular among our skincare experts — a casual four experts, including board-certified dermatologists Dr. Audrey Kunin, M.D., and Dr. Brendan Camp, M.D., FAAD, of MDCS Dermatology, consider it one of the best options money can buy.

Camp says, “Paula’s Choice 10% Azelaic Acid Booster is a serum, meaning that it is thin and water-like in consistency. When layered under a moisturizer, or even added to one, it helps address discoloration related to acne and skin irritation.”

Jennifer Weiss, the dermatological PA at Marmur Medical, also loves this lightweight and non-comedogenic cream gel. "The azelaic acid in the product fades hyperpigmentation to achieve a brighter, smoother complexion. It also contains salicylic acid, which helps fight stubborn acne breakouts," she says.

LoGerfo adds that it’s effective at treating blotchy red skin, and it’s her favorite choice for patients with rosacea.

“It has licorice root extract, which can be soothing to even the most sensitive skin and can help lighten marks on the skin and tame redness,” she says.

Clear It Up Acne Clearing + Tone Correcting Gel

While anyone with acne can use any of these azelaic acid products, I think this oil-free option is incredibly wonderful for acne-prone skin. For starters, you can help fade post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation caused by acne with help from one of Camp's favorite azelaic acid products. He's most impressed that TULA's Correcting Gel combines azelaic acid with skin-calming and acne-fighting ingredients.

In addition, Camp is impressed that it contains niacinamide, a form of vitamin B-3 known for its ability to calm red irritation and improve the skin's overall tone and texture.

He and King note that salicylic acid is a beta hydroxy acid with comedolytic effects, meaning it penetrates deep into pores to flush them of oil and debris. It also relies on a blend of other hydrating ingredients to help balance out the 10% concentration of azelaic acid.

Notably, hyaluronic acid and willowherb are used to hydrate and soothe skin, wild mint and mushroom to minimize the look of large pores, and prebiotics to maintain skin balance.

Clean Azelaic Pore Perfector

Board-certified dermatologist Dr. Rachel Nazarian, M.D., is a huge fan of azelaic acid because it smoothes skin, improves texture, and is great for sensitive skin. Her go-to recommendation is the Proactiv Clean Azelaic Acid Pore Perfector.

"The texture is incredible because it’s very lightweight, and although it hydrates like a lotion, it absorbs quickly like a serum. It’s also combined with hyaluronic acid and glycerin, two deeply hydrating ingredients, to help improve the skin barrier, and is non-comedogenic, not great for even acne-prone skin," she explains. "I really find it to be quite the multitasker and an elevated, smart product. In the short-term, it can improve texture, and in the long-term, after several weeks, [it] can even improve uneven skin tone and decrease redness due to its ability to decrease irritation."

Nazarian, who practices at Schweiger Dermatology Group in NYC, advises using this azelaic acid product twice daily after using a gentle face wash.

Azelaic Topical Acid 10%

As previously mentioned, azelaic is pregnancy-safe, but it's extra comforting knowing Garshick declares it as "a great option for someone who is pregnant or someone who is unable to tolerate a retinoid or retinol."

She appreciates that it incorporates niacinamide and vitamin C to improve your overall texture and tone by reducing hyperpigmentation, blemishes, and redness.

It's also a multipurpose product. "I love that it can be used on the face, neck, or chest. It can be used once or twice per day and it is recommended to follow with a moisturizer. I love that it layers easily without being too harsh on the skin," she notes.

Happy Face 10% Azelaic Acid Skin-Clearing Gel-Cream

Garshick recommends incorporating this multitasking product into your skincare routine. She appreciates the high concentration of 10% azelaic acid paired with niacinamide, centella asiatica, rose Fruit pore-minimizers, and Sakura Complex to help minimize redness, inflammation, blemishes, and acne scars.

"It is especially great for those with sensitive skin who may not be able to tolerate a retinoid. I love that it helps to soothe and calm the skin without causing irritation or stinging and absorbs quickly making it easy to layer," says the NYC-based doctor.

King personally uses Beauty Pie's azelaic acid product, which is why she advises ordering one. "This new product is a great formulation that combines 10% azelaic acid with niacinamide and cica for an immediate skin-calming effect, and over time, it decreases redness and hyperpigmentation. I've been using this for the past couple of months, and I love the light, soothing texture. I've noticed a decrease in the amount of redness in my skin," she says.

Pro tip: Gift yourself or your loved one a Beauty Pie membership. Beyond the 60-day free trial period, there are two tiers to select from a $10 monthly or a $59 annual gift. While it seems annoying to splurge on membership upfront, you'll save nearly $193 in the long run on this gel-cream.

For example, this azelaic acid product costs $70 without a membership, but with a membership, it costs $28, or a savings of $42 per jar! If you went through one container every two months, you'd spend $420 on six containers yearly. The annual membership would only set you back the $59 fee plus $168 for six containers, bringing your grand total to $227.

Enhance Brightening Solution

Rough, dull skin can be a drag — and luckily for you, Glytone's facial toner is an excellent product that earned snaps from Libby, the director of Mohs micrographic and dermatologic surgery at Brown.

She says, "I love recommending this exfoliating toner, which is easily applied to the skin with a soft cotton round. It contains glycolic acid, azelaic acid, and niacinamide to brighten skin, lighten dark spots, and exfoliate away surface-level dead skin cells to improve skin texture and tone."

Plus, freshly exfoliated skin allows for better penetration and efficacy of other ingredients, like malachite extract, a bright green mineral that promises to provide antioxidant protection against free radicals and oxidative stress.

You Might Also Like

• The Paris Hilton Housewares Collection Brings ‘That’s Hot’ Energy to Your Kitchen

• 16 Best Noise-Canceling Headphones Perfect for Rocking Out in Quiet Bliss

• Beyoncé Uses This $26 Amazon Product for Her Glossy Blonde Hair