The importance of washing your face can often be overlooked, but it couldn’t be more vital for oily and acne-prone skin. With countless formulas on the market, it can be overwhelming to narrow down the best facial cleanser for acne. From cleansing techniques that can secretly sabotage skin to the best cleanser for acne, here’s everything you need to know about the first (and most valuable) step of your skincare ritual.
Best Facial Cleanser for Acne 101
You may have found a cleanser you enjoy using, but are you washing your face correctly?
Frequency
Twice a day—once in the morning and once in the evening—is ideal. The morning wash helps cleanse excess oil accumulated overnight and the evening cleanse rinses away debris, makeup, dirt, and sebum that accumulated during the day. The only exception would be after excessive sweating, like exercising. “You don’t want to allow sweat and sebum to sit on the skin after working out, so this situation sometimes necessitates an additional cleanse during the day," said Dr. Rebecca Marcus to Real Simple.
Cleanliness
Ensure that your hands and towels (and anything else that touches your face) are clean. This will eliminate additional forms of bacteria interacting with your skin. This also applies to pillowcases—we’re a fan of luxurious and beneficial silk pillowcases—which should be changed weekly for maximum cleanliness.
Gentle Is the Key
One thought process behind acne is if you scrub intensely enough, it can unclog pores—but that couldn’t be further from the truth. Gentle is the best way to go. “It's important to use a gentle cleanser that is designed for acne-prone skin and avoid scrubbing or using harsh exfoliants, which can irritate the skin and exacerbate acne,” Dr. Dusan Sajic told Real Simple.
The Skin Barrier and Acne
The skin barrier is your outer layer of skin, composed of dead cells, lipids, proteins, and fats. It’s crucial because it keeps harmful things (like chemicals, allergies, and bacteria) away from the delicate skin beneath the surface, while also maintaining the skin’s hydration levels. Another reason for prioritizing skin barrier health? The health of skin is directly linked to acne: it’s been scientifically shown that a damaged skin barrier can lead to more persistent acne.
What does it look like if the skin’s barrier is damaged? If you’re experiencing chronic disturbances with your skin (including acne, burning or stinging, itchiness, inflammation, hyperpigmentation, irritation, dryness, scaly/flaky/rough skin, or general tenderness and sensitivity), your skin barrier potential has sustained some damage, says the Cleveland Clinic.
It’s a catch-22 occurrence with the skin barrier and acne—the more the skin barrier is damaged, the higher potential for more acne; and the more acne, the more likely the skin barrier can become damaged. If you’re experiencing both concerns, consider a nourishing and reparative ritual with a few acne-safe products, like a cleanser, serum, and moisturizer.
Best Face Cleanser Ingredients for Acne
Salicylic acid and benzoyl peroxide are clinically proven to be beneficial in targeting acne. (Ask your dermatologist if either is right for you.) Salicylic acid is a form of BHA (or beta hydroxy acid), which goes into pores and clears out debris and oil, while benzoyl peroxide can kill acne-causing bacteria. But these two powerhouses can often be a little too intense for everyday use for some. There are still beneficial but milder ingredients on the market that target acne but also soothe skin, like green tea and fruit-derived AHAs (alpha hydroxy acids), which remove pore debris more gently.
Best Cleanser for Acne
While a harsh soap might seem like the most ideal way to target acne and blackheads, these types of intense formulas can dry out the skin—and potentially even trigger more acne. Instead, seek out formulas that not only effectively cleanse skin, but also soothe. Here are a few of the best face cleansers for acne (and the best cleanser for blackheads, too).
Best Calming, Reparative Cleanser
The Indigo Cleansing Balm
Sensitive skin and acne are not mutually exclusive. If you find yourself dancing between these two woes, consider a fragrance-free and skin-strengthening cleanser. Harsh formulas can strip the skin barrier’s natural oils, leading to more damage and even more acne, so a gentle cleanser is a crucial first step in your regime. The Indigo Cleansing Balm is designed to reduce friction and soothe while cleansing, but it still effectively cleanses though (efficiently removing even waterproof makeup). The formula includes Japanese indigo to calm visibly irritated skin, lipids, and ceramides to replenish the barrier, Japanese lotus root to soothe, and mondo grass root to balance the microbiome. The results are stunning, too: In clinical studies, 100 percent of participants demonstrated an improvement in barrier function after just one week of use.*
Unlike harsh cleansers, the Indigo Cleansing Balm soothes visible irritation and replenishes moisture—strengthening the skin barrier so it can prevent future damage for smooth, calm, and radiant skin.
*Based on bio-instrumentation (TEWL) clinical study on 40 panelists.
Best Cleanser for Oily Skin
The Matcha Cleanse
Those with acne-prone and oily skin often believe they need to over-wash their faces to rid themselves of excessive oil and prevent breakouts—but this skin-stripping step can actually do the opposite, causing skin to produce even more oil and trigger potentially more acne. This is where The Matcha Cleanse steps in to save the day (and skin). The daily clarifying gel cleanser purifies and decongests pores without stripping skin, while also rebalancing skin’s natural oil production. The refreshing watery-foam texture smooths the skin while also addressing the skin’s texture. The formula includes premium matcha (sourced directly from the famous Uji region in Kyoto), powerhouse coix seed (used in herbal medicines for centuries to detox pores), and Japanese Mugwort (to support barrier function).
