The best face wash for acne and dry skin
Target
When you’re trying to treat both acne and dry skin at the same time, picking a face wash can be a double-edged sword. Many acne-fighting ingredients are drying, and can irritate sensitive skin, but are necessary to clear your complexion. Luckily, Gentle Milky Cycle Cleanser from Versed has thought of everything. Formulated with a mix of acne-combating ingredients and skin-soothing oat milk, this foaming cleanser lifts dirt and impurities while maintaining the skin’s natural moisture.
Purchase Versed Gentle Cycle Milky Cleanser at Target for $14.99.
The best face wash for acne and combination skin
Target / Cetaphil
If you have combination skin, you may have trouble nailing down a face wash that balances the oily and dry spots of your face, or effectively tackles your T-zone. Cetaphil Pro Oil Removing Foam Wash takes both the oily and dry parts into consideration to balance your complexion and cleanse without stripping or overdrying skin. The fragrance-free, non-comedogenic zinc-infused formula is gentle on skin and works to balance its natural pH.
Purchase Cetaphil Pro Oil Removing Foam Wash at Target for $9.79.
The best face washes for acne that also remove makeup
Sephora / Milk
When it comes to nightly skincare, it’s best to keep things simple. So why not combine your everyday cleanser with your makeup remover? Milk Makeup’s Vegan Milk Cleanser lets you do just that— made by combining rich and calming oat and fig milks with other sulfate-free ingredients, this cleanser gently wipes away makeup while also cleansing and hydrating.
The same goes for Glossier’s Milky Jelly Cleanser. The gel-based formula is created to lift away makeup and dirt without irritation. In fact, it’s formulated with Poloxamer rather than soap, an ingredient used in contact lens solution that is not only effective at removing eye makeup, but also sting free. Purchase Milk’s Vegan Milk Cleanser at Sephora for $30. Purchase Glossier’s Milky Jelly Cleanser on Glossier for $9.
The best face wash for acne and rosacea
Dr. Jart+
For many people, acne and rosacea go hand in hand, and finding a fix for one that doesn’t overwhelm the other can be tricky. Luckily, Dr. Jart+’s Cicapair Tiger Grass Enzyme Foam Cleanser is formulated to take care of both. This foaming cleanser is formulated with Tiger Grass, or Centella Asiatica, and a number of other revitalizing herbs which cleanse and brighten skin. Additionally, the green pigment helps to eliminate red and uneven tones.
Purchase Cicapair Tiger Grass Enzyme Foam Cleanser on Dr. Jart+ for $25.
The best face wash for acne with salicylic acid
The Inkey List
If you’re already well on your skincare journey, chances are you’ve seen the words “salicylic acid” enough already, but what do they mean? As an anti-inflammatory, salicylic acid is a common enough ingredient in face washes, but it has a reputation of being more drying than other ingredients, which is why it’s so important to find the right face wash that uses it. The Salicylic Acid Cleanser from The Inkey List combines 2% salicylic acid cleanser with a zinc compound to create a gentle, non-drying face wash that still penetrates pores and lifts impurities.
Purchase Salicylic Acid Cleanser on The Inkey List for $9.99
The best affordable face wash for acne
Deciem
Believe it or not, radiant and clear skin doesn’t necessarily have to come with a high-end price tag. The Ordinary’s Squalane Cleanser delivers luxury results at drug store prices. This facial wash combines powerful, natural antioxidant squalane with a host of gentle esters to dissolve makeup, dirt, and other impurities while leaving skin smooth and moisturized. This non-comedogenic, soap-free formula is perfect for everyday use without breaking the bank.
Purchase The Ordinary Squalane Cleanser on Deciem for $7.90.
The best face wash for acne that’s a splurge
Drunk Elephant
In the immortal words of NBC’s “Parks and Recreation,” sometimes you just have to treat yourself! Drunk Elephant’s Beste No. 9 Jelly Cleanser is a luxurious gel-based cleanser that uses glycerin, hydrating marula oil, and a mixture of other rich, hydrating ingredients to cleanse skin of makeup, excess oils, dirt, and other impurities without any residue. This gentle cleanser is formulated without fragrances or sulfates, so it can be used everyday without irritation.
Purchase Beste No. 9 Jelly Cleanser on Drunk Elephant for $32.
The Best Acne Face Washes You Can Buy In 2022
kei907/Shutterstock
We may receive a commission on purchases made from links. The backbone of a proper skin care routine is an everyday face wash or cleanser. Dr. Kathleen Cook Suozzi, MD, director of aesthetic dermatology at Yale, stresses the importance of a “really gentle skin care regimen,” because using too many products can sensitize skin and make it more prone to irritation (via NBC). Finding a reliable face wash can be easier said than done, though. According to SmarterSkin Dermatology’s Alexandra Gold, when it comes to face wash, “you want something that is both oil-free or non-comedogenic, as well as hydrating” (via New York Mag). Hydrating ingredients include hyaluronic acid and ceramides, which cleanse while maintaining skin’s natural oils.
But it doesn’t stop there—while all face washes cleanse and work to prevent acne, different skin types require different ingredients. Do you have dry skin, combination skin, oily skin, or rosacea-prone skin? There’s a formula out there for all of them. But don’t worry. We’ve done the legwork so you don’t have to. These are the best acne face washes to fit even the toughest customers.
We may receive a commission on purchases made from links.
But it doesn’t stop there—while all face washes cleanse and work to prevent acne, different skin types require different ingredients. Do you have dry skin, combination skin, oily skin, or rosacea-prone skin? There’s a formula out there for all of them. But don’t worry. We’ve done the legwork so you don’t have to. These are the best acne face washes to fit even the toughest customers.
The best face wash for acne overall
The best face wash for acne and dry skin
Target
When you’re trying to treat both acne and dry skin at the same time, picking a face wash can be a double-edged sword. Many acne-fighting ingredients are drying, and can irritate sensitive skin, but are necessary to clear your complexion. Luckily, Gentle Milky Cycle Cleanser from Versed has thought of everything. Formulated with a mix of acne-combating ingredients and skin-soothing oat milk, this foaming cleanser lifts dirt and impurities while maintaining the skin’s natural moisture.
Purchase Versed Gentle Cycle Milky Cleanser at Target for $14.99.
Purchase Versed Gentle Cycle Milky Cleanser at Target for $14.99.
The best face washes for acne and oily skin
La Roche-Posay Toleriane Purifying Foaming Cleanser uses a similar formula, coupled with essential ceramides and soothing niacinamide, to cleanse oily skin of makeup and dirt.
Purchase La Roche-Posay Toleriane Purifying Foaming Cleanser on La Roche Posay starting at $11.99.
The best face wash for acne and combination skin
Target / Cetaphil
If you have combination skin, you may have trouble nailing down a face wash that balances the oily and dry spots of your face, or effectively tackles your T-zone. Cetaphil Pro Oil Removing Foam Wash takes both the oily and dry parts into consideration to balance your complexion and cleanse without stripping or overdrying skin. The fragrance-free, non-comedogenic zinc-infused formula is gentle on skin and works to balance its natural pH.
Purchase Cetaphil Pro Oil Removing Foam Wash at Target for $9.79.
Purchase Cetaphil Pro Oil Removing Foam Wash at Target for $9.79.
The best face washes for acne and sensitive skin
Versed
Similarly, Vanicream’s Gentle Facial Cleanser has a foaming formula that is non-comedogenic and soap free. That means it will lift away dirt and impurities without irritation.
Purchase Versed Keep the Peace Acne Calming Cream Cleanser on Versed for $16.99.
The best face washes for acne that also remove makeup
Sephora / Milk
When it comes to nightly skincare, it’s best to keep things simple. So why not combine your everyday cleanser with your makeup remover? Milk Makeup’s Vegan Milk Cleanser lets you do just that— made by combining rich and calming oat and fig milks with other sulfate-free ingredients, this cleanser gently wipes away makeup while also cleansing and hydrating.
The same goes for Glossier’s Milky Jelly Cleanser. The gel-based formula is created to lift away makeup and dirt without irritation. In fact, it’s formulated with Poloxamer rather than soap, an ingredient used in contact lens solution that is not only effective at removing eye makeup, but also sting free. Purchase Milk’s Vegan Milk Cleanser at Sephora for $30. Purchase Glossier’s Milky Jelly Cleanser on Glossier for $9.
The same goes for Glossier’s Milky Jelly Cleanser. The gel-based formula is created to lift away makeup and dirt without irritation. In fact, it’s formulated with Poloxamer rather than soap, an ingredient used in contact lens solution that is not only effective at removing eye makeup, but also sting free.
Purchase Milk’s Vegan Milk Cleanser at Sephora for $30.
Purchase Glossier’s Milky Jelly Cleanser on Glossier for $9.
The best face wash for acne and rosacea
Dr. Jart+
For many people, acne and rosacea go hand in hand, and finding a fix for one that doesn’t overwhelm the other can be tricky. Luckily, Dr. Jart+’s Cicapair Tiger Grass Enzyme Foam Cleanser is formulated to take care of both. This foaming cleanser is formulated with Tiger Grass, or Centella Asiatica, and a number of other revitalizing herbs which cleanse and brighten skin. Additionally, the green pigment helps to eliminate red and uneven tones.
Purchase Cicapair Tiger Grass Enzyme Foam Cleanser on Dr. Jart+ for $25.
Purchase Cicapair Tiger Grass Enzyme Foam Cleanser on Dr. Jart+ for $25.
The best face wash for fungal acne
The best face wash for acne with salicylic acid
The Inkey List
If you’re already well on your skincare journey, chances are you’ve seen the words “salicylic acid” enough already, but what do they mean? As an anti-inflammatory, salicylic acid is a common enough ingredient in face washes, but it has a reputation of being more drying than other ingredients, which is why it’s so important to find the right face wash that uses it. The Salicylic Acid Cleanser from The Inkey List combines 2% salicylic acid cleanser with a zinc compound to create a gentle, non-drying face wash that still penetrates pores and lifts impurities.
Purchase Salicylic Acid Cleanser on The Inkey List for $9.99
Purchase Salicylic Acid Cleanser on The Inkey List for $9.99
The best face washes for acne with benzoyl peroxide
If you’re looking for a face wash with a little more kick, PanOxyl Acne Foaming Wash is formulated with 10% benzoyl peroxide, the highest amount available without a prescription, to tame breakouts and prevent new ones.
The best charcoal face wash for acne
The best affordable face wash for acne
Deciem
Believe it or not, radiant and clear skin doesn’t necessarily have to come with a high-end price tag. The Ordinary’s Squalane Cleanser delivers luxury results at drug store prices. This facial wash combines powerful, natural antioxidant squalane with a host of gentle esters to dissolve makeup, dirt, and other impurities while leaving skin smooth and moisturized. This non-comedogenic, soap-free formula is perfect for everyday use without breaking the bank.
Purchase The Ordinary Squalane Cleanser on Deciem for $7.90.
Purchase The Ordinary Squalane Cleanser on Deciem for $7.90.
The best face wash for acne that’s a splurge
Drunk Elephant
In the immortal words of NBC’s “Parks and Recreation,” sometimes you just have to treat yourself! Drunk Elephant’s Beste No. 9 Jelly Cleanser is a luxurious gel-based cleanser that uses glycerin, hydrating marula oil, and a mixture of other rich, hydrating ingredients to cleanse skin of makeup, excess oils, dirt, and other impurities without any residue. This gentle cleanser is formulated without fragrances or sulfates, so it can be used everyday without irritation.
Purchase Beste No. 9 Jelly Cleanser on Drunk Elephant for $32.
Purchase Beste No. 9 Jelly Cleanser on Drunk Elephant for $32.
The best vegan face washes for acne
The Body Shop
Pacifica Beauty’s Kale Detox Deep Cleansing Face Wash is formulated with simple and gentle ingredients. Kale, coconut water, and green juice, are not only rich in antioxidants, but they’re gentle enough for everyday use.
Purchase Tea Tree Skin Clearing Facial Wash at The Body Shop for $18.
