One of the most annoying assumptions people make is that the best face wash for acne is water—implying that if you have acne you just need to wash your face more often. This couldn’t be further from the truth! If anything, those of us with acne are probably washing our faces too much.
While people with acne-prone skin tend to gravitate towards harsh cleansers with strong acne-fighting ingredients, one of the best ways to work with your skin is to use a gentle non-medicated daily face wash, especially if you are already using a leave-on acne treatment.
Why Choose Gentle Face Wash?
Acne-prone skin often has excessive sebum production, which can lead to clogged pores. These clogged pores then become breeding grounds for bacteria, leading to blackheads, pimples, and inflammation.
One way to help manage acne-prone skin is to maintain a balance where your skin is sufficiently clean without being left dry and irritated. Gentle face washes are can help with:
Maintaining Skin Barrier Function
Aggressive cleansers can strip the skin, which can exacerbate acne issues. Gentle cleansers, however, clean the skin without disrupting the protective barrier.
Reducing Irritation and Inflammation
Gentle cleansers are formulated with less irritating ingredients compared to traditional acne treatment face washes. By reducing irritation, gentle cleansers help mitigate inflammation associated with acne.
Hydrating the Skin
Many gentle cleansers contain hydrating ingredients that help keep the skin moisturized. Hydrated skin can more effectively fight off bacteria and heal from acne-related damage without becoming overly dry.
Best Face Wash for Acne
The best face wash for acne-prone skin is going to depend on your needs. Do you need to remove makeup and water-resistant sunscreen? Does your skin tend to be dehydrated or oily?
You may need to rotate between several different cleansers such as a foaming cleanser at night and a non-foaming cleanser in the morning. Or an oil cleanser to remove makeup followed by another face wash to remove any residue. Think about what your skin needs, and then customize your cleansing routine.
Non-Foaming Cleansers
If you don’t need a deep clean because you’ve already removed your makeup and sunscreen, or it’s the morning and you just want a gentle refresh, non-foaming cleansers are a good choice.
Although they don’t foam, non-foaming cleansers gently cleanse your skin without stripping it, making them a perfect option for sensitive, dry, or dehydrated skin.
La Roche-Posay Toleriane Hydrating Gentle Cleanser with Ceramides and Niacinamide
Vanicream Gentle Facial Cleanser for Sensitive Skin with Pump Dispenser
Foaming Cleansers
A gentle foaming face wash is the best type of cleanser if you want just one product to remove your sunscreen and makeup and leave your skin fresh.
If your skin is not getting sufficiently clean with one round of foaming face wash, make sure you are taking the time to fully lather it and repeat if necessary. A foaming face wash is also a great second step if you have done a pre-cleanse to remove makeup and want to make sure you have completely removed the product from your skin.
La Roche-Posay Toleriane Purifying Foaming Facial Cleanser with Niacinamide
Bioderma Sensibio Micellar Cleansing and Makeup Removing Foaming Gel
EltaMD Skin Recovery Amino Acid Foaming Gentle Face Cleanser for Sensitive Skin
Neutrogena Hydro Boost Hydrating Gel Cleanser with Hyaluronic Acid
Cetaphil Face Wash Daily Gentle Foaming Facial Cleanser
CeraVe Hydrating Cream-to-Foam Cleanser with Ceramides and Amino Acids
THAYERS pH Balancing Daily Cleanser Gentle and Hydrating with Aloe Vera
CeraVe Hydrating Foaming Oil Cleanser with Squalane and Ceramides
The best face wash for acne is going to depend on what your skin needs. The gentle cleansers listed on this page are a great place to start in helping you to manage your acne-prone skin.
