Best Face Wash for Acne: Gentle Cleansers for Acne-Prone Skin

One of the most annoying assumptions people make is that if someone has acne they just need to wash their face. This couldn’t be farther 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 Gentle Face Wash for Acne

The best wash 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 several different cleansers to rotate 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 experience.

Micellar Waters

If you wear water-resistant sunscreen or difficult-to-remove makeup, you might like to start with a pre-cleanse to remove it before using your normal face wash. Micellar water contains micelles, which are tiny lipid molecules that act like magnets for dirt, oil, and makeup. Using micellar water on a cotton pad is an easy way to remove makeup, and there are many options suitable for acne-prone skin. 

Oil and Balm Cleansers

If you are looking for a more thorough first cleanse, you can use a non-comedogenic oil or balm cleanser that you rub onto dry skin to break down makeup and sunscreen. These cleansers emulsify in water and rinse away, but you will want to follow with a face wash to make sure that the oils have been fully removed.

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, they still gently cleanse your skin without stripping it, making them a perfect option for sensitive and dry or dehydrated skin.

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.