Best skincare for acne

A multitasker that calms redness, evens out skin tone, and helps oily skin balance out. One of the safest do-a-little-of-everything ingredients.

Goes into your pores and dissolves the oil and dead skin clogging them. Best for blackheads, whiteheads, and oily, acne-prone skin.

Calms redness, fades acne marks, and clears bumps, all without aggravating sensitive skin. Pregnancy-safe.

Kills the bacteria that cause inflammatory acne. The first thing to reach for when you have red, painful pimples.

A gentler prescription retinoid that focuses on clogged pores and acne. Better tolerated than tretinoin for most skin.

The active in classic anti-dandruff and anti-Malassezia formulas. It is an FDA-approved OTC antidandruff active, and RCTs show it reduces flaking and the look of dandruff about as well as leading medicated washes. The reason your medicated body wash actually works.

The prescription-strength version of retinol. Same goals (smoother, more even skin), but works faster and is more irritating. Needs a doctor.

A calming K-beauty botanical that's also antibacterial, so it pairs well for acne-prone, sensitive skin.

A bee-made resin that's antibacterial and anti-inflammatory. Calms breakouts and hydrates at the same time.

A natural acne spot-treatment that kills the bacteria behind red, painful pimples. Slower than benzoyl peroxide but with fewer side effects when used at 5%.

A "molecule your own immune cells make," now bottled. Kills surface bacteria without nuking the barrier, soothes the feeling of itch and redness on reactive skin, and gives compromised or post-procedure skin a clean reset, gentle enough to spray around eyes.

An ancient humectant and antimicrobial ingredient with a long research track record. Its sugar matrix and flavonoids help draw in moisture and support skin comfort; formulas pairing honey with beeswax and olive oil have shown improvement in dry, irritation-prone skin in controlled trials.