Avoid Acne Breakouts With These 8 Face Washes Backed by Grooming Experts (2024)

ADULTING IS HARD ENOUGH without zits, but many of us still get breakouts well beyond our teen years. Acne affects approximately 50 million people in the US alone, making it the most common skin condition and, while most often found in teenagers, can follow many people well into their 40s. Things like stress, diet and hormonal changes can all cause breakouts and a man’s oilier skin, larger pores and more active sweat glands pose a particular threat. If you suffer from breakouts, you’re likely well-versed in spot treatments and over-the-counter remedies, but using the best face wash for acne can help keep zits from popping up in the first place.

What to Consider

Since men's skin can be particularly oily, using the wrong kind of face wash can cause dirt and sebum to be lodged inside pores and lead to breakouts. To avoid this and get the most out of your acne-fighting face wash, here's what to keep in mind.

Active Ingredients

In order to effectively treat acne, a cleanser needs to have an acne-fighting ingredient. Often, you’ll see salicylic acid, benzoyl peroxide or other exfoliating acids, which work to remove buildup on the skin and control oil production. In natural versions, you may find ingredients like charcoal to soak up dirt and oil and tea tree oil, which act as a natural astringent. If you have sensitive skin, also try to avoid fragrances as they can irritate susceptible skin.

Format

Like all face cleansers, acne-fighting cleansers come in a variety of formats from gel to cream to foaming and non-foaming. Which one you choose is really a personal preference, but typically if you have very oily skin you want to avoid heavy cream cleansers and if you have sensitive skin, you want to avoid anything that is too harsh and will strip your skin (look for gentle or non-foaming cleansers instead).

How We Selected

We consulted our expert panel of dermatologists for not just their personal recommendations, but also what to look for in acne cleansers. We also consulted Men's Health's editors, including grooming editor Garrett Munce, who have spent years testing all sorts of skincare products, including acne cleansers. We drew on their expertise and first-hand experiences to evaluate cleansers based on their effectiveness, value, ease of use and more. Combining their expertise and hands-on experiences, we rounded up the best acne cleansers available.

Read more: Best Grooming Products for Men

This acne cleanser is one of the OGs for a reason. The salicylic acid in the formula is highly effective at controlling acne and oil and it’s an ideal cleanser to use for combination and oily skin (even if you don’t regularly have breakouts). The formula also features aloe vera, chamomile and thyme, which help to soothe and calm skin, curbing potential irritation and minimizing redness. It’s a powerhouse formula that has stood the test of time and continues to outperform newer, fancier versions. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it, right?

If you’re interested in natural alternatives to combat acne, this green cleansing gel has activated charcoal to help soak up excess oil and tea tree oil, a natural antibacterial ingredient. The cooling cleansing gel feels great on your face—especially after a workout—and contains amino acids derived from apples to leave your skin feeling smooth, not tight.

Charcoal is a good natural option to help soak up dirt and oil that’s been proven to work, but it’s not going to stop breakouts by itself. Luckily, this budget-friendly cleanser pairs it with salicylic acid, which not only helps break out debris on the surface of your skin, but deep down in your pores as well. It’s a classic acne fighter and by pairing it with charcoal, this cleanser covers all your bases. The result after using it is the feeling of a deep-down clean, but it’s still gentle enough to not leave your face feeling tight or dry. It’s so gentle, in fact, that you can use it every day to help control existing acne and fight off future breakouts.

Thanks to the salicylic acid in this cleanser, it’s ideal for treating breakouts, but regular use without acne can help keep pores clear of blackheads and even help them look smaller. The silky smooth gel lathers (but not too much) and glides over your skin thanks to glycerin and panthenol inside, which act as moisturizing and hydrating factors. That means that after you cleanse, your skin feels healthy and clean, never tight and dry. Using it daily for just a week or two brought big changes to not just our breakouts but the overall look of our pores and evenness of our skin.

Cream cleansers are usually scary for people with oily, acne-prone skin, but this one foams up into a rich lather that isn’t heavy at all. Inside that smooth lather is salicylic acid to help deep clean pores and exfoliate away buildup and glycerin to help keep skin moisturized even during the deep-cleaning process. And even though it’s a cream, this cleanser is great at sucking away oil and won’t leave your skin feeling heavy or filmy after you use it–unlike many other cream cleansers we’ve tried. In fact, it’s one of our go-to cleansers even when we’re not breaking out thanks to its oil-controlling, pore-refining properties.