Best Amazon Products for Acne
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For body acne, look for washes that contain Salicylic acid, which can be helpful for body acne. While acne skin can also be sensitive and many washes can be drying a little salicylic acid can go a long way. My recommendation is Neutrogena’s face and body was with 2% salicylic acid.
Acne can make skin very sensitive and irritated and it is important for people to use gentle cleansers and oil-free moisturizers in addition to medical treatments for acne. Use products that say “non-comedonal”, which will not cause acne. Products that offer hydration but are oil-free can be very helpful such as CeraVe hydrating cleanser and everyday moisturizer. Another good option is Elta MD clear sunscreen with Niacinamide which is a natural anti-inflammatory.
Instead of covering up acne with make-up and cover-up which can be occlusive and flare your acne, consider using an oil-free tinted sunscreen such as Elta MD SPF 46 with tint.
For a toner for acne-prone skin look for ingredients that exfoliate the skin gently such as Ole Henriksen Balancing Force Oil Control Toner which reduces shine, exfoliates, and calms redness while being alcohol-free.
Skin Medica AHA/ BHA scrub is great for blackheads—t he alpha hydroxy acids help to loosen and remove the stratum corneum and clean the excess oil off the skin.
For a night cream, I like Alastin ultra light moisturizer as it will not clog your pores and adds hydration without feeling oily or sticky.
Additional notes:
Acne can be a difficult disease to treat for many people. Over-the-counter products with benzoyl peroxide and salicylic acid while readily available can really dry out your skin. This is especially an issue for BIPOC patients whose skin may be on the drier and more sensitive side.
Recommended skincare routine:
MORNING
- Start with a gentle cleanser such as CeraVe hydrating facial cleanser (dryer skin types, BIPOC) or CeraVe foaming facial cleanser (normal to oily skin types) or La Roche Posey purifying foaming cleanser (normal to oily skin types)
- Using an acne medication with Benzoyl peroxide and Clindamycin such as onexton (prescription) or Benzaclin (prescription) is helpful to spot treat inflammatory (red spots, white heads)
- Apply an oil free moisturizer with sunscreen such as Elta MD UV clear in regular or tinted or my personal favorite Alastin’s hydratint
NIGHT
- Cleanse with the above cleansers
- Apply an oil free moisturizer such as CeraVe PM Facial moisturizing lotion, Elta MD PM moisturizer or Alastin ultra nourishing moisturizer
- Apply a true retinoid such as Differin Adapalene Gel 0.1% (BIPOC be careful as this is drying and needs to be used slowly like every third night, after moisturizing) or have your dermatologist prescribe Tretinoin (0.025-0.1%) in the correct strength for your skin