If you struggle with breakouts, there are some skincare products you should avoid but one you should never skip: moisturizer. Still, finding a moisturizer for acne-prone skin that doesn’t clog pores, cause irritation, or make skin feel uncomfortably tight or greasy can be challenging. “Look for moisturizers that are labeled oil-free or non-comedogenic, as they are less likely to clog pores,” advises dermatologist Marie V. Hayag, MD of Fifth Avenue Aesthetics.
Finding a good moisturizer for acne-prone skin is especially important if you’re using a treatment containing benzoyl peroxide or salicylic acid, which can dry out the complexion. According to Dr. Hayag, water-based products containing humectants like glycerin or hyaluronic acid are ideal. She also recommends looking for soothing ingredients such as aloe, vitamin E, and green tea.
So, how do you know which cream, gel, or lotion is best? We spent hours researching the most popular and best-selling products available today, combed through customer reviews, and sought guidance from Dr. Hayag to find out.
Keep scrolling for the best moisturizers for acne-prone skin.
Murad Clarifying Oil-Free Water Gel
Murad is a tried-and-true brand you can count on when it comes to caring for acne-prone skin. With that said, our number one pick is the Clarifying Water Gel, an ultra-lightweight, non-comedogenic formula.
It hydrates with hyaluronic acid, heals and soothes with ginger root extract, and keeps breakouts at bay with a very mild dose of salicylic acid. We also like that this oil-free moisturizer contains Korean red pine extract, a natural antimicrobial that inhibits the spread of acne-causing bacteria.
Best Budget: CeraVe Daily Moisturizing Lotion
On a budget? Go with CeraVe. This dermatologist-approved lotion is oil-free and non-comedogenic, offering lightweight hydration with essential ceramides, hyaluronic acid, and glycerin.
Best Drugstore: Cetaphil Fragrance Free Moisturizing Lotion
From the pharmacy aisle, we’re all about Cetaphil. This generously sized pump bottle is chock full of skin-loving ingredients like niacinamide (vitamin B3), vitamin E, and glycerin. While it does contain a small amount of plant-derived oil, the idea is that it balances your complexion to help it produce less oil.
Best With SPF: EltaMD UV Clear Broad-Spectrum SPF 46
When it comes to moisturizers with sun protection, board-certified dermatologist Martha H. Viera, MD, FAAD, says, “You need to avoid heavy oils that can clog the pores.” She recommends EltaMD UV Clear, a non-comedogenic formula that provides invisible SPF 46 protection.
Best Treatment: Tula Breakout Star Acne Moisturizer
Tula Breakout Star contains BHA (beta-hydroxy acid) superhero salicylic acid, which Dr. Hayag says is one of the best ingredients for treating acne.3 “It is a potent anti-inflammatory agent and helps exfoliate the skin,” she tells Byrdie.
Best Splurge: 111Skin Y Theorem Day Cream Light NAC Y2
Sure, it’s expensive, but just one pump of 111Skin Y Theorem Day Cream Light NAC Y2—a lighter version of the brand’s best-selling day cream—is enough to moisturize your entire face. Ingredients include hyaluronic acid to boost hydration, niacinamide to decrease inflammation, and antioxidants, which create a barrier to shield skin from irritants. Plus, the product contains a proprietary complex called NAC Y2, which 111Skin promises can reduce the effects of environmental damage. The formulation won’t clog pores, but it will plump skin and blur the appearance of fine lines.
Best K-Beauty: CosRx AC Collection Lightweight Soothing Moisturizer
From the Korean beauty brand that we’re all growing to love, CosRx Lightweight Soothing Moisturizer is a clutch for balancing acne-prone skin. It offers light hydration and contains anti-inflammatory ingredients with healing properties like propolis, green tea, aloe, and allantoin.4567
Best A.M.: Neutrogena Oil-Free Moisture with Sunscreen
In the morning, reach for Neutrogena Oil-Free Moisture. This non-irritating, lightweight lotion goes on sheer and offers broad-spectrum SPF 15 protection from the sun’s harmful rays.
Best P.M.: Paula’ Choice CLEAR Oil-Free Moisturizer
For your evening skincare routine, we recommend Paula’s Choice Clear. Infused with ceramides, humectants, licorice root extract, and niacinamide, this oil-free moisturizer pulls out all the stops to calm, hydrate, and replenish acne-prone complexions.
Best Mattifying: Caudalie Vinopure Moisturizing Mattifying Fluid
We’re also loving Caudalie Vinopure, a mattifying lotion that simultaneously hydrates and absorbs greasiness to balance acne-prone skin. The secret? Olive-derived squalene, the type of oil your skin naturally produces. The idea is that when your skin is replenished with squalene, it won’t produce as much.
Best Hydrating: Tatcha The Water Cream
From everyone’s favorite Japanese skincare brand, The Water Cream is a stellar hydrator for thirsty, acne-prone skin. Boasting an oil-free formula, it contains a nourishing and soothing blend of green tea, algae, hyaluronic acid, and botanical extracts.
Best Retexturizing: ROSEN Skincare Tropics Moisturizer
Rosen Tropics Moisturizer oh-so-gently exfoliates with pineapple enzymes to tackle dead skin buildup and uneven texture.8 What’s more, the weightless formula offers light hydration while delivering a more radiant complexion with radiance-boosting kojic acid.9
Best Soothing: Avène Tolerance Control Soothing Skin Recovery Cream
If you’re dealing with red, reactive skin, your best bet is the Avène Tolerance Control. The kicker is the brand’s mineral-rich thermal spring water, which has been shown to soothe inflammation while offering healing and hydrating benefits.10
Best for Blackheads: Origins Clear Improvement Pore Clearing Moisturizer
Blackheads bumming you out? Thanks to a blend of bamboo charcoal and salicylic acid, you can count on Origins Clear Improvement to unclog your pores and dissolve sebum while preventing more blemishes from forming.11
Best Gel: Base Butter Radiate Face Jelly
If you’re partial to gels, Radiate Face Jelly has your name on it. While this natural moisturizer contains some plant oils, it’s formulated to balance oil production without clogging your pores. You can expect a dewy, hydrated complexion without a greasy, shiny finish.
Best for Mature Skin: Kate Somerville Oil-Free Moisturizer
This oil-free moisturizer is specifically formulated for acne-prone skin, absorbing quickly to provide moisture without shine. Amino acids help target fine lines, while algae extracts work to tighten mature skin.
Final Verdict
The best overall moisturizer for acne-prone complexions is Murad Skin Perfecting Lotion (view at Sephora), a super-lightweight, oil-free formula that hydrates, heals, soothes, and helps prevent breakouts. Looking for a better value? You can’t go wrong with CeraVe Daily Moisturizing Lotion (view at Amazon), which comes in a generously sized pump bottle and boasts lightweight, non-comedogenic hydration.
What to Look for in a Moisturizer for Acne
Non-Comedogenic
Dr. Rabach stresses the importance of using a non-comedogenic moisturizer if you have acne-prone skin. “This means you can confidently moisturize your skin knowing that the ingredients will not add to clogging your pores, thus making the acne worse,” she says. “Ingredients that are often avoided in these formulations are oils and other emollients like petrolatum that can clog the pores.”
Humectants
Dr. Rabach says it’s also important to look for water-based moisturizers with humectants such as glycerin and hyaluronic acid—like our best overall pick, Murad Clarifying Oil-Free Water Gel—as these will draw water into the skin to keep skin moisturized. More importantly, they don’t have occlusive properties, which form a protective coating on the skin’s surface (which can lead to clogged pores and exacerbate acne). “Usually, these types of moisturizers feel light and aren’t too thick or heavy,” she says.
Soothing
Finally, Dr. Rabach says that acne-prone skin needs a lot of TLC, so it’s best to look for soothing formulations. With that said, she says that they should be free of fragrance, dyes, and botanicals (as these can cause skin allergies or irritate the skin) as well as alcohols, which can be too drying. We like the CosRx AC Collection Moisturizer, which contains soothing aloe vera and green tea extract.
FAQ
What are the specific benefits of moisturizers for acne-prone skin?
Moisturizers formulated specifically for acne-prone skin are typically oil-free or otherwise non-comedogenic, meaning they’re unlikely to clog your pores. Additionally, many contain anti-inflammatory ingredients that help soothe irritation and minimize redness.
Some creams and lotions are also formulated to help clear and prevent breakouts. “It’s especially important to moisturize if you’re using acne treatments like benzoyl peroxide or salicylic acid because they can be drying and irritating to the skin,” adds Dr. Hayag.
How often should you apply moisturizers for acne-prone skin?
“Generally, I recommend that those with acne-prone skin moisturize twice a day,” says Dr. Hayag. While you might be tempted to use a lotion or cream less often to avoid clogging your pores or creating a greasy look, you shouldn’t have this issue with oil-free and non-comedogenic formulas.
