Differin Adapalene Gel is our best overall pick
Breakouts are inevitable, but especially during times of stress. So, it’s no surprise this year has led to its fair share of pimples cropping up on our (usually masked) faces. “In times of stress, your stress hormones rise and trigger your oil glands to produce more oil, which then triggers acne flares,” Donna Hart, MD, FAAD, a board-certified dermatologist at Westlake Dermatology in Austin, Texas, explains.
Want to add an acne cream to your breakout-fighting regimen? We tapped an expert for recommendations and tried a few top-rated products for ourselves to compile this list of acne creams that actually work. We looked at active ingredients (like salicylic acid, niacinamide, and retinol in each formula), and also took into account how well the formulas fare on sensitive skin, if they’re non-comedogenic, and how often they can be used. We then cross referenced our expert-recommended picks with the top-rated products we found (aka those that have five-star reviews or are among our editor’s tried-and-true favorites).
Best Overall: Differin Adapalene Gel 0.1% Acne Treatment
Formerly available by prescription only, Differin is now for sale over the counter, and serious skincare gurus are overjoyed. It contains a prescription-strength retinoid called Adapalene, which dermatologists recommend specifically for the treatment of acne.1 Long story short: It’s more than worth a try. The water-based formula is free of oil, alcohol, and fragrance and is an essential item in anyone’s acne-fighting arsenal.
Best Budget: The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1%
Just when you think you’re about to spend your entire paycheck on acne creams, here’s The Ordinary saving your skin and your bank account. Loaded with skin-balancing niacinamide and anti-bacterial zinc, this serum regulates excess oil production and calms breakouts. Just a few drops of the lightweight water-based serum does the trick, and it can be applied both morning and night.
Best for Clogged Pores: Drunk Elephant T.L.C. Framboos Glycolic Night Serum
This ingredient-packed serum uses a potent combination of exfoliating acids, pore cleaners, antioxidants, and moisturizers to create an overnight treatment that operates like a gentler version of a glycolic acid peel. Expect a tingling sensation when you apply—that’s this serum sloughing off dead skin cells, unclogging pores, and evening out your skin tone while you sleep to help minimize the likelihood and duration of breakouts over time. Pro tip: Avoid using this serum in combination with other acne spot treatments.
Best Spot Treatment: Mario Badescu Drying Lotion
Ask anyone who’s ever struggled with acne, and they’ll at least have heard of this cult acne-fighter. People swear that just one drop of Mario Badescu’s famous drying lotion can heal and dry a zit up overnight; the calamine, colloidal sulfur, and salicylic acid2 ensure it. In case you didn’t know, sulfur is a natural element that is an essential component for all living cells. Sulfur-based products tend to work best for mild-to-moderate acne, primarily whiteheads, blackheads, and papules.
Best Patch: COSRX Acne Pimple Master Patch
If you have a pimple that’s inflamed and you want to bring it down fast, these patches are a perfect overnight fix. Much like a bandage, hydrocolloid patches help the acne medication penetrate deeper into the skin by keeping it where it’s needed—no rubbing off on your pillow.3 The patch environment keeps the skin moist and permeable while keeping out bacteria. They have an almost magical ability to flatten even the worst zits and reduce their appearance quickly.
Best Natural: Marla Rene Beauty & Co. Calendula Clear Serum
This clarifying serum is 100 percent natural and plant-based to gently calm irritated and acne-prone skin. It has aloe vera to increase skin’s elasticity and restore its optimum pH balance, and alcohol-free witch hazel to control oil production and prevent future breakouts.4 The real star ingredient is calendula, which promotes the fast healing and regeneration of skin.5
The aloe vera in the formula is not to be missed, either. A naturally derived ingredient known for its soothing and moisturizing properties,6 the aloe plant’s inner gel mucilage (the part that’s used in skincare products) is made up of 99.5 percent water.
Best for Acne Scars: Mary Louise Miracle Serum
If you’ve tried everything for your acne scars to no avail, this might be the serum for you. This vegan and cruelty-free product is super packed with nutrients to target several skincare concerns, including acne scars, eczema, razor bumps, hydration, and hyperpigmentation. It absorbs quickly into the skin for a non-greasy finish, and we especially love that this serum plays nicely under skincare.
Best for Cystic Acne: Renée Rouleau Anti Bump Solution
Stubborn cystic acne (those painful red bumps that never quite come to a head) is particularly hard to treat, as the zit itself is hidden deep under the surface of the skin. This cult-favorite cystic acne treatment from celebrity esthetician Renee Rouleau uses lactic acid to purify your pores,7 methyl gluceth 20, which helps moisturize,8 and citric acid to help with hyperpigmentation and scarring.7 Apply it immediately when you feel a cyst developing, and it will help reduce the inflammation and duration of the blemish.
Best Serum: Evologie Intensive Blemish Serum
The top-selling acne product online comes from the doctor-developed brand Evologie. Its patent-pending YS3 Complex uses azelaic acid and salicylic acid to banish breakouts deep below the skin’s surface, also brightening hyperpigmentation and acne scars.9 In other words, this might just be the miracle product you’ve been praying for.
Best for Body: Paula’s Choice Clear Acne Body Spray
Looking to treat hard-to-reach areas of the body (like your back)? Grab this Paula’s Choice spray-on body exfoliant, which contains 2 percent salicylic acid to fight blemishes, bumps, and blackheads, as well as licorice root (to calm irritated skin)10 and barberry (which is antibacterial and anti-inflammatory).11 This product is also alcohol-free and dries quickly, so you can spray it on and go.
Best for Hyperpigmentation: Kiehl’s Clearly Corrective Dark Spot Solution
Post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation (i.e., pesky dark spots and discoloration that can crop up post-breakout) is super common—even more so for those with darker skin tones. The good news? This lightweight Kiehl’s solution can help ASAP. Activated C, a fast-acting form of vitamin C,12 works to reduce the appearance of dark spots while peony extract shields against oxidative damage.13 Clearer skin? Coming right up.
Best for Blackheads: Glossier Solution
While pore strips may seem satisfying, they can actually cause more harm than good when it comes to treating blackheads.14 Glossier’s Solution, a liquid exfoliator, is an alternative we love. It improves the appearance of blemishes with a 10 percent blend of skincare acids (salicylic acid, alpha-hydroxy acids,7 and polyhydroxy acid),15 while aloe,16 glycerin,4 and niacinamide17 hydrate and calm the skin. It’s also dermatologist-tested, cruelty-free, and vegan.
Best Overnight: Rosen Skincare Break-Out
This product looks a bit like Wite-Out, but it’s not just a way to cover blemishes—it works to shrink and heal them overnight. The hero of its innovative formula is zinc oxide, which helps combat redness, irritation, and inflammation.18 From there, peppermint oil, which is antiseptic and anti-microbial,19 cools and calms the skin,20 and apple cider vinegar, which is anti-bacterial, helps prevent further breakouts. For clearer skin in the morning, apply to a problem area before you snooze.
Best Gel Moisturizer: Clinique Acne Solutions Clinical Clearing Gel
This salicylic acid acne treatment has been a fan favorite for years, and guess what: It’s still available and highly effective. Depending on your skin’s needs, you can apply a thin layer twice a day after you cleanse your skin, or if you already use an all-over acne treatment, you can use it as a spot treatment on particularly stubborn zits. The ultra-simple formula is hypoallergenic as well as fragrance-, oil-, and paraben-free. Win, win, win.
Best SplurgeSkin: Better Science AlphaRet Clearing Serum
A thin layer of this clearing serum at night is all it takes to visibly see results in just eight weeks. Skinbetter delivers a potent blemish control product made with its patented Alpharet system, which consists of lactic acid and retinoid. This prescription strength formula also has salicylic acid to control oil production and improve skin clarity, while niacinamide and hyaluronic acid tag team to balance your hydration levels. Worth the splurge, this bottle pumps out just the right amount per application. Use it two to three times a week at night, and be sure to top it with sunscreen in the morning, as retinoids make your skin more sensitive.
Best for Sensitive Skin: Cocokind Probiotic Acne Serum
While not every acne solution is for sensitive skin, this probiotic serum takes a gentle approach to treating acne with 1.5 percent salicylic acid to regulate oil production without irritating the skin. Probiotics create a healthy skin barrier, and research has shown it helps to eliminate bad bacteria. Apply this pH-balanced serum to your full face or use it as a spot treatment where needed.
Best Gel: Tula Clear It Up Acne Clearing and Tone Correcting Gel
This acne-clearing gel is powered by probiotics and superfoods. Developed by Dr. Roshini Raj, Tula uses FDA-cleared 2 percent salicylic acid and azelaic acid to control breakouts and treat hyperpigmentation. As mentioned above, prebiotics and probiotics help retain moisture and improve the skin’s microbiome. This formulation is also free of alcohol, parabens, phthalates, mineral oil, and fragrance, which makes it great for sensitive or reactive skin.
Best for Dry Skin: Avvrani Balance Restoring Serum
It’s one thing to have breakouts, but to have dry, flaky skin at the same time? That’s downright annoying. Instead of throwing in the towel, reach for this restoring serum. While acneic skin can be both dry and oily at the same time, Avvrani uses ingredients to combat this. This balancing serum consists of aloe vera, cucumber extract, and glycerin to restore moisture levels, while studies have shown that tea tree oil controls breakouts. This alcohol-free serum feels cool when applied and is packed with calming botanicals to soothe and protect the skin barrier.
Best LED: Foreo Espada Blue Light Acne Treatment
If creams and gels aren’t your thing, light therapy is also effective at treating acne—and fast, too. This Foreo device uses a combo of laser-focused blue LED light and T-Sonic pulsations to fight acne-causing bacteria in just 30 seconds.21 It’s also totally waterproof, and according to the brand, you can use it up to 100 times per charge. Just press the center button, point the device at your blemish using the targeting red light, and hold for 30 seconds; you can repeat this up to four times for a stronger treatment.
Best Mask: Hyper Skin Fade and Glow AHA Mask
Feel a breakout forming? Try this mask from Hyper Skin made with mandelic acid, glycolic acid, and niacinamide. that visibly brightens the complexion, smooths texture, and fades stubborn dark spots. Leave it on for 15 minutes and let it lift dull, dead skin cells from the surface of your skin, minimizing the appearance of blemishes and other signs of congestion.
What to Look For in Acne Creams
Types of Acne
Not all acne is the same. From surface breakouts with a white head to blackheads to papules and even cysts, each type of acne requires something different to keep them in check. Although there is a crossover between acne treatments like salicylic acid and retinoids that can tackle most acne, keep in mind that certain acne creams may not be suitable for the current acne you have. If you have cystic acne and pimples, look for sulfur or lactic acid (like in the Mario Badescu Drying Lotion); if you’re battling blackheads, look for salicylic acid and glycolic acid (like in the Drunk Elephant T.L.C. Framboos Glycolic Night Serum); and if you have texture or whiteheads, try a retinoid (like the SkinBetter Science AlphaRet Clearing Serum).
Active Ingredients
Active ingredients are at the core of acne creams and usually come in heavy concentrations. You may see acids varying from 1-12 percent. These potent formulations are what allow for quick results to diminish the appearance of inflammation and scars and improve texture. If you run on the oiler side, keep an eye out for salicylic acid and niacinamide. If your skin tends to be dry or sensitive, look for tea tree oil, lactic or azelaic acid.
Type of Product
The type of product matters, too. Some products on this list are intended for use on your whole face (like the Differin Adapalene Gel 0.1%), whereas others are only to be used on one specific spot (like the Renée Rouleau Anti Bump Solution). Different kinds of acne require different kinds of treatments, so be sure to read labels and instructions before purchasing for best results.
FAQ
How does acne cream work?
Driven by powerful active ingredients like salicylic acid, lactic acid, or retinoids, acne creams work to dissolve dead skin cells, control excess oil production, and reduce the look of hyperpigmentation. Often, these creams are mixed with hydrating ingredients like hyaluronic acid and niacinamide to retain moisture and balance the skin barrier. When used consistently, acne creams help prevent future breakouts, calm inflammation, and can improve the appearance of acne scars.
How do you apply acne cream?
There are several different kinds of acne creams, each applied in different ways—so be sure to read the package instructions on your product (or consult your dermatologist if you’re not sure). Regardless of the type of cream, you’ll want to use it at night after cleansing. Once you’ve applied the cream, top it off with a hydrating moisturizer.
How We Researched
To compile this list, our team of editors and contributors spent hours researching the best products on the market in this category, evaluating their key features—like ingredients, shade range, or design—in addition to reviews from customers and other trusted sources. We then used this research to assign a star rating from one to five (five being the best; one being the worst) to certain products on the list.
