9 congestion-clearing face washes for fighting acne
Outta here, oil
By Delaney Loane
Digital Beauty Editor / June 29 2023
When it comes to the (frustrating) fight against acne, there’s no greater ally than a truly fantastic face wash. Clean skin is the first step toward clear skin, after all.
But that’s just the thing: not every face wash you spy on the shelves/sites you’ve been scouring is worthy of said ‘truly fantastic’ status; the label comes with a lengthy list of ‘musts’.
Of course, first and foremost, a formula has to be able to effectively cleanse, but one that strips the skin of too much moisture in the process will only lead to oil overproduction, hence exacerbating the cycle. And yet, on the other end of the spectrum, go too hydrating or rich and you’re also only adding to the problem.
You don’t want anything with a physically exfoliating texture that’ll disrupt the acne to the point of further irritation, and yet you also can’t let pimples simply pustulate in peace (sorry, we had to). Basically, while choosing your face wash fighter is an essential part of the acne-fighting process, it’s definitely not an easy one.
Well, that’s where we come in – we’ve rounded up options that aren’t too rich, too rough, too stripping or too gentle; they strike the perfect balance between all of the extremes to try and get that same balance back into your complexion.
The general vibe? Purifying formulas (mostly containing salicylic acid or the like) with enough soothing elements to help your skin steer clear of inflammation. Here are the best face wash buys that fit that exact brief...
Main image credit: @taylor_hill
Want more acne-healing advice? Here are our top serum recommendations for blemish-prone skin...
