21 Skincare Products That Might Help With Acne

Bullshit-free spot fighters.

Tim Lane / BuzzFeed

We hope you love the products we recommend! Just so you know, BuzzFeed may collect a share of sales from the links on this page.

We asked the BuzzFeed Community to tell us which products actually helped them get clearer skin. Here's what they recommended.

1. Peter Thomas Roth Acne-Clear Invisible Dots, £19.95

Peter Thomas Roth

"I put one on overnight as soon as I see something emerging and in the morning it's like it was never even there. Most amazing spot treatment I've ever tried."

– allied4c5e91ba3

Buy it at All Beauty.

2. African Black Soap, £3.24

Nubian Heritage

"African black soap saved my skin!! i've been struggling with hormonal acne for about two years now and following many cleansers and prescriptions, this is the best one I've found. My skin has never looked better."

– sarahh4c679689c

"I swear by this stuff – I scrub it directly on my face in the shower whenever I feel a pimple coming on or my face feels especially oily. It works wonders, and I see a difference in my skin almost immediately."

– n44ba07671

"AFRICAN BLACK SOAP!!!!!! It changed my life. The absolute best thing I've ever used. My skin cleared up within a month."

– kellyb96

Buy it at iHerb.

3. Origins Super Spot Remover, £15

Origins

"One little drop on top of the spot before bed and the next day it's gone. It's magic in a bottle."

– sam101sam

"The bottle seems tiny for the price but you only need a tiny bit and it WORKS."

– lolarayk

Buy it at Origins.

4. The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% + Zinc, £5

theordinary.com

"This clears up my breakouts quickly and helps to fade the scars. Plus it's only £5!"

– Courtney Arzu, Facebook

Author note: I also use this and it's brilliant!!

Buy it at The Ordinary.

5. The Body Shop Tea Tree Oil, £8.50

The Body Shop

"My pimples are so stubborn, and I put it on them before bed at night and I also rub it over my chest and back for my body acne and it clears them up without making them painfully dry and unsightly."

– sydneyl49ab5fd05

"It works as an amazing spot treatment and on days where my skin is just acting up all over I swipe it on as a toner."

– lizpani

"Tea Tree (or Melaleuca) Oil! It's a godsend. I just use a couple drops on a cotton swab and gently apply it onto my skin immediately after washing my face at night and in the morning, acne spots are a lot less swollen and definitely less red. In 2 days they're gone. It's also a very soothing smell at bedtime."

– jackiec4b9d082d2

Buy it at The Body Shop.

6. Paula's Choice 2% BHA Liquid, £25

Paula's Choice

"Paula's Choice 2% BHA liquids are a skin saver! I tried everything before I found it. There's no hocus pocus or irritating ingredients like alcohol or fragrances or menthol – just solid science."

– emmac419bd3311

"I suffered from extremely large blackheads and clogged pores and nothing worked to clear them. I started using Paula's Choice BHA exfoliant and it worked wonders! Highly recommend."

– taylort44c259263

Buy it at Paula's Choice.

7. Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser, £8.99

Cetaphil

"Cetaphil face wash – I was recommended to use this when I was under a dermatologist for pesky ongoing adult acne. You can use it with or without water – it's moisturising and isn't heavy or drying at all. Stuff of legends and a bottle lasts for ages!"

– meriw2

Get it at Superdrug.

8. Mario Badescu Drying Lotion, £14

Mario Badescu

"The drying lotion is awesome. I try not to use it all the time because it's a little pricey, but if my skin is acting up and I have an event coming up, I'll start using it at least two to three nights before to clear all my spots."

– Kayla Danielle Thompson, Facebook

"The Mario Badescu acne facial cleanser, special cucumber lotion, and drying lotion are a perfect combination and made acne-prone skin so much clearer."

– lizzybunnyt

Get it at Beauty Bay.

9. Sunday Riley U.F.O., £68

Sunday Riley

"This is a 1.5% salicylic acid dry oil treatment. It has COMPLETELY transformed my acne-prone skin in just weeks. It dries out blemishes without drying out my skin. It's also the only product I've ever tried that actually seems to reduce pore size."

– toric43eac6dca

Get it at Cult Beauty.

10. Mario Badescu Drying Cream, £14

Mario Badescu

"Mario Badescu drying creme, which is DIFFERENT than the drying lotion. The drying lotion is good for whiteheads, but the creme is for those stubborn cysts. This creme ~no joke~ makes an emerging cyst/boil disappear over night!! I break out with (sometimes painful) cysts around my period on my chin and jawline, and sometimes in my T-zone – not cool. I put a tiny bit of this on a new zit before bed and rub it in really well, and it will be deflated by morning. This had changed my skin for the better! I don't feel like I need to hide my face at work and I feel much more confident!"

– artistthateats

Get it at Beauty Bay.

11. Neal's Yard Wild Rose Beauty Balm, £38

Neal's Yard

"The Neal's Yard rose beauty balm is amazing! Put it on after taking makeup off at night and within two days your spots and blemishes will be reduced dramatically or gone!! It's a little pricey but it's well worth it and the jar lasts for ages."

– katiet4a2a31abb

12. ELF Acne Fighting Gel, £3

eyeslipsface.co.uk

"During the day I love the ELF Acne Fighting Gel. It comes in a roller ball applicator so it's travel friendly."

– jenniferanegron

Get it at ELF.

13. Neutrogena Light Therapy Mask, £59.99

Neutrogena

"I was diagnosed with PCOS two years ago, and it has caused terrible acne that is so stubborn. The only thing that has helped is the Neutrogena Light Therapy Mask. It is so amazing!"

– zena1598

Get it at Boots.

14. Burt's Bees Anti-Blemish Cleanser, £11.49

Burts Bees

"I have dry and super sensitive skin so finding any acne wash that didn't leave me with eczema patches and even more breakouts was difficult. Burt's Bees acne wash, toner, and spot treatment are amazing. I also use their sensitive skin moisturizer with cotton extract.

"My trouble areas started clearing up right away and now when a spot appears I use the spot treatment and it dries it out really fast and doesn't leave marks. It uses naturally occurring salicylic acid from willow bark, so it's really gentle, but it can be drying so moisturiser is needed."

– shelbyp4240d8926

Get it at Burt's Bees.

15. Witch Hazel, £2.99

Boots

"Witch hazel changed my life. I use it after I wash my face at night and after I wake up. I'll never stray!"

– ldp1011

"I use witch hazel as a toner/cleanser and it works very well to keep acne at bay."

– amyd41e25d6ef

Get it at Boots.

16. Lush Coalface, £6.45

Lush

"I found Lush Coalface in my mid-20s and I'm obsessed. I've struggled with acne my whole life and different things have worked at different times in my life. When I started to break out badly again last year a friend suggested Lush and it has worked GREAT for several months now. Plus everything there is all natural and cruelty free. 10/10 would recommend."

– paitay21

Get it at Lush.

17. La Roche-Posay Effaclar Duo, £15.50

La Roche Posay

"The La Roche-Posay Effaclar Duo literally makes acne look less terrifying overnight, thank the lord of skin care. There's also a version that has a bit of shade in it so it treats while covering. It's my most precious face product."

– hilibear

Get it at Look Fantastic.

18. Aloe Vera Gel, £5.99, or an Aloe Vera Plant, £6.99

Holland & Barrett

"Fresh aloe leaves are better but (non-medicated) aloe gel works too. If you get a pimple or feel one underneath your skin just cut off a piece of aloe and tape it on with medical tape and leave it over night, it'll be gone in 1-2 days."

– Naila Warren, Facebook

"Aloe Vera is a life saver for me. It ultra hydrates my skin, which allows me to buff out all additional dead skin cells shortly after application. It's kindof gross, but my skin is glowing after and I greatly appreciate clearer skin!"

– yakkuro12

Get the gel at Holland and Barrett or the plant from Bakker.

19. Garnier Micellar Water, £3.29

superdrug.com

"I cannot even tell you what a difference Garnier Micellar Water makes. It takes off my makeup and keeps my face clear. It's a miracle product."

– Allison Kubit, Facebook

Get it from Superdrug.

20. Foreo Luna Sonic Cleansing Brush, £85

Foreo

"I am telling you, this is the shit, man. My skin had never felt so soft and clean before I used this beauty with a gentle cleanser. It helps the cleanser penetrate much better and helps my skin absorb all the products I apply to it after."

– abbygirl35

Get it from Look Fantastic.

21. Bahi Sunflower Serum, £20.

Bahi

"BAHI'S SUNFLOWER SERUM!!! IT CHANGED MY LIFE!!! They're a small business but they have amazing skin care. Acne, redness, anything on your skin you weren't born with will start to go away OVERNIGHT!!!! Way better than any big brand I've ever used."

– jamies43efc58f2

Get it from Bahi.

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