Best Recommended Skin-Care Products To Fight Acne

In the business of looking good, one of the really significant aspects is the face. There’s a kind of confidence that great skin gives, especially when you have no makeup on. 

Having a skincare routine is not a one-off thing ( I mean it a ‘routine’ right?), it takes hard work, consistency and a lot of experimenting to find a skincare routine that works.

Acne, for a lot of people (including me), has been an uphill task, for most parts of my early teen years, I battled acne and congestion all over my face. Presently, I’m pretty confident in my skincare routine as my skin has been so good, more like the best it has been in so long. It didn’t happen in one day, I’m a devout skincare addict, whether by doing extensive research and reading about ingredients in products or even testing them out myself.

I need to point it out two things though;

First, as much as there are many effective products that help in fighting acne and having a glowing skin, you shouldn’t ignore the part you have to play, drinking enough water, sleeping well, eating healthy and so on.

Second, skincare is not on size fit all, and the same skincare routine or products won’t work for everyone, notwithstanding, there are some products that have been tested and trusted by a large number of people

I know the struggle, in my little way, I decided to be of help by doing the research and saving you the stress of experimenting with so many products. The products listed below are some which I’ve tried and others which have been widely used approved and are definitely worth trying. 

1. An Oil-Free Face Wash For Acne

One fundamental part of the battle against acne is the kind of face wash or cleanser that is used. One of the reasons why acne exist is because of the clogs in our facial skin pores. To fight Acne, look out for a  face wash that has ingredients like salicylic acid, glycolic acid, and that’s because they can gently exfoliate the skin to decrease acne.

That being said, these are some of the recommended / cult favourite face wash in 2019 

• Neutrogena Oil-Free Acne Wash Pink Grapefruit Facial Cleanser
• Aveeno Clear Complexion Foaming Cleanser
• AcneFree Oil-Free Acne Cleanser
• La Roche Posay Effaclar Medicated Cleanser
• Cetaphil DermaControl Foam Wash

All these cleansers are great and they have been tested and trusted to clean the skin efectively without making the skin excessively dry.

2. An Effective Toner For Fighting Acne

What are the benefits of toners?’,

• Toners help to further cleanse the skin and remove debris that might remain on the skin after washing
• Tones help to balance the pH level of the skin
• Toner helps to detoxify the skin
• Toners help to shrink and tighten the pores
• Toners reduce acne
• Some toners provide moisture to the skin

A good toner should have the properties listed above and should preferably be fragrance-free to avoid irritation for sensitive skin.

Some of the best toners available for fighting acne are

• Pixie Glow tonic
• Neutrogena alcohol-free toner
• Thayers Alcohol-free Rose Petal Witch Hazel with Aloe Vera
• Dickinson’s original witch Hazel pore perfecting toner
• The Ordinary Glycolic Acid 7% Toning Solution
• Mario Badescu Glycolic Acid Toner
• Biore Blemish Treating Astringent
• La Roche-Posay Effaclar Clarifying Solution

3. The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1%

This one right here has become a staple in my skincare routine. I spoke about it in this video. Oily skin is prone to acne more than other skin types, Niacinamide is an ingredient that helps to control the production of excess oil. To be less complex, Niacinamide is simply vitamin B3. The Ordinary Niacinamide is game-changer and guess what, it’s just about $14

Related post: My Skincare Journey: “The Ordinary” Skincare Products

4. A Moisturizer  For Acne-Prone Skin

The place of a good moisturizer, preferably an oil-free moisturizer, can’t be exempted in the road to an acne-free face. It’s all about finding one that’s right for your skin type. In a previous post, I wrote extensively about the benefits Of Moisturizer | Best Moisturizers For All Skins types.

Some of the best moisturizers for acne-prone skin include;

• Neutrogena Hydro Boost Water Gel
• The Ordinary Natural Moisturizing  Factors
• Cetaphil Moisturizing Lotion
• CeraVe Facial Moisturizing Lotion
• La Roche-Posay Toleriane Double Repair Face Moisturizer
• Clean & Clear Advantage Acne Control Moisturizer

I specifically love moisturizers like the Neutrogena hydro boost water gel and The ordinary natural moisturizing factors which contain hyaluronic acid and one of the benefits of hyaluronic acid is that it provides even more hydration because it absorbs up to 1,000 times its weight in water.

5. Exfoliating Products For Exfoliation

The human skin regenerates itself and pushes dead skin cells to the top of the skin. This layer if not removed creates a barrier for penetration of your skincare products. The process of removing these dead skin cells from the top layer of the skin is called exfoliation. Exfoliation helps to make the skin smoother and brighter as well as allow for better penetration of skincare products which in turn allow the effectiveness of these products.

There are 2 kinds of exfoliation, physical and chemical exfoliation. I have a full post on all you need to know about exfoliation for all skin types, you can check it out.

Great scrubs for physical exfoliation include;

•  Acure Brilliantly Brightening Facial Scrub
•  St. Ives Nourished & Smooth Face Scrub and Mask
• Dermalogica Daily Microfoliant
• St. Ives Fresh Skin Apricot Scrub
• Murad AHA/BHA Exfoliating Cleanser
• Philosophy The Microdelivery Daily Exfoliating Wash
• Dr. Brandt Microdermabrasion Skin Exfoliant
• Freeman Facial Apple Cider Vinegar Clay Mask + Scrub
• Simple Kind to Skin Facial Scrub
• Biore Pore Unclogging Scrub

Take note that you need to exfolate with caution otherwise you’ll do your face more harm than good. Ideally, you shouldn’t use exfoliating scrubs every single day, they should be used one in a week or once in two weeks depending on your skin

Related: All You Need To Know About The Ordinary AHA 30% + BHA 2% Peeling Solution

6. Sunscreen

Sunscreen is a must. In the skincare world, it’s a ‘crime’ not to wear sunscreen. Rain or shine, hot or cold, you should wear sunscreen. Sunscreen amongst other benefits blocks harmful rays of the sun from causing damage to the face, they reduce premature ageing as well as reduce the risk of skin cancer. Doing every skincare routine without applying sunscreen at the end is setting yourself up for further problem because a lot of skincare products increases the face sensitivity to UV rays of the sun.

Personally, I can’t mention my top 5 beauty products that I’m loving right now without including AntiBac Derma Light Sun Essence SPF 50+. Other great sunscreen recommended by dermatologists include;

•  EltaMD’s UV Clear Facial sunscreen
• La-Roche Posay Anthelios Ultra Light Sunscreen
• Aveeno Positively Radiant Daily Moisturizer
• Neutrogena Sheer Zinc Sunscreen Lotion
• CeraVe Facial Moisturizing Lotion AM

Asides products, you also need to have good hygiene in order to have acne-free skin.  Drink a lot of water very often, always clean your bed sheets and pillowcase (because that’s where your skin would rest on at night and their cleanliness is important to your acne freedom), and importantly always take a shower to wash off the sweat of the day.

A little disclaimer though, I’m not a dermatologist and none of my opinions here supersedes that of a professional dermatologist. There may be a need to see a dermatologist if products you buy over the counter don’t help your acne get better.