Best face wash for dark spots and pimples

Salicylic acid | Gel texture | All skin types | Noncomedogenic

The Old Faithful of acne cleansers, this salicylic-acid-based drugstore favorite remains the most frequently recommended by dermatologists: Dr. Robert Anolik, Dr. Alicia Zalka, and Dr. Amy Wechsler all gave it high marks. The “salicylic acid helps break up the oil-and-dead-skin-cell matrix that plugs pores,” says Zalka, who has been pointing patients toward it for 20-plus years. It contains only 2 percent salicylic acid, making it gentle enough for those with sensitive skin but effective enough for those looking to treat serious breakouts. It’s a gel, which is particularly good for extra-oily skin but won’t dry out your skin quite as much as foam, so those with drier skin can use this too. And if you want your acne-fighting with a touch of brightening, Zalka and dermatologist Dr. Patricia Wexler are also fans of Neutrogena’s pink-grapefruit wash, which has added vitamin C.

No actives | Foam texture | Sensitive skin | Noncomedogenic

For the most reactive skin, dermatologist Dr. Sonia Batra, co-host of the talk show The Doctors, recommends this gentle sulfate-, oil-, phthalate-, and paraben-free pH-balanced cleanser from EltaMD (this brand also makes our favorite sunscreen). It contains bromelain — an enzyme found in pineapple — to reduce the inflammation caused by acne, and its apple amino acids hydrate the skin. While dermatologists say the Neutrogena option above will work for sensitive skin, this EltaMD cleanser is probably better for it. It doesn’t contain salicylic acid or benzoyl peroxide, which may irritate your skin further when used all over. A gentle cleanser like this one, along with a spot treatment (like these pimple patches recommended by another Strategist writer, Dominique Pariso, or these, recommended by Rio Viera-Newton), will save you that tight, itchy, stripped feeling on your skin, not to mention lots of redness.

Salicylic acid | Cream texture | All skin types | Noncomedogenic

This face wash from Cetaphil is cheaper than the product above and comes recommended by dermatologist Dr. Karan Lal. It contains a low concentration of salicylic acid (2 percent), which is mild but effective. This is especially good if you would like to chemically exfoliate during cleansing without overdoing it. It has a creamy consistency that won’t dry out your skin, and it works well for all skin types.

Salicylic acid | Foam texture | Oily skin | Noncomedogenic

Adams thinks exfoliating acids like salicylic and alpha-hydroxy are a must for healing cystic or severe acne. This foaming cream, which happens to have both, is particularly well suited for those skin conditions — and for treating extra-oily skin. “It loosens dead cells and increases cellular turnover to reveal new skin,” says Batra. Your instinct may be to completely dry out oily skin, but be mindful about exactly how drying your products are. If you sop up too much oil, it will only cause your skin to produce more since you tricked it into thinking it was deprived of oil. You should follow up any cleanser with a good moisturizer (we have some good options for oily skin here), but this cleanser does include hydrating ingredients like glycerin to prevent skin from feeling stripped.

No active ingredients | Gel texture | Dry skin | Noncomedogenic

If you have acne-prone dry skin, consider a cleanser with a gel texture rather than a foam. Gels are more hydrating, according to Nicole Hangsterfer, a physician’s assistant at Curology. She likes this one from Derma E, which uses hydrating, soothing ingredients like hyaluronic acid and chamomile along with vitamins A and E to gently cleanse. It doesn’t contain any actives, which contribute to dryness, so, much as with the EltaMD cleanser above, spot treatments may work best if you feel you need salicylic acid or benzoyl peroxide to clear up any stubborn zits (but again, they’re not 100 percent necessary).

Salicylic acid | Gel texture | Oily skin | Noncomedogenic

Cleansers with 2 percent salicylic acid are a great choice if you’re struggling with cystic acne, and Hartman specifically likes this La Roche-Posay formula. The chemical exfoliant will lightly scrub the skin as it cleanses. Dr. Hope Mitchell, the founder of Ohio-based Mitchell Dermatology, likes the gel texture, which won’t dry out the skin because the formula’s active ingredients are delivered through a hydrating vehicle (glycerin). This cleanser is also lipophilic, which means it can dissolve oil and “concentrates on sebaceous-gland areas,” according to Mitchell, where oil is secreted through hair follicles, allowing it to quickly and easily wipe out any excess from the skin.

Benzoyl peroxide | Foam texture | Oily skin | Noncomedogenic

Benzoyl peroxide both “kills acne-causing bacteria and helps control oil,” says Wechsler. Batra adds that this powerful ingredient “releases oxygen onto the skin to destroy bacteria that can lead to acne,” adding that “it’s anti-inflammatory and comedolytic, which means it calms skin and decreases clogged pores.” Dermatologists Dr. Mona Gohara and Dr. Shari Marchbein are fans of PanOxyl for its gentle but efficacious formula, which contains 10 percent benzoyl peroxide. It has another fan in our beauty writer Rio Viera-Newton, who uses this to calm her broken-out skin. “I use it once a week as maintenance to keep acne away, and whenever a few unsuspecting pimples sprout up during my time of the month, I increase my usage every night until the swelling goes down,” she says. Just remember: As with all cleansers with an active ingredient, keep it on the skin long enough to give it time to work. Dermatologist Dr. Joshua Zeichner says to sing the alphabet song before you wash it off, while Anolik suggests doing some beauty multitasking (such as shaving your legs if you’re in the shower) while you wait.

Benzoyl peroxide | Foam texture | Oily skin | Noncomedogenic

Maybe you haven’t used benzoyl peroxide before and would like to ease into it instead of going full force with the PanOxyl, or maybe you just prefer something a bit milder in general. Either way, this CeraVe wash with just 4 percent benzoyl peroxide may be more your speed, according to Mitchell. She says it will be less drying and irritating, not only because it has less benzoyl peroxide compared with PanOxyl’s 10 percent but also because “it’s formulated with niacinamide, ceramides, and hyaluronic acid.” As she explains, the ingredients balance one another out: “While benzoyl peroxide works to clear acne and blackheads, the other active ingredients in this cleanser help to calm the skin and retain moisture while protecting the skin’s barrier.”

Salicylic acid | Foam texture | All skin types | Noncomedogenic

Facialists Carrie Lindsey and Sofie Pavitt are fans of this high-performing gel cleanser, a blend of glycolic acid derived from sugarcane, willow-bark extract, and chamomile-flower extract, from iS Clinical. “The acids gently exfoliate the skin to help keep pores from becoming blocked, while the chamomile is calming and soothing to the most sensitive skin,” says Lindsey. Pavitt adds that “it’s nondrying and cleans thoroughly without leaving any residue.” Brooklyn-based oculofacial plastic surgeon and founder of epi.logic Skincare Dr. Chaneve Jeanniton is also a fan, noting that the willow bark (a form of salicylic acid) is good for breaking up pore-clogging oil and keeping it under control.

Salicylic acid | Foam texture | Normal-to-oily skin types | Noncomedogenic

Cleansing acneic skin with an oil isn’t a far-fetched idea. “The science behind it is simple: Oil clings to oil, so cleansing with it is the best way to cut through excess sebum, makeup, and buildup on your face without stripping the skin,” says Wexler. For a bonus hit of acne-fighting power, she likes this Shu Uemura oil, which contains salicylic acid. “It gives an extra boost to wash away pore buildup,” Wexler notes. As with any cleanser that has an active ingredient (like the salicylic acid here), it may be best not to use it every day; Zalka likes alternating between active and very mild cleansers. “You’ve heard of interval training — you can do the same for your cleansing routine,” she says. This face wash is definitely one of the higher-end items on our list, but as cliché as it sounds, a little goes a long way.

Salicylic acid | Balm texture | All skin types | Noncomedogenic

I started using this acne balm (you can read the full review here) to rid myself of maskne. Within a week, it disappeared. Because this is a balm instead of a foam, gel, or creamy cleanser, it has a thick, gritty texture that gently exfoliates the skin, ridding pores of dirt, makeup, sweat, and whatever else has sneaked in there. But because it’s formulated with hyaluronic acid, an intensely hydrating ingredient, it doesn’t leave my skin feeling tight or stripped; it just feels clean.

No active ingredients | Cream texture | Normal-to-oily skin types | Noncomedogenic

Old-school natural brand Dr. Alkaitis makes one of Lindsey’s favorite cleansers for breakouts. Its blend of cold-pressed oils, medicinal herbs, and plant extracts, from seaweed, chamomile, and Sambucus nigra flower, make this cleanser “detoxifying yet gentle,” she says. If you wear eye makeup, however, Lindsey suggests swiping it off with micellar water first because this cleanser’s Castile-soap base can sting if it gets in your eyes. And since Lindsey and others are in agreement that water temperature can also impact inflamed skin, don’t make it too hot. “Most acneic skin has heat to it,” Lindsey says. “I always recommend using tepid water — it can be warm but not hot — for cleansing and then doing a cold rinse to constrict the pores and calm inflammation.”