Whether you’ve been battling breakouts for years or are just dealing with a single pesky pimple, acne can be one of the toughest skin conditions to address. Finding what works for your skin can take some trial and error, but there are plenty of cleansers, toners, masks, and spot treatments that can help prevent and treat acne—and adding them to your daily routine doesn’t always have to cost a pretty penny. Most of the ingredients known to fight acne-causing bacteria and to clear skin are available in the aisles of your local drugstore.
We asked Dr. Hadley King, a board-certified dermatologist in New York City, to create the ultimate acne shopping list to take with you on your next CVS run.
Best drugstore acne treatment: cleanser
Dr. King believes there’s nothing better to have in your acne-fighting arsenal than salicylic acid. “It’s an excellent pore-clearing ingredient because it exfoliates the surface of the skin and penetrates pores to remove oil,” she explains. “This helps to prevent pores from becoming clogged and can help remove clogs that have already formed.”
Neutrogena Oil-Free Pink Grapefruit Acne Wash ($15)
While there’s no shortage of salicylic-based cleansers on the market, she recommends this acne wash. Ideal for anyone with oily or acne-prone skin, it helps to prevent the formation of comedonal acne (blackheads and whiteheads). “It gently cleanses with maximum-strength salicylic acid, and it’s non-comedogenic,” Dr. King says.
PanOxyl Creamy Acne Wash ($10)
For those struggling with more inflammatory acne, she suggests using a benzoyl peroxide cleanser like this one, which contains 4% benzoyl peroxide. “Benzoyl peroxide has mild comedolytic properties compared to salicylic acid, but it has antibacterial powers, which makes it a great choice for both comedonal and inflammatory acne,” Dr. King notes.
Best drugstore acne treatment: toner
Toners have a lot of functions: They can balance pH, hydrate skin, and even remove excess oil. For acne-prone skin, however, consider a toner that has exfoliating properties, which can keep pores clear without irritating skin.
Versed Weekend Glow Daily Brightening Solution ($18)
The ingredient list of this daily toner reads like a greatest hits of pore-clearing exfoliants, including glycolic acid, lactic acid, and azelaic acid. Alongside vitamin C, they also have the additional advantage of helping to fade the dark spots that appear post-blemish.
Differin Pore-Minimizing Toner ($11)
For those with combination skin, consider this toner; not only does it use witch hazel (a natural astringent) to reduce excess sebum, but it’s also infused with vitamin B, aloe, and chamomile, to nourish and soothe skin. In other words, it won’t leave skin feeling stripped or dry.
Best drugstore acne treatment: face serum
Since it can be hard to predict where exactly your next breakout will appear, a face serum can offer all-over mitigation versus a spot treatment. (Plus, it’s more efficient than trying to spot-treat several different areas, if you’re experiencing more breakouts than usual.) As with your cleanser, salicylic acid is a safe bet.
La Roche Posay Effaclar Salicylic Acid Acne Treatment ($32)
Salicylic acid has long been a staple in acne treatments, but this formula includes it in a strategic complex with glycolic acid and lipo-hydroxy acid for several methods of exfoliation. To offset any potential for dryness, it also includes niacinamide (which also helps minimize excess oil) and the brand’s soothing thermal water.
SheaMoisture African Black Soap Resurfacing Night Serum ($11)
As much an exfoliating treatment as it is a face serum, this formula pairs salicylic acid with alpha hydroxy acids and the eponymous African black soap to clarify skin as you sleep. Inside is also glycerin and sodium hyaluronate, two humectants that help hydrate skin.
Best drugstore acne treatment: spot treatment
For an inflamed breakout or single large zit, few things beat a dedicated spot treatment, which delivers a higher concentration of active ingredients directly to the area. Again, salicylic acid and benzoyl peroxides are the two primary ingredients you’ll find in these.
AcneFree Terminator 10 Acne Spot Treatment ($8)
“It contains 10% micro benzoyl peroxide combined with calming ingredients, like chamomile, ginger, and sea whip, which are helpful in decreasing the inflammation in an active pimple,” Dr. King says. “They can also be helpful to soothe the skin, because the other active acne-fighting ingredients can be irritating.”
Clean & Clear Advantage Acne Spot Treatment ($6.50)
The oil-free formula features 2% salicylic acid—the max approved for over-the-counter use by the FDA—in an oil-free formula to get straight to the point, which might explain why it’s clinically proven to improve size, redness, and swelling in a single day.
Best drugstore acne treatment: moisturizer
There’s a fallacy that moisturizing skin can clog pores and actually cause acne, but in reality, it’s very important to keep skin hydrated: when it’s dry, it will begin producing more oil, which can lead to further breakouts. With that in mind, Dr. King suggests using a non-comedogenic moisturizer.
Cerave Moisturizing Cream ($18)
Dr. King is a fan of this gentle moisturizer. “It contains hyaluronic acid, which is a powerful humectant for hydrating skin, as well as ceramides, to support the skin barrier and petrolatum, to lock in that moisture,” she explains.
Cetaphil DermaControl Oil Control Moisturizer SPF 30 ($21)
Ideal for daytime use, this oil-free moisturizer offers broad-spectrum SPF 30 to streamline your routine. It leaves a matte finish on skin without any white cast, and features technology that allows it to deliver its sun protection with fewer sunscreen filters—minimizing irritation.
Best drugstore acne treatment: retinol
Retinol is a tried-and-true ingredient for treating and preventing acne, and it can be a game-changing addition to any skin-care routine. Dr. King is a fan of adapalene, a third-generation retinoid with proven efficacy and tolerability for the treatment of acne as well as an anti-inflammatory effect.
La Roche Posay Adapalene Gel ($36)
This over-the-counter formula is a particular favorite of Dr. King’s, and she suggests applying it nightly for maximum benefit.
CeraVe Resurfacing Retinol Serum ($22)
Retinol newbies may want to consider this formula, which pairs encapsulated retinol (allowing it to absorb through the skin barrier with less potential for irritation) with ceramides and niacinamide to fortify said barrier.
Best drugstore acne treatment: face mask
Sheet masks—although they are used slightly more sparingly than the other acne products in your routine–can greatly benefit acne-prone skin, as can those you rinse off.
AcneFree Sulfur Mask ($12)
Dr. King suggests using this mask once a week. “It combines the anti-inflammatory properties of sulfur with bentonite clay, to absorb excess oil,” she says.
Vichy Mineral Double Glow Peel Mask ($20)
This efficient, five-minute mask offers both chemical and physical exfoliants to keep pores clear and help fade post-inflammation. It’s intensive, so use it once or twice a week.
Best drugstore acne treatment: sunscreen
Last but certainly not least on Dr. King’s shopping list is sunscreen. Sun protection is of crucial importance in any skin-care routine, but for those struggling with acne, it’s important to look for a product with antibacterial ingredients.
CeraVe Hydrating Face Sunscreen SPF 50 ($16)
Dr. King likes this sunscreen, noting that it’s a great choice for skin that might be sensitive from using anti-acne ingredients. “The 100% mineral formulation contains hyaluronic acid, to hydrate, as well as ceramides, to support the skin barrier, and niacinamide, which is helpful for tone and texture,” she explains.
Brush On Block Mineral Sunscreen ($34)
Dr. King believes that powder formulations, like this formula, can also be helpful for oily, acne-prone skin. “It absorbs excess oil, so it can serve a dual purpose as a finishing powder, actually extending the life of your makeup and providing sun protection,” she says.
Related: The Drugstore Skin-Care Products a Dermatologist with Dry Skin Actually Uses
