The Best Skin Care Routine for Acne-Prone Skin

Step 1: Wash Your Face…Twice

Whether you’re breaking out a tiny bit or all over your face, start your mornings the same way—with a cleanser. We’re not talking any old cleanser either, but rather one that is formulated with acne-fighting ingredients, like salicylic acid or benzoyl peroxide. Vichy Normaderm Gel Cleanser is formulated with salicylic acid, glycolic acid, and micro-exfoliating LHA to gently exfoliate, remove excess sebum, and unclog pores. Just be careful not to scrub too hard! At night, start your skin care routine the same way—leaving makeup and impurities on your skin’s surface overnight is a recipe for new pimples.

Step 2: Use Toner 

Toners are a cleanser’s back-up plan. Their formulas work to clean up any mess the cleanser may have missed, which—in the case of acne-prone skin—could be excess oil and pore-clogging impurities. La Roche-Posay Effaclar Clarifying Solution is a great pick for acne-prone skin types because the formula—with salicylic acid (duh)—helps eliminate leftover debris, excess sebum, and dead skin cells for skin that looks clean and feels smooth to the touch.

Step 3: Apply A Spot Treatment

Once your skin has dried, it’s time to target your pimples directly. Use a spot treatment like Kiehl’s Blue Herbal Spot Treatment. It works to not only help dry and clear blackheads, whiteheads, and acne blemishes, but also prevent new ones from forming. To use, cover your blemishes with a thin layer of the formula one to three times daily.

Step 4: Moisturize With An Oil-Free Cream or Gel 

Think skin that’s battling a breakout doesn’t need moisturizer? Think again! All skin needs hydration, day in and day out. Plus, acne-fighting ingredients are notorious for their drying effects (which FYI, can lead to a hypersecretion of oil and more breakouts), so keeping skin hydrated is a must! Reach for an oil-free, non-comedogenic cream that won’t clog your pores further, like Kiehl’s Ultra Facial Oil-Free Gel Cream. The formula quickly absorbs to help skin retain moisture without a greasy finish.

Editor’s Note: Salicylic acid can be drying, so heed with caution. If excessive drying occurs, decrease your daily applications as tolerated. As always, remember to wear broad-spectrum SPF of 30 or more each and every day, especially when using products formulated with ingredients like salicylic acid.

And that’s all she wrote!