Raise your hand if you're a grown-ass adult who still wakes up with breakouts on the regular.
Yeah, it's the freaking worst. But while you might have tried every acne spot treatmentand Instagram hack on the planet to clear up your complexion, there's one part of your skin-care routine that deserves more attention in the war on zits: your face wash.
“Even though a cleanser doesn’t stay on your skin very long, it can still help exfoliate your skin and clean out dead skin cells and oils that clog pores,” explains RealSelf contributor Michele Green, M.D., a board-certified dermatologist in New York City.
Look for washes containing salicylic acid, says Green. It's a beta hydroxy acid that dives deep into your pores to clear out built-up oil, dirt, and dead skin cells—the stuff that cause your standard blackheads and whiteheads.
Benzoyl peroxide is another super-effective ingredient. It attacks the P. acnes bacteria that causes breakouts—specifically, those painful, swollen, under-the-skin zits. Warning: It can dry out your skin, so start with a lower concentration and work your way up if you think you need something stronger. (And use white towels—it can bleach colored fabrics! FML.)
Biore Charcoal Acne Cleanser
Salicylic acid combined with purifying charcoal wiggles its way into pores to clean out all that oil and skin cell gunk. It creates a cool tingle that leaves your face feeling squeaky clean. If you have any dryness afterwards, follow up with a non-comedogenic moisturizer.
Neutrogena Rapid Clear Stubborn Acne Cleanser
A 10 percent benzoyl peroxide formula, this one goes heavy duty to attack pimple-causing bacteria in your most stubborn blemishes. Because BP can be drying, start by using this wash once a week and build up as tolerated.
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