Everyone Breaks Out, That's Why We Found the Top-Performing Acne Face Washes for Men (2024)

Our Top Picks

Active Ingredients: 2% salicylic acid, lipo-hydroxy acid | Skin Type: Oily, acne-prone | Benefits: Helps treat and prevent acne, reduces excess oil | Size: 6.8 oz | Cruelty-Free: No

So what makes this face wash the best of the best? The French pharmacy's favorite sensitive-skin-friendly formula packs a punch with maximum strength salicylic acid—the true star of any acne regimen—as well as its gentle-yet-deeper-penetrating cousin, lipo-hydroxy acid (LHA). Both of these mild exfoliators treat tough blackheads and whiteheads alongside hydrating glycerin—so when the acne goes, moisture doesn't. While it's great for treating blemishes, it's also able to control oil levels in the skin, so your complexion should become less oily overall with continued use.

Active Ingredients: 4% benzoyl peroxide, ceramides | Skin Type: Acne-prone | Benefits: Helps treat and prevent acne, hydrates | Size: 5 oz | Cruelty-Free: No

Another potent acne-fighting ingredient is benzoyl peroxide. By attacking the bacteria that causes acne, it's the perfect ingredient for someone who suffers from a more inflamed type of skin issue, such as pustules or cystic acne. While anyone suffering from severe acne should see a dermatologist for the right treatment, this benzoyl peroxide product is still a good place to start. The budget-friendly formula also includes niacinamide to help soothe, ceramides to help repair, and hyaluronic acid to help hydrate. Together, these ingredients promise to help offset the dryness that can often come with using benzoyl peroxide.

Active Ingredients: 1.5% salicylic acid, green tea extract | Skin Type: Oily, acne-prone | Benefits: Helps treat and prevent acne, balances and smooths skin | Size: 6.8 oz | Cruelty-Free: Yes

Here’s the deal: Fighting blackheads is a marathon, not a sprint. Getting them out of your pores for good means you have to play the long game. This Murad cleanser is great at demolishing those little dark spots thanks to its 1.5% salicylic acid. This dose is rounded out by skin-friendly essential oils and mattifying corn starch, so skin will be left balanced, hydrated, and clear of dirt and dead skin cells.

Active Ingredients: Salicylic acid, witch hazel, tea tree oil | Skin Type: Oily, acne-prone | Benefits: Helps treat and prevent acne, reduces excess oil, exfoliates | Size: 3.4 oz | Cruelty-Free: No

Salicylic acid is the gold standard for your run-of-the-mill whitehead situation, as long as you don’t overdo it. This cleanser from NeoGen thoroughly cleans skin using antibacterial ingredients such as tea tree and licorice root, while salicylic acid gets that trapped oil and dead skin up and out of pores. Just like treating blackheads, whiteheads won’t just go away with a single use—it’s a process that takes time. So be patient, and use a product that does the job well. (And this product does the job really well.)

Active Ingredients: Aloe vera, witch hazel, tea tree oil | Skin Type: Balanced | Benefits: Hydrates, reduces excess oil and shine | Size: 4 oz | Cruelty-Free: Yes

If the occasional blemish, pimple, or zit is all you’re dealing with, then lucky you. Maintain that track record of an impeccable complexion by washing every day with a cleanser that balances out overactive T-zones and dry patches. This gentle face wash from Bevel includes ingredients such as tea tree oil, witch hazel, and niacinamide meant to help keep shine and oil under control, plus aloe vera and coconut water for some much-needed hydration. This cleanser doubles as a beard wash, so we recommend it if you have a good amount of facial hair. It deeply cleanses and hydrates without drying out the skin or your beard.

Active Ingredients: Kaolin, volcanic ash, glycolic acid | Skin Type: Oily | Benefits: Reduces excess oil, exfoliates | Size: 5 oz | Cruelty-Free: No

When oily skin becomes an all-out issue, break out the big guns. Consider those guns this Jack Black face wash. Glycolic acid is a powerhouse when it comes to helping remove dead skin cells. Add to that the excellent oil absorption properties of volcanic ash and kaolin clay—yep, the same clay that's in all those top-notch purifying masks—and you get a face wash that not only fights oil today but keeps oil at bay over time with regular use.

Active Ingredients: Green tea leaf infusion, willow bark extract | Skin Type: Combination | Benefits: Softens facial hair, reduces excess oil | Size: 4 oz | Cruelty-Free: Yes

Whether it’s dry patches, oil slicks, or somehow a hybrid of the two, combination skin is easier to keep balanced than a lot of people think. Using lactic acid, the most gentle of our face-approved acids, this tingly delight from Marie Veronique is perfect for daily use—whether you shave or not. Lactic acid has larger molecules than glycolic acid and doesn’t penetrate quite as deep into the skin. So it keeps dryness and irritation to a minimum while providing excellent exfoliation of old, oil-ridden skin cells. As a bonus, this cleanser works to soften the hair follicles and exfoliate dead skin for a smoother shave.

Active Ingredients: 18% glycolic acid, 2% lactobionic acid | Skin Type: Balanced | Benefits: Helps fade dark spots, exfoliates | Size: 4.2 oz | Cruelty-Free: No

Glycolic acid does an excellent job with cell turnover without drying out your skin. It also targets hyperpigmentation, or dark spots, exceptionally well. Packed with 18% glycolic acid, this will help lift dark spots while amino acids and antioxidants plump and protect.

Since this cleanser has such a high concentration of glycolic acid, we recommend it for the exfoliation nights in your routine—so not every day. On the days when a deep clean is needed, this face wash will leave your skin feeling soft and smooth.

Active Ingredients:41% tea tree oil, salicylic acid |Skin Type:Oily, acne-prone |Benefits:Helps treat and prevent acne, calms redness |Size:4 oz |Cruelty-Free:No

Found at a powerful concentration of 41% in this Dr. Jart+ wash, tea tree oil promises to work wonders on day-to-day inflammation, while a gentle dose of salicylic acid keeps pores clean and clear. You don’t need the tingle to know it’s working—the results are all the proof you need—but it sure is a nice, refreshing treat.

Active Ingredients: Aloe leaf extract, vitamins E and A | Skin Type: Dry | Benefits: Helps treat and prevent acne, hydrates | Size: 6 oz | Cruelty-Free: Yes

Yes, dry skin can also be acne-prone, especially when it's attacked with ingredients that further drive out hydration. This aloe vera face wash from Urban Hydration gently cleanses skin and clears pores to fend off acne, while aloe—the key ingredient behind the magic—keeps skin naturally smooth, soft, and yes, hydrated.

FAQ

• How do guys get rid of acne?

  According to the derms we spoke with, washing with a thick, rich cleanser that contains actives like salicylic acid is a good place to start to treat acne. It's best not to be too aggressive with products, though. Dr. Hartman notes some oil is essential for the health of your skin, and it shouldn't all be stripped away. Typically, people who seek to control their acne will follow cleansing with an acne treatment and then a light moisturizer.

• Is soap good for acne?

  Cleansing with a mild, gentle bar soap that is free of harsh sulfates can help moisturize skin and calm irritation, but it typically doesn't have the acne-fighting ingredients that a cleanser does. Using a face wash specifically made for treating acne breakouts ensures you wash with potent actives that can help unclog pores and exfoliate skin, helping to keep it clear.

• Is there a difference between male and female acne?

  Just like in women, acne in men is often the result of hormones. Men have higher levels of testosterone, which is linked to increased oil production, resulting in oily skin and clogged pores. As Dr. Hartman points out, there's also facial hair to think about, which can trap acne-causing bacteria and oil.

  Overall, acne fighting products are effective regardless of gender, as the main ingredients like benzoyl peroxide and salicylic acid work universally. However, when it comes to treating adult acne in men, rich lathers and stronger concentrations may be more effective.