These Acne-Fighting Products Actually Work, According to Breakout Survivors & Comedone Conquerors

These top-rated cleansers, exfoliating toners, serums, moisturizers, and patches promise to clear current breakouts, prevent future ones, and soothe inflammation. 

By Sofía viera Dec 31, 2025 9:00 PMTags
These acne-fighting treatments actually work (according to reviewers)E! illustration/Getty Images

Whether it's a fresh breakout during a period or sustained hormonal acne we've dealt with our entire lives, acne is a headache to deal with. The entire journey can be painful. It's either the sting of a pimple about to appear, the frustration of acne that just won't go away, or the stubborn acne scars and discoloration once it does!

While you should always go to a dermatologist first, sometimes we just have to try to find products to treat it at home. Testing brands and ingredients can be incredibly annoying, so we're lucky to have honest reviewers to help us along our acne-treating path.

Whether you're looking to add them to your nightly skincare regimen or need a one-off solution to deal with a pimple, your skin will truly thank you for this.

We've got recommendations for any step of your routine you're looking to replace, too. We're talking oil-free cleansers, exfoliating toners, serums, treatments, and moisturizers. We even included sets featuring new routines from viral brands. 

So, keep scrolling to shop our picks for the best skincare products that will treat, attack, and soothe acne, according to thousands of reviewers.

Best Top-Rated Acne Skincare Products

Top Rated

PanOxyl Acne Foaming Wash

Rating: 4.6/5 stars with 75,802 reviews.

This beloved foaming cleanser is our best-rated pick for a reason. With its maximum strength 10% Benzoyl Peroxide, it clears existing acne and helps prevent future breakouts. 

Differin Acne Treatment Gel

Rating: 4.5/5 stars with 70,078 reviews.

This gel treats breakouts from deep within our pores, exactly where they originate, and prevents new acne by targeting skin cell turnover with its star ingredients, adapalene and retinol. 

Editor's Pick

Mighty Patch Invisible+ Patch

Rating: 4.7/5 stars with 13,107 reviews.

There are so many top-rated acne patches out there, and yet, this beauty writer keeps coming back to these invisible hydrocolloid patches. They're effective without being too abrasive or falling out in the middle of the night. 

Dr.Althea 345 Relief Cream

Rating: 4.6/5 stars with 10,144 reviews.

Your acne needs hydration, too! This K-Beauty relief cream is everything you need, with its formulation of niacinamide, ceramides, hyaluronic acids, tea tree leaf water, and madecassoside

Topicals Faded Brightening and Clearing Serum

Rating: 4.2/5 stars with 5,559 reviews.

Looking to fade and brighten post-blemish marks, scars, dark spots, and overall uneven skin tone? This dermatologist-tested serum does just that with its blend of azelaic acid and niacinamides.

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Paula's Choice Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Exfoliating Toner

Rating: 4.3/5 stars with 4,515 reviews.

This beloved exfoliating toner gently tackles congestion and blemishes with its soothing and powerful formula of 2% salicylic acid (BHA), green tea, and methylpropanediol. 

MEDIHEAL Madecassoside Blemish Pad

Rating: 4.6/5 stars with reviews.

These toner pads calm and helps reduce the appearance of blemishes with its signature formula of centella asiatica, and madecassoside. Either leave it for 15 minutes as a mask or use it daily by swiping it across your face.

The Ordinary The Acne Set

Rating: 4.6/5 stars with 2,998 reviews.

Looking for a full routine overhaul? The Acne Set by The Ordinary features a complete three-step routine, including the brand's Salicylic Acid 2% Solution, the foaming cleanser, and the moisturizer. 

Caudalíe Vinopure Pore Purifying Gel Cleanser

Rating: 4.5/5 stars with 1,352 reviews.

You can't go wrong with anything in the Caudalíe's acne collection, but the brand's gel cleanser captured our hearts. It promises to leave the skin refreshed without drying it out with its star ingredients of salicylic acid and grape water.

Sofie Pavitt Face The Skin School Set

Rating: 4.8/5 stars with 184 reviews.

The esthetician behind the brand, Sofie Pavitt, is known as NYC's Acne Whisperer. That's why you won't go wrong with anything by this viral brand, but if you're only interested in trying out the brand, then this three-step set is perfect. 

Looking for more top-rated beauty? Shop the best lip liners, according to shoppers with perfect lips!

How We Choose

The E! Insider Shop editors and writers search the internet to find the best products out there. We interview expert sources, comb through customer reviews, and use our own personal experiences to make shopping easier for our readers.

As an editorial team, we independently create content and determine coverage based on research, reporting and what we think our readers would like to read about. The goal of our content is to provide a service and inform readers who are on the hunt for the latest products to help make their life better. Items are sold by retailer, not E!. Pricing and availability are accurate as of publish time.