Our Complete Guide: Best Acne Mask, Cleanser, Soap & Lotion

acne mask

People constantly face the question of how to clear up acne. Although we like to think of acne as a problem suffered by those going through puberty, we can suffer this embarrassing skin problem at all stages of our lives.

Although a study showed that the majority of adult acne sufferers are in their twenties, 12% of sufferers were in their forties! 

What exactly is acne? Well, those little whiteheads are caused by dead skin, bacteria, and oils becoming trapped in our pores. This can be affected by diet, lifestyle, stress, hormones, and can even be as simple as your unlucky genes (thanks mom and dad!).

One thing is for sure, they seem to crop up at the most inconvenient of times. First dates, that important meeting, a family reunion... So how do we rid ourselves of the menace of acne blemishes?

Luckily, you have a variety of ways to handle breakouts. Sure, you can help by altering your diet and taking notice of what foods bring on breakouts. You can exercise and ensure you shower shortly afterwards. You can ensure that your body is getting what it needs as far as minerals and nutrients, and eliminate stress from your life.

But if you’re just plain unlucky as far as your skin blemishes go, or are finding no relief with those methods, I have some help for you.

Most of us have access to more products than we can ever shake a stick at, and it can be overwhelming to figure out which way to turn.

Fear not! I’ve reviewed the horde for you and have compiled a list of the best products to lead you on your road to clear and more healthy skin! Some of them are products you will recognize, while others may be new to you.

Take a read and get on the road to a new, more confident you!


The Method – Best Acne Mask


Who remembers slathering on masks during their teenage years; maybe at a slumber party?

I know that I have many memories of using masks as part of my nightly routine; with or without friends. Back then it was more about making silly faces than actually doing anything productive, but a mask is actually a very good way to help clear up acne.

Some acne masks work to pull impurities just from the surface, while others go to work on deep cleaning pores and removing toxins.

Some use only natural ingredients and add nutrients or moisture back to the skin while clearing away nasty bacteria that can cause acne in the first place.

You can find masks that peel away or there are the rinse or wipe off options; no matter your preference, there is definitely an acne mask that fits exactly what you’re looking for.

Aztec Secret Indian Healing Clay

Specifically..

If you want to try a mask as an option for helping to make your skin radiant, healthy and blemish free, I’d strongly urge you in the direction of this one; Indian Healing Clay by Aztec Secret.

This clay doesn’t contain any additives, fragrances or animal products. Open the jar and you’ll find one single, 100% pure ingredient; benzonite clay! (If you haven’t heard of benzonite clay yet, you will.)

Not only will it go to work fighting the acne on your face, but will help to reduce the appearance of acne scars, and remove toxins; allowing your skin to heal and reducing any redness and inflammation.

You’ll want to mix it with a carrier oil or liquid; try apple cider vinegar or coconut oil (which has natural anti-bacterial, anti-fungal and anti-aging properties itself). Or, since most people can find it in their cupboards, olive oil!

Pick an oil that also provides your skin with some health benefits and give it a double whammy!

This clay has been mined for centuries as a beauty product. It’s only in more recent decades that the science behind it has proved its many benefits. Take a jar of this home and it’ll be like your own personal mini spa treatment!

Pros and Cons

One con of this product is that if you’re looking for a lavender or peach smelling product, this isn't the one for you. As it doesn’t contain anything but natural, pure clay, you won’t find any strong, chemically enhanced fragrance when you open the jar. Just that rather earthy smell that clay is so well known for.

On the plus side, because there are no additives, you’re saving your skin from the harshness of chemicals. The only things your skin will absorb are beneficial compounds.

Another plus is the amount of product you’ll get; a whole pound per jar! I find this goes a long way even with day to day use, as you only want to apply a thin layer each time.

In Summary..

This deep cleaning clay is a 100% natural, powerful product. I love the fact that it has no additives. I appreciate something that's strong enough to make a difference without being hard on my skin.

There’s something reassuring about using a product that’s been around for thousands of years and used by generations in their beauty routine and in the fight for clean, healthy skin.

I also like being able to mix it with something else that benefits my skin, like apple cider vinegar (which has antibacterial properties, making it an equally great acne crime fighter!)


The Method – Best Acne Cleanser


Cleanser is a popular product when it comes to fighting acne. There are a lot of different brands out there, depending on what you’re looking for. Sometimes people are swayed by brand name alone, while others focus more on exactly what the product is doing for their skin before becoming a loyal customer.

Acne cleansers should be mild, as they're generally the first step towards fighting acne and are usually followed up by other products. If your first step is too harsh, it could lead to inflammation and be counterproductive in your search for healthy looking skin!

Glycolic Acid Exfoliating Cleanser

Specifically..

The best acne cleanser, Glycolic Acid Exfoliating Cleanser, needs to be on your shelf and part of your beauty routine!

Made by Body Merry, this cleanser is cruelty-free (something that more and more of us are on the lookout for) and uses a variety of natural ingredients to help you get the skin you’re after.

Glycolic acid can help balance your skin’s PH, which is a great first step in enabling it to fight off bacteria and avoid blemishes in the first place. It helps to slough off dead skin cells as well, leaving you with only nice fresh skin on the surface.

This cleanser also includes jojoba (which helps to reduce those awful acne scars), willow bark (which contains salicylic acid; an aid in exfoliating skin and deep clearing pores) and other powerful but natural and recognizable oils such as tea tree, olive and rosehip!

Pros and Cons

This cleanser not only deep cleans but also targets skin discoloration – whether acne related or otherwise, so it leaves you with a glowing complexion!

That’s great for a single bottle of product; most of the time that would take a few different products to achieve. It also boasts a 90-day money back guarantee which makes me feel that the company is pretty confident that I'll be happy.

A con of this product is that because there are a few different natural ingredients, if you do suffer from a rash or other skin breakout after using, it might be hard to determine what exactly caused it.

Always apply a new product to a small “tester” area of skin before using in full all over your face.

In Summary..

Yes, yes, yes! Definitely give Glycolic Acid Exfoliating Cleanser a try and see how it works for you. It goes to work quickly so you’ll see results in a very short period of time, but is gentle enough for even those with sensitive skin to try.

The exfoliation isn’t nearly as abrasive as some other things I’ve used over the years and it can be used every other day if you still somehow find it too harsh. The oils in this product leave your skin feeling soft and beautiful. You only need to use a little each time so the amount you’ll get should last a long time – and I like a good bargain!


The Method – Best Acne Soap


Soap; a very common household object, and one that has been around for generations. We’ve come a long way though, in specific uses for soap.

There’s special soap for household use, for dishes, for floors, and now our soap is even specific enough to have separate bars for face and body!

It stands to reason then, that we do need a specific soap for targeting different issues with our skin too; and we’re lucky enough to have acne soaps at our fingertips.

These go to work to scrub out clogged pores, exfoliate dead skin cells, and help clear acne forming bacteria. The options are endless as far as brands, scents, shapes, how well it foams, and there are soaps for men and other soaps for women!

It’s nice to know that clearer skin can be as simple as using the right bar of soap!

African Black Soap Bar

Specifically..

The name is maybe just a tad different from what you were expecting but don’t be put off!

African Black Soap by Incredible by Nature is one product you do not want to overlook if you’re serious about reducing acne and on the hunt for the best acne soap.

It’s been called the “Perfect Skin Secret” and has lived up to its name for those in search of flawless, acne free skin! This soap is 100% pure and uses only natural ingredients. It’s cruelty-free, fair trade (first my coffee, now my soap!), hypoallergenic – and gentle enough to use even on a baby’s skin!

Those with sensitive skin have nothing to fear from this product, which contains a myriad of vitamins and minerals to repair your skin and leave it wonderfully moisturized (thanks to its unrefined shea butter).

Pros and Cons

One pro of this soap is the versatility. If you’re partial to liquid soap, just melt this down, add your favorite carrier oil (such as olive oil, jojoba oil or coconut oil) and pour it into a convenient pump bottle. It will foam up just as well as when it’s in bar form.

You can use it for acne both on your face and on your body – it'll be equally suited to clearing acne on both. You also get a good bang for your buck with this hefty sized bar of soap – it's fantastic value!

I like that it attacks not only acne but a variety of other skin ailments – it will help clear eczema as well.

A con is that there are some exfoliation “bits” in the soap which may be harsh on some skin if you’re scrubbing too hard (although this doubles as a great facial for blackheads). Just be aware, rub gently, and you’ll avoid any abrasions.

In Summary..

Acne definitely runs screaming from this product – and it works fast to save your face from embarrassing blemishes so you won’t be waiting long to see results. The soap is backed by a 30-day money back guarantee, and, as I said before, that definitely gives me confidence in a product. This soap has a great scent, and I love that it's made with natural ingredients and no harsh chemical additives.


The Method – Best Acne Lotion/Moisturizer


I don’t know many people who don’t wrap up their beauty routine with a good moisturizer. Why not give your skin the added benefit of moisturizing while fighting those awful whiteheads? Because some acne fighting agents can be harsh on our skin, it’s best to make sure it’s replenished with a lotion so it doesn’t suffer from dryness.

One thing to remember when choosing an acne lotion is to ensure that it won’t add too much oil to our skin; this would completely defeat our attempts to fight blemishes which thrive on an overabundance of oil.

Radha Beauty Retinol Moisturizer Cream for Face and Eye Area

Specifically..

Retinol Moisturizer Cream to the rescue! If you’re looking to add a fabulous lotion to your daily beauty routine that can help eliminate pesky acne, let me introduce you to your salvation, by Radha Beauty!

Containing an incredible mix of (organic) aloe, green tea, shea butter (which by itself has a fantastic smell), and jojoba oil, this is one moisturizer that will leave your skin feeling supple, with no added fillers or fragrances.

You also won’t find any dyes or parabens (which is an additive that may mimic oestrogen and has been connected in some studies with certain cancers); just good hydration for skin to rely on.

With the obvious ingredient of retinol, this lotion will also help to reduce wrinkles and keep future lines and creases at bay!

Pros and Cons

One pro of Retinol Moisturizer Cream is its simplicity. Despite the modern, sleek look of the product, it uses good old fashioned, natural ingredients that most of us are very familiar with. They’re easy to research and discover the benefits of the ingredients that we're applying to our skin with each use.

You’ll notice in a lot of creams and lotions that the main ingredient is water…thanks but I can get that from my tap! Retinol Moisturizer’s first ingredient is aloe vera; a very well known beneficial agent for our skin. Another pro is the money back guarantee!

If you’re not satisfied (and I’d be very surprised) this company will send you a refund, no problem. A con of this product is that, because it works over the long term, anyone expecting results in a day will be disappointed.

In Summary..

If I haven’t already been obvious enough, I highly recommend this acne moisturizer! The quality far surpasses even the lotions of more common names on the market. I love the ingredients list and feel as if I’m giving my face a great boost every time I apply it.

You won’t need much – just spread a thin layer over your whole face once or twice a day (usually people use it both during their morning and evening beauty routine) and enjoy the results!

And there you have it folks! These products aren’t geared at only clearing the faces of our teenage sufferers. I’ve compiled a list for people of any generation, and for both sexes. With daily use, you’ll see acne redness fade, blemishes disappear, and even old acne scars reduced.

Most of the products are great for sensitive skin, and will also help clear a variety of other skin ailments (such as wrinkles or eczema). The bulk of the products are either made exclusively from or at least include a battery of natural and pure ingredients. All of these help in some way, shape or form to combat acne and acne related issues.

All are simple to use, and easily incorporated into your daily routine, either by themselves, or in combination with other products. Dive in; clear skin ahead!