8 Greatest Moisturizers for Zits, Per Dermatologists | 2025 Picks

Making an attempt new skincare merchandise when you may have zits may sound like a foul concept—however if you happen to change up one step, let it’s your moisturizer. It’s one of the vital essential elements of your skincare routine as a result of it retains your pores and skin barrier wholesome and might truly stop breakouts (sure, even you probably have oily pores and skin).

“In case your pores and skin is simply too dry, you may have a compromised pores and skin barrier that may result in micro organism on the pores and skin [that causes acne],” Rebecca Dufner, MD, board-certified dermatologist and director of digital well being and scientific innovation at Tufts Medical Middle in Boston, tells SELF. Plus, if you happen to don’t moisturize correctly, your pores and skin may overcompensate for the dearth of hydration by producing extra oil, “which might clog pores and make zits worse,” Dr. Dufner provides.

To search out one of the best moisturizers for zits, we requested dermatologists to provide us the inside track on the best way to store and which components to search for. We’re additionally letting you in on our private favorites (no gatekeeping!). A few of these have even gained SELF Wholesome Magnificence Awards—a serious accolade, if you happen to ask us.

Our high picks

Store one of the best moisturizers for zits

Clear pores and skin forward.

Greatest General: La Roche-Posay Toleriane Double Restore Face Moisturizer

I turned to this moisturizer in my time of want (a.okay.a. when my TikTok algorithm satisfied me I had fungal zits and wanted to make use of lighter skincare merchandise). Seems, I don’t have fungal zits—however I do love this cream. I began utilizing it on the finish of summer season, when my pores and skin was usually sweaty and simply irritated, and I stored utilizing it till I ran out throughout freezing winter temps. One way or the other, it managed to provide the proper quantity of hydration by way of the seasons.

One SELF editor can also be an enormous fan of this moisturizer for her acne-prone pores and skin: “I take advantage of this moisturizer on daily basis after my vitamin C serum and earlier than making use of SPF. It’s fragrance-free, light-weight, and has extremely hydrating components like ceramides and glycerin,” she says. “I additionally like that it has niacinamide, which is supposed to calm the pores and skin and enhance zits—my two major targets.”

Greatest Splurge: Tata Harper Clarifying Moisturizer

This 2024 Wholesome Magnificence Award winner tackles zits on the supply, making it greater than splurge-worthy (in our opinion). Its star ingredient, lactic acid, gently turns over lifeless pores and skin cells that may in any other case clog your pores, inflicting breakouts. And it has antimicrobial properties, that means it kills micro organism that may wreak havoc in your pores and skin barrier and trigger irritation. As it really works, lactic acid additionally acts as a humectant that’ll draw water into your pores and skin, to maintain it from changing into dry. (Discuss a multi-tasker.)

If this moisturizer’s acne-busting skills weren’t sufficient, it additionally has a dreamy method that doesn’t depart any residue behind. “It made my pores and skin appear to be itself on its perfect day, reasonably than shiny or greasy,” our tester says. “It’s the proper pre-makeup daytime moisturizer, and I used to be genuinely excited to make use of it each morning. Plus, it appears to be like lovely on my lavatory sink. A workhorse and a hero.”

Greatest for Mixture Pores and skin: First Help Magnificence Hydrating Dewy Gel Cream Moisturizer

Truthful warning: When you do this light-weight moisturizer, you may’t return. “The ceramides and hyaluronic acid mixture is sort of a tall glass of ice water for my pores and skin,” one SELF tester says. Glycerin and squalane hydrate, whereas niacinamide and colloidal oatmeal soothe infected pores and skin.

The feel is excellent too: “It absorbs immediately and is so mild and mild, which is ideal for my mixture, acne-prone pores and skin,” our tester provides. “I’m always looking for merchandise that offset the dehydration brought on by my zits merchandise with out including an excessive amount of oil to my pores and skin and triggering breakouts. That is completely excellent for that, and leaves my pores and skin feeling a lot fuller and softer all day.”

Greatest for Oily Pores and skin: Codex Labs Shaant Balancing Oil Management Cream

In case your pores and skin leans oily, check out this 2023 Wholesome Magnificence Award winner. Its hero ingredient is bakuchiol, a gentler various to retinol that may enhance your pores and skin’s texture and tone. (It additionally has anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties.)

Our tester noticed a serious enchancment in her oily, acne-prone pores and skin after including this to her routine: “My zits went down, my pores and skin dried, and I felt refreshed after use.” And a little bit goes a great distance: “This has a lotion-like consistency that spreads simply on my face, and I do not want a lot for every use, so I anticipate that this one tube will final me a very long time,” she says.

Greatest for Dry Pores and skin: Avène Tolerance Management Soothing Pores and skin Restoration Cream

As we talked about, dry pores and skin wants a moisturizer that’ll restore hydration, so your pores don’t overproduce oil to make up for the distinction. Dr. Dufner recommends this Avène one as a result of it has a wealthy, creamy texture that’s higher for dry pores and skin than a variety of the thinner, gel-formula moisturizers marketed towards folks with zits. Plus, it has some nice hydrating components, like glycerin and squalane, to maintain your pores and skin barrier completely satisfied.

Most Mattifying: Cetaphil Mild Clear Mattifying Zits Moisturizer

Not a fan of trying shiny? The niacinamide on this light-weight gel will help scale back the quantity of oil in your pores and skin whereas additionally soothing breakouts. It gained’t depart your pores and skin trying or feeling greasy, Marisa Garshick, MD, New York–primarily based dermatologist and scientific assistant professor at Weill Cornell Drugs, beforehand instructed SELF—as a substitute, you’ll discover a pleasant, matte end.

One other key ingredient: Salicylic acid, which Dr. Dufner says is nice for gently exfoliating the pores and skin and protecting your pores gunk-free.

Redness Decreasing: Peach Slices Redness Aid Shade Correcting Moisturizer

Relying in your pores and skin tone, your zits might seem purple and infected. This color-correcting moisturizer has a slight inexperienced tint to counteract that redness, whereas additionally leaving your pores and skin feeling nourished with hydrating and soothing components—like panthenol, aloe vera, and centella asiatica, to call a couple of.

A 2023 Wholesome Magnificence Award winner, the cream blew our tester away: “It was like I used to be sporting a full-coverage concealer,” she mentioned. “I’ve by no means, ever, EVER had a moisturizer resolve my redness the best way this one did.”

Greatest for Delicate Pores and skin: Cerave Facial Moisturizing Lotion PM

Cerave is on the high of Dr. Dufner’s checklist on the subject of light moisturizers that gained’t make your zits worse. This one is a SELF editor’s holy grail: “As somebody with pores and skin that’s each acne-prone and delicate, I’m at all times performing a juggling act with exfoliating and hydrating, soothing merchandise,” she says. “This moisturizer is tremendous light-weight and non-greasy, but nonetheless is completely hydrating for my pores and skin. I take advantage of it each evening after utilizing an acid toner to forestall irritation, and it retains my pores and skin moisturized with out weighing it down.”

It’s formulated with none potential zits triggers and it has components that’ll actively assist your pores and skin barrier keep robust and wholesome (assume: ceramides, hyaluronic acid, and niacinamide).

Which components must you search for in a moisturizer for zits?

Moisturizing is a necessary skincare step, however utilizing the unsuitable one can do some actual harm. The dermatologists we spoke with suggest checking for these five-star components on the label first, earlier than you add any new cream to your drugs cupboard.

• Hyaluronic acid is an excellent hydrator—and your pores and skin wants moisture to remain balanced.
• Like hyaluronic acid, glycerin is a humectant that pulls water into the pores and skin to maintain it from drying out.
• Ceramides will enhance your pores and skin barrier, which could possibly be compromised if you happen to’re coping with zits.
• Salicylic acid is without doubt one of the hottest components on the market for combatting zits. It’s nice to have in a moisturizer, so long as you’re not already utilizing one other exfoliating remedy (since over-exfoliating may harm your pores and skin barrier).
• Different light exfoliants like lactic acid and azelaic acid can eliminate lifeless pores and skin cells that may clog pores whereas enhancing your pores and skin’s tone and texture.

Generally, dermatologists suggest avoiding any moisturizers that include perfume or important oils as a result of they are often irritating, particularly you probably have delicate pores and skin.

How we selected one of the best moisturizers for zits

Discovering the correct merchandise on your pores and skin may be robust. That’s why we solely included moisturizers we’ve used (and cherished), or ones that dermatologists have particularly referred to as out as appropriate for acne-prone pores and skin. Our picks may goal particular pores and skin issues that usually come together with zits, like oiliness or redness. Someplace on this checklist is a moisturizer that’ll depart your pores and skin feeling its greatest.

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