Sensitive, acne-prone skin can be a serious struggle. As someone who has dealt with acne and breakouts my whole life, I know how defeating it can be. Finding products that don’t break you out is a battle and can make you scared to try anything new at all. To help you on your way to healthier skin, we’ve curated the 8 best moisturizers for acne prone skin.
Should I Use Moisturizer If I Have Acne?
Absolutely! Skipping moisturizer causes your skin to overcompensate with more oil. You can have oily skin and still lack hydration, so the last thing you want to do is dry it out. Your skin starts to overproduce oil in reaction to dry skin, and a moisturizer will help keep your skin balanced. Many acne medications and treatments work by targeting oil glands and decreasing production of oil on the skin. Keeping your skin moisturized is essential to help you tolerate your acne regimen. The thing about moisturizer is you have to be selective about the ingredients you use. Check out what to look for in your moisturizer below.
4 Things to Look for in a Moisturizer if You Have Acne
1. An Oil Free, Lightweight Formula
Oil-free is key if you have acne prone skin. Most oil-free moisturizers are non-comedogenic, meaning they’re less likely to clog pores and cause breakouts. If you have an excess of oil production and inflamed acne, look for an oil-free, lightweight formula to keep your skin balanced and healthy.
2. A Formula Containing Ceramides
Ceramides help with inflammatory skin conditions such as acne. When the skin’s stratum corneum isn’t working properly, the skin can get dehydrated and lead to transient epidermal water loss. This makes the skin dry and inflamed which can lead to acne. Ceramides soften and soothe the skin, lock in moisture and make the skin more tolerable to active ingredients in our skincare.
3. A Moisturizer with Hyaluronic Acid
Hyaluronic acid offers a number of benefits for acne prone skin. It locks in moisture, helping to keep your skin hydrated, and also helps control sebum production, making it a useful ingredient for acne prevention.
4. Steer Clear of Silicones
Silicones trap debris in your pores by creating a thin, filmy texture over the outermost layer of your skin. They may make your skin look and feel nice, but in reality they end up trapping dirt, sweat, bacteria and sebum in your pores.
8 Best Moisturizers for Acne Prone Skin
1. CeraVe Daily Moisturizing Lotion
This moisturizing lotion is oil-free and contains both hyaluronic acid and ceramides to hydrate and repair your skin. The light-weight texture absorbs quickly and will make your face feel smooth and hydrated, never greasy. Formulated with acne-prone skin in mind, it’s perfect to use day and night.
2. TULA Dew Your Thing Moisturizing Gel Cream
This moisturizing formula combines probiotic extracts and skin superfoods for healthy, balanced skin. It’s a weightless, oil-free gel formula that will make your skin feel soft and dewy to the touch and it was made with problematic skin in mind. Organic prickly pear extract ensures your skin stays hydrated and calm around the clock and fermented rice water helps pores appear smaller for a fresh appearance.
3. La Roche-Posay Effaclar Mat Oil-Free Moisturizer
This moisturizer is great for oily, acne prone skin. It mattifies skin and refines pores, plus it is oil-free and non-comedogenic. It’s an excellent base for makeup, providing dual action targeting by reducing shine and large pores, while hydrating and leaving the skin looking great.
4. COSRX Lightweight Soothing Moisturizer
This K-Beauty moisturizer works double duty hydrating the skin and preventing breakouts. It not only helps treat acne, but also helps revitalize and recover the skin without irritation. It’s oil-free, lightweight and non-sticky and is known to soothe and cool down sensitive, acne prone skin.
5. Neutrogena Oil-Free Daily Long Lasting Facial Moisturizer, SPF 35
If you’re looking for a good drugstore moisturizer, this one is it. It’s light-weight, non-comedogenic and has SPF, which is a must each morning. This daily moisturizer provides long-lasting hydration, absorbing quickly into the skin, leaving it soft, smooth and glowing.
6. Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturizing Gel
This light-weight, oil-free formula is ideal for sensitive, acne prone skin. It softens, smooths and improves your skin’s texture, and is formulated with hyaluronic acid to lock moisture in. It also contains sunflower seed cake, barley extract and cucumber fruit extract to help support the skin’s barrier. It’s a dermatologist-developed moisturizer that balances and refreshes oilier skin types.
7. Cetaphil Daily Hydrating Lotion
This affordable moisturizer contains hyaluronic acid and powerful moisturizing agents to provide long lasting hydration. It was designed for sensitive skin and won’t clog pores, so you can feel safe using it with acne-prone skin. It’s a gentle formula that’s hypoallergenic and keeps your skin soft and moisturized throughout the day.
8. Olay Regenerist Collagen Peptide Hydrating Moisturizer
This hydrating moisturizer is ideal for anyone whose skin is sensitive and prone to acne. It’s an excellent product for irritated skin that’s vulnerable to redness. With ingredients like collagen peptides and vitamin B3, your skin will begin to feel firmer, smooth and revitalized after just 2 weeks.
Sensitive, acne-prone skin can be difficult to deal with, especially if you don’t know what products to use. Use this as a guide to get glowing, healthy looking skin.
