The Best Acne Cleanser to Use and the Ones to Avoid

So what about acne cleansers?  Since they're advertised as being specifically for those with cases of acne, they should be perfect, right?

Most acne cleansers contain a concentration of benzoyl peroxide, which helps to dry up the oil and clear away the bacteria that cause acne.  The problem with these cleansers however is that you begin using them on your entire face, and you're spreading this type of peroxide onto your entire face, not just the infected areas.  You might compare this to putting a bandage on your entire hand for a small cut on one finger.  Talk about overkill!

What Cleanser to use. 

Being gentle with your face and your skin is the best thing for keeping it healthy and keeping acne at bay.  It can also mean that your skin is going to have that "glow" where it looks healthy and radiant.

Use cleansers that are marketed specifically for sensitive skin.  These products are usually free of perfumes and dyes or other such irritants.  They also typically have a smaller amount of actual soap in them, which is good for a face that is prone to acne.  This smaller amount of soap means your face will be less irritated and aggravated.

Emulsions are natural moisturizers that should be in any cleanser you use.  These can include ceramides, the natural oils and fats of the skin that are necessary to keep it healthy.

Your cleansers should always contain a high concentrate of vitamins, especially vitamin A, C and E.  Look for this on the label.

What Cleanser to avoid. 

While you want a cleanser that is going to leave some moisture behind, you want to avoid anything greasy or too heavy.  Sometimes you can feel this just by touching the product - if it feels heavy or greasy on your hand it's going to feel that way on your face.

Believe it or not, products that are designed for use by acne sufferers can sometimes be the worse thing for you and your skin.  If they have a high concentration of treatment products this can just dry out your skin and irritate it further, causing even more breakouts.

Avoid Medicated Products

We often think that medications for any particular condition or problem is the best thing for us, but often these so-called medicated cleansers simply contain high levels of alcohol or acetone and will do nothing but dry your face and cause redness, peeling, stinging, and sensitivity to the sun.  Your face will be painful to the touch and may even break out more than before.