Best and Worst Acne Products
Acne Treatments
Provided by Total Beauty
Sure, dealing with acne in your teens is cruel -- but in your 20s, 30s and 40s? That's just plain unfair. Here, we uncover the top reader-tested acne-fighting products, as well as the products that did not deliver results, so you can save your time and money. Plus, we have some simple lifestyle tips that will help you be less pimple prone, thanks to Doris Day, M.D., clinical assistant professor of dermatology at the New York University Langone Medical Center.
Click through our gallery below for the best and worst acne products.
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Best and Worst Acne Fighters
The Worst: No. 6: Proactiv Repairing Lotion, $24.99
Avg. rating: 5.8
Why: "Open the bottle and you'll instantly smell the chemicals," says one reader of the strong medicinal-scented lotion. "I was very disappointed in this product since many different celebrities have endorsed and guaranteed that it will work," says another. The biggest gripe: "my skin dried out and peeled," readers say. "People with more sensitive skin should stay away."
Proactiv
The Worst: No. 5: Murad Exfoliating Acne Treatment Gel, $53
Avg. rating: 5.6
Why: Most readers tried this retinol, salicylic and glycolic-filled gel along with the rest of the Murad acne kit. "It felt like my skin was burning off every time I used it," complain readers. After using the kit for three months "my skin got worse and worse," says one reader.
Murad
The Worst: No. 4: Clean & Clear Advantage Invisible Acne Patch, $9.99
Avg. rating: 5.4
Why: Many readers hoped this would be "a wonder product" but were disappointed when "by midday the patch began to peel off and look worse than a simple zit." One reader adds "my pimple did not go away faster; it actually seemed like it didn't help at all." The one redeeming quality multiple readers mention? "It does work like a miracle at night."
Clean & Clear
The Worst: No. 3: University Medical Acne Free Clear Skin Treatments, $19.99
Avg. rating: 5
Why: The biggest complaint readers have about this anti-acne kit: "the texture of its components." "There are teeny, tiny little gritty bits in the lotion, like you'd find in an exfoliating cleanser," says a reader. "The cleanser feels rather wimpy ... doesn't really feel like you're getting a deep down clean," adds another. Bottom line "don't use this product," says one reader.
University Medical
The Worst: No. 2: Benefit boo boo zap!, $20
Avg. rating: 4.9
Why: "Didn't dry out the zit," readers say about this salicylic acid and camphor-infused product. Unfortunately it "dried out my skin till it felt like parchment," says one reader. Another adds, "I don't feel it is worth $20."
Benefit
The Worst: No. 1: The Body Shop Tea Tree Oil Blemish Stick, $9
Avg. rating: 4.6
Why: Readers want to like this tea tree oil-based product because "it is all natural and not tested on animals." But when it "didn't do zilch for my pimples," says one reader "I guess it's back to Oxy and animal testing," says another.
The Body Shop
The Best: No. 6: Clinique Acne Solutions Clarifying Lotion, $13.50
Avg. rating: 8.7
Why: Readers agree this medicated toner "helps control breakouts" caused by hormones and stress. "It doesn't leave my face feeling dried out," says one reader. Even those who have "tried everything and nothing worked" claim this product is "like a miracle."
Clinique
The Best: No. 5: The Body Shop Tea Tree Oil, $9
Avg. rating: 8.8
Why: "Just a dab with a Q-tip is all it takes for my pimples to be drastically reduced overnight," says one reader. Other readers say that "this is definitely a must for normal/combination skin," and "best of all -- it's all natural."
The Body Shop
The Best: No. 4: Peter Thomas Roth Gentle Complexion Correction Pads, $36
Avg. rating: 8.9
Why: "My skin loves me," readers say for using these glycolic and salicylic acid infused pads. "The pads smell great, clear up acne, soften up lines and get your skin glowy," claims one reader. Another warns, "They are a bit drying" when used with other glycolic products, but using them only "two times per week" is a good fix.
Peter Thomas Roth
The Best: No. 3: Dr. Hauschka Normalizing Day Oil, $42.95
Avg. rating: 8.9
Why: "It may seem counterintuitive to put oil on oily skin," says a reader, but it "keeps my face from getting too oily," says another. "I really wanted a way to get rid of my blackheads and this completely did it," says a reader who used the oil regularly for eight weeks.
Dr. Hauschka
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Recent Comments
MarleenJo 10:48:51 AM Jan 31 2010
BIOELEMENTS ACNE CLEARING TREATMENTS, were hands down the best. I have adult acne, it was hard to find something that worked. This cleared up the acne with out stripping my skin. Love this stuff, if you haven't tried it, do so. You wont need anything else.
tabuseksei 06:21:16 PM Aug 19 2009
One thing that worked for me was the Valence Acne and Skin Purification Set. I really liked this product bcuz i only had to use it twice a week and it was really gentle on my skin.
Twilliams2978 06:59:30 PM Jul 25 2009
Don't fall for celebrity endorsements. Don't waste your money.Find a good dermatogist and follow his or her advice.
J9Neil 02:43:03 PM Jul 25 2009
ACCUTANE should be at the top of the list for WORST treatment. I'm glad others on here have had good results. It cleared my skin but it made my life sheer misery. Achy joints, dry lips, irritated eyes, very limited diet and much more. It was sheer torture.
SRodPro13 02:36:25 PM Jul 25 2009
i have to disagree about the AcneFree medication. I've always had really bad acne and when i started using this my face is soo much better. But it really depends on the skin type, so i guess i lucked out on this product.
The Mzer 01:59:21 PM Jul 25 2009
proactiv is damn good for me, actually, it all depends on the individual...making bland statements like 'proactiv is s***' or 'biore is amazing' is slightly pointless, since it depends on your personal skin response
Aeronurse63 01:56:15 PM Jul 25 2009
Tazorac (topical Accutane) has been a Godsend for my teen son, as well as Minocycline. I have also been using it for a few years and it does remove fine lines-works a lot like Retin-A
MARIARICCIARDI 12:52:01 PM Jul 25 2009
I don't care if it smells like chemicals, as long as it works - I use Cosmedicine Line found at Sephora.com or on HSN.com and this is the BEST for me.
BarbJAdams13 12:41:33 PM Jul 25 2009
ProActive is the WORST! It smells like medicine and ALL IT DOES is DRY YOUR SKIN OUT. You can dry your skin out for much less $$ by buying stuff at the grocery store. Drying your skin out is NOT the answer to acne!ACNE STATIN works great for ALL AGES! I discovered this about 15 years ago and it's still wonderful! They don't advertise as much.Acne Station does NOT dry your skin out and prevents break outs by keeping the walls of your pores clean. It is more "technically advanced." They don't spend all their money on advertisements with Jessica Simpson and put money into RESEARCH.
Donthogtheremote 12:25:06 PM Jul 25 2009
while accutane really is the best treatment/cure out there, not everyone qualifies for its use. doctors don't go prescribing that stuff willy nilly to just anyone with a breakout problem. the acne has to be severe enough to warrant its use.not only that, but that stuff has some potentially freakish (albeit VERY VERY rare) side effects including minor bone density loss and suicidal tendencies.
