7 Skincare Brands That Belong on Your Top Shelf If You Have Acne

One of the few skin struggles just as likely to strike in your pre-teen years as it is in adulthood is acne. Though we tend to hide our breakouts behind layers of makeup and Instagram filters, it's a completely normal condition that shouldn't be shrouded. According to the American Academy of Dermatology, up to 85% of individuals from age 12 to 24 will experience some form of acne—that's a lot of people!

Board-certified dermatologist Dr. Mona Gohara, MD describes acne as "an inflammatory skin condition that can give you bumps or deep cysts on your face, chest back, or body. It's common in puberty, perimenopause, and the years in-between,” she says. These bumps, or cysts, she explains, crop up due to the accumulation of excess oil and dead skin cells that clog the pores, serving as an environment for bad bacteria to flourish. The result? Whiteheads, blackheads, and deep, inflamed nodules Gohara says can be quite tender. Ouch.

Though there are plenty of internal factors that contribute to acne, there are external solutions that can help. As you can imagine, selecting the proper topical skincare products is paramount. Gohara recommends seeking out known acne-fighting ingredients like benzoyl peroxide and salicylic acid to encourage clear skin, and thankfully, decades of research has lead to an endless supply of products that can treat acne and breakouts of all kinds. Ahead, check out seven of the best skincare brands for acne, and shop our edit of top picks for acne-prone skin.

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(Image credit: Getty Images)

1. The Inkey List

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2. La Roche-Posay

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3. Rosen Skincare

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4. Paula's Choice

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5. Versed

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6. Murad

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7. Differin

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Beauty Director

Erin has been writing a mix of beauty and wellness content for Who What Wear for over four years. Prior to that, she spent two and half years writing for Byrdie. She now calls Santa Monica home but grew up in Minnetonka, Minnesota, and studied writing, rhetoric, and communication at University of Wisconsin, La Crosse. She studied abroad in Galway, Ireland, and spent a summer in L.A. interning with the Byrdie and Who What Wear family. After graduating from UW, she spent one year in San Francisco, where she worked as a writer for Pottery Barn Kids and PBteen before moving down to L.A. to begin her career as a beauty editor. She considers her day-to-day beauty aesthetic very low-maintenance and relies on staples like clear brow serum (from Kimiko!), Lawless's Lip Plumping Mask in Cherry Vanilla, and an eyelash curler. For special occasions or days when she's taking more meetings or has an event, she'll wear anything and everything from Charlotte Tilbury (the foundations are game-changing), some shimmer on her lids (Stila and Róen do it best), and a few coats of the best mascara-type product on earth, Surratt's Noir Lash Tint.