The Best Moisturisers For Acne Prone Skin

If your skin is prone to blemishes, breakouts, and acne, then you’ll know just how difficult the struggle of finding the right moisturiser is. Too heavy, not hydrating enough, causes more breakouts? Yep, we’ve been there too, but it’s no excuse to skip moisturiser all together. Moisturiser is one of the key components in a good skincare routine for acne-prone skin. You may have read the myths out there that you should cut out moisturiser if you’ve got spots, but that’s more than likely to make things worse. Moisturisers play a key part in strengthening the skin barrier, repairing current breakouts and preventing new ones forming. But like with most things, there are very rarely a one-size fits all formulas, so what might work for your friend with dry, spotless skin, isn’t going to necessarily work for you.

To take the hard work out of the search, we’ve got together all the top moisturisers for breakout, acne-prone skin.

We may be bias, but we believe that the Skincare By BEAUTY BAY Squalane + Ginseng Gel Moisturiser is one of the best moisturisers out there. It’s no-frills, simple approach to hydrating your skin is what makes it so good for acne-prone complexions. The lightweight, gel-cream formula doesn’t feel heavy on the skin, but still does a great job at infusing moisture deep below the surface. Inside you’ll fine olive squalane that keeps the complexion hydrated, whilst Indian ginseng helps to shield your skin from screen-emitted light. It’s conditioning without being heavy, making it perfect for oily, normal, and combination skin types. 

We couldn’t create this round-up without a special mention going out to our skincare heroes, Dermalogica. They’ve got products for every skin type and concern that you could think of, which means that naturally, they’ve got breakout-prone moisturisers covered. The Skin Soothing Hydrating Lotion is from their Clear Start teen range, but it’s just as good for adults too. Because it’s created with spot-prone, teenage skin in mind, it’s got the perfect blend of ingredients to hydrate and treat your skin. The lightweight lotion formula is infused with hyaluronic acid and squalane that soothe and moisturise dehydrated skin, whilst orange and grapefruit calm irritated complexions. It’s a no-fuss approach that really works.

We all know by now that salicylic acid is your BFF when it comes to breakouts, so that’s why the Revolution Skincare Salicylic Acid & Zinc PCA Purifying Water Gel is ideal for acne-prone skin. The water-light, gel formula won’t feel heavy on the skin, whilst salicylic acid and zinc tackle blemishes and prevent further breakouts.

We love the Yes To Tomatoes range for skin that’s prone to breakouts and the Tomatoes Daily Balancing Moisturiser is no exception. The 97% natural formula is rich in antioxidants and oil absorbers, leading to less sebum build-up and therefore less breakouts. Created with oily and blemish-prone skin in mind, this SLS and silicone free moisturiser works to detoxify and balance your complexion, without weighing it down or clogging the pores.

You may already be familiar with Carbon Theory’s viral Cleansing Bar, but the Carbon Theory Moisturiser is just as worthy of the hype too. Breakouts (usually) comes hand in hand with oiliness and excess sebum production (hence the clogged pores and breakouts), so this shine-limiting, mattifying formula is a great option for those of us that suffer from acne and spots. It’s hydrating and protecting, using ingredients such as tea tree oil and cranberry extract to prevent future breakouts, whilst still keeping the skin nourished, hydrated, and strengthened.

When we said that there’s rarely a one-size-fits-all solution, the exception to the rule was this does-it-all moisturiser. The Ordinary’s Natural Moisturising Factors is a formula that truly works for just about any skin type. Made up of compounds and ingredients that are naturally present in the skin, this moisturiser works by balancing, replenishing, and restoring the skin, allowing it to provide a strong barrier against the outside world. It hydrates without being too much for your skin, making it the one to reach for when your skin is freaking out.

Specifically created to cater for acne-prone skin, the Holika Holika AC Mild Emulsion is a lightweight moisturiser that helps to soothe and soften the complexion, whilst reducing breakouts. Containing vitamins A and C, this moisturiser works so well for acne-prone skin because it regulated the sebaceous glands – too much sebum = spots. It’s non-comedogenic and dermatologist approved, so you can’t go wrong with this option.