Over-the-counter acne facial cleansers abound. These products are designed to cleanse your skin and fight acne breakouts at the same time. Finding skin moisturizers, sunscreens, cosmetics and other personal care products that don't aggravate acne may be more difficult. The American Academy of Dermatology recommends looking for skin moisturizers and products that are oil-free, non-comedogenic and non-acnegenic.
Benzoyl Peroxide
Benzoyl peroxide is available in over-the-counter products in a 2.5 to 10 percent concentration and is one of the most effective acne-fighting ingredients, according to the Mayo Clinic.
Dermalogica offers an oil-free moisturizer developed by the International Dermal Institute. Dermalogica Skin Renewal Booster contains a five percent concentration of benzoyl peroxide. The product is oil and fragrance free, and contains watercress, burdock and ivy extracts as anti-inflammatory natural ingredients that help combat irritation and stimulate healing.
Benzoyl Peroxide can cause dryness and reddening of the skin, so look for oil-free moisturizing products that combat redness. Boots No.7 Rebalancing Day Gel is a light, oil-free moisturizer with green tea extract to help tone skin, and seaweed extracts to balance redness in your complexion. The formula contains vitamins A and E for added soothing and moisturizing properties. The manufacturer claims that the brand is the number one product of choice in the UK. The product is labelled as dermatologically tested, hypoallergenic, fragrance free and non pore-blocking.
Salicylic Acid
Over-the-counter acne products contain between .5 and 2 percent concentrations of salicylic acid, an ingredient that the Mayo Clinic says reduces the rate that skin cells within the pores are shed, thus keeping pores from becoming blocked. The New Zealand Dermatological Society clarifies clarifies salicylic acid's method of action: It softens keratin, a protein that makes up skin, to help loosen dry, dead surface skin cells and make them easier to remove. When salicylic acid is used in combination with other medicines, it takes off the upper layer of skin allowing the additional medicines to penetrate more effectively. Salicylic acid may also affect whiteheads and blackheads, breaking down these blemishes. Clean and Clear's Oil-Free Dual Action Moisturizer contains a .5 percent concentration of salicylic acid.
Aveeno Active Naturals Clear Complexion Daily Moisturizer is another commercially available salicylic acid moisturizer. With a .5 percent salicylic acid concentration, the product also boasts an oil-free, hypoallergenic and noncomedogenic formula. The manufacturers claim that soy complex ingredients in the moisturizer smooth out inconsistencies in texture.
Sunscreen
Exposure to the sun can aggravate acne for some, while the use of acne medications can increase your susceptibility to the sun's harmful rays, notes the Mayo Clinic. When it's absolutely impossible to avoid the sun, use an acne moisturizer skin product with sunscreen. Neutrogena Moisture Oil-Free SPF 15 formula is non-comedogenic and dermatologist recommended and blocks both UVA and UVB rays. The manufacturer claims the formula lasts up to 12 hours. The moisturizer is hypoallergenic, fragrance free and alcohol free. Neutrogena's SPF 15 moisturizer contains the active sunscreen ingredients of octinoxate in a 7.5 percent concentration, octisalate in a five percent concentration and oxybenzone in a three percent concentration.
Alpha Hydrox Sheer Silk Moisturizer has an SPF 15 rating and also protects against both UVA and UVB rays. The formula is fragrance-free and claims to be non-greasy. It is not oil-free, however, and makes no claims to being non-comedogenic; however, in addition to the sunscreens octinoxate in a 7.5 percent concentration and zinc oxide in a five percent concentration, this moisturizer contains lactic alpha hydroxy acid. The Mayo Clinic states that alpha hydroxy acids remove dead skin cells and reduce inflammation, while reducing the appearance of acne scars.
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