Best Beauty Buys 2024: Top Products For Acne-Prone Skin

Best Beauty Buys is The Singapore Women’s Weekly’s annual awards to discover the most effective and game-changing skincare, haircare and makeup products for busy women and their families. The products were road-tested by a group of mums, and these are their picks.

If you thought you’d left aggravating acne breakouts behind with puberty, think again. A study published in The Journal of Clinical and Aesthetic Dermatology revealed that about 41% of adults in Singapore had experienced acne woes. Let that sink in for a moment. 

Whether you are battling inflamed pimples, persistent whiteheads and blackheads, or even infected pustules or cysts, acne can really wear you down. Double whammy if your stressful life has exacerbated your acne misery. 

Nevertheless, your main tactic for busting acne remains the same: control sebum production, clean and purify pores, and keep your face hydrated from within. 

That means you should look for gentle and lightweight products that contain anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial, exfoliating, and nourishing ingredients. No more trying random hacks or products – because we’ve found the stuff that work best.

1. Best Cleanser For Acne-Prone Skin: The Body Shop Tea Tree Skin Clearing Facial Wash

Tea tree oil is known for its anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties, which makes it a great ingredient to treat acne. This gentle gel-to-foam facial wash has been a long-time staple for acne-sufferers, and it’s easy to see why: it cleanses skin without drying it out, and effectively reduces blemishes with every purifying wash.

$33 for 400ml

Shop at The Body Shop | Lazada

2. Best Calming Moisturiser For Combi Skin: Est.Lab PurClear Multi-Biotic Balancing Cream

If you’ve got combi skin and aren’t sure if your acne is caused by excess oil or dry skin, you need to try this moisturiser. Containing pre- and postbiotics to bring balance to your skin’s microbiome, inhibit acne-causing bacterial growth, and strengthen its natural barrier, this water-based moisturiser is a calming balm to acne-afflicted skin.

$108 for 50ml

Shop at Est.Lab | Lazada

3. Best Serum For Acne-Prone Skin: Future Beauty Drops No. 3

You don’t need to eschew serums even if you are battling acne – this water-based serum is a great addition to your routine. Soothing herbal extracts and silk proteins make this serum extremely calming when applied, reducing swelling and redness with just a few drops to the face.

$217 for 30ml

Shop at Freia247

4. Best Treatment Oil For Blemished Skin: The Body Shop Tea Tree Oil

What’s lightweight, non-greasy, and works wonders at reducing the appearance of blemishes? The Body Shop’s spot treatment Tea Tree Oil. Gently dab this antibacterial tea tree oil on your spots and feel your skin being gently purified and soothed.

$43 for 20ml

Shop at The Body Shop | Lazada

5. Best Gentle Exfoliant: Paula's Choice Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant

Harsh exfoliators can strip your skin of its natural oils and barrier, further aggravating your skin and its already-angry spots. With an optimal pH range of 3.2 to 3.8, this BHA gel exfoliator gently removes dead skin cells and clears pores without the harsh stuff, leaving your face feeling refreshed and clean.

$55 for 118ml

Shop at Paula’s Choice | Lazada

6. Best Lightweight Sunscreen: Supergoop! Unseen Sunscreen

Thankfully, not all sunscreens are sticky and oily. In fact, Supergoop’s Unseen Sunscreen is the furthest thing from that: it’s weightless, invisible, and oil-free – perfect to keep acne at bay.

$59 for 50ml

Shop at Sephora | Lazada

7. Best Clay Mask For Acne-Prone Skin: Sigi Skin Garden Party Deep Cleansing Clay Mask

Clay masks are great for acne, especially acne caused by oily skin or hormonal fluctuations. This clay mask stands out for its powerful blend of ingredients: kaolin clay to unclog skin, camu camu to prevent cell damage, grapeseed extract to strengthen the skin barrier, and antioxidant astaxanthin to reduce dryness. 

$72 for 50ml

Shop at Sigi Skin | Lazada

8. Best Rinse-Off Mask For Congested Skin: Caudalie Vinergetic C+ Instant Detox Mask

Impurities are your skin’s nemesis and a main cause of acne. The Caudalie Vinergetic C+ Instant Detox Mask specifically targets that by tapping on the benefits of pink clay, coffee, grape marc to draw out excess oil, improve microcirculation, and tighten skin. Your face will feel fresh after rinsing off.

$48 for 75ml

Shop at Sephora

9. Best Beginner-Friendly Toner: Pretti5 Purifying Hydrating Toning Essence

This hydrating toner has some great ingredients to soothe, tighten and hydrate blemished skin, including anti-inflammatory Chinese medicinal herbs such as goldflower root and snow mushroom extracts. The wholesome, fuss-free packaging makes it apt for sharing with your teenage child.

$73 for 200ml

Shop at Pretti5

10. Best Travel-Friendly Exfoliant: Dr Dennis Gross Alpha Beta Universal Daily Peel

These individually packed daily peel pads are just what you need to travel light. Each plump pad soaked with AHA/BHAs, vitamins, and antioxidants does a quick job of lifting away dead skin cells, sebum, and clogged grime, leaving your acne-prone and fatigued skin feeling fresh and smooth. The best part? It’s gentle enough to be used every day.

$155 for 30 treatments

Shop at Sephora

11. Best Foam Cleanser: Cetaphil Hydrating Foaming Cream Cleanser

This cleanser deserves a spot on your shelf for its versatility and cleansing prowess. It gently lifts dirt, oil, and makeup as it foams up, hydrating and protecting the skin’s barrier too while at it.

$25.65 for 473ml

Shop at Watsons (Amazon Fresh)

12. Best Lightweight Moisturiser For Tropical Weather: Cerm Microbiome Balance Moisturizer

Balancing your skin’s microbiome and pH levels is more important than ever for acne-prone skin. A lightweight moisturiser like Cerm’s Microbiome Balance Moisturizer will definitely be welcomed in your quest to eradicate acne and regain your glow.

$16 for 50ml

Shop at Cerm | Lazada

13. Best Gel Moisturiser For Sensitive Skin: Glowfully Healing Elixir

Soothe tired, acne-beaten skin with a generous layer of Glowfully’s Healing Elixir. This hydrating and soothing gel moisturiser is infused with ingredients like aloe vera, chamomile and amino acids to calm, hydrate and nourish your skin.

$56.80 for 50ml

Shop at Shopee | Lazada

14. Best Milk Cleanser: Fawn Labs Fawn + Milk

Fawn Lab’s gentle and nourishing milk cleanser is a treat for acne-prone skin. Its main active acne-busting ingredient is water from the helichrysum flower – which reduces inflammation and redness, and encourages cell renewal and healing. 

$26 for 30ml

Shop at Fawn Labs

15. Best Acne Patches For Kids: Catch Me Patch Spot Care & Cover

Child acne is especially hard when kids can’t stop picking at their already aggravated spots. These discreet, breathable and waterproof pimple patches are a nifty solution. They keep grimy fingers well away from acne spots, protecting them from further contamination and allowing them to heal.

$13.05 for 60 pieces

Shop at Guardian | Shopee

16. Best Treatment For Body Acne: Isdin Acniben Body Spray

When acne strikes hard-to-reach spots like the shoulders and the back, whip out this acne body spray. Containing salicylic acid to exfoliate the skin and control excess sebum production, and glycolic acid to promote cell renewal, this spray is great at keeping acne in check.

$40.25 for 150ml

Shop at Guardian (via Lazada)

Prices are accurate at time of publication.

All the items are independently selected by our editorial team. If you buy something through our retail links, we may earn an affiliate commission. But we only recommend products we love. Promise.