The Best Ingredients For Fighting Acne

Feel like you’re in an eternal battle with spots, breakouts and acne? Here are the best, most effective ingredients to look for in your skincare when creating an anti-blemish routine, to help reduce breakouts and achieve smooth, clear skin.

Don’t forget that it's not all about fighting breakouts with powerful active skincare, but also ensuring the skin is hydrating and strong in order to prevent future breakouts from happening.

BHA / Salicylic Acid

BHA helps remove excess oil and exfoliate dead skin cells from the skin's surface to keep pores clear. It is the go-to ingredient that we turn to when dealing with oily, blemish-prone skin.  

Where to find BHA / Salicylic Acid:

Clear Skin Multi Fruit Acid Serum

Clear Skin Anti Blemish Face Wash

AHAs

AHAs such as Glycolic Acid and Lactic Acid help treat acne by removing dead skin cells and calming inflamed skin. Alpha hydroxy acids also encourage new, smoother skin to be revealed, which helps improve the look of acne scars and pores.

Where to find AHAs:

Resurfacing Active Moisture Cream

Resurfacing Micro-Dermabrasion Facial Exfoliating Scrub

Resurfacing Facial Toning Mist 8% Glycolic Acid

Brightening Correction Peel

Keep reading: The Ultimate Guide to Skincare Acids

Niacinamide (B3)

You can’t open a beauty blog without seeing the multiple benefits of Niacinamide being gushed over, and it has become a favourite go-to for those wanting brighter, glowier skin. Not only does Niacinamide help achieve an even skin tone, it also assists in skin barrier support, retaining moisture and helping balance oil production. All essential elements for clear, spot-free skin.

Where to find Niacinamide:

Clear Skin Intensive Spot Serum

Essentials Hydrating Gel Cream

Keep Reading: Ingredient focus: Niacinamide

Ceramides + Hyaluronic Acid

As well as fighting acne, it is important to support the skin barrier and keep your skin moisturised and hydrated. Dry and dehydrated skin can result in reduced desquamation and blocked pores, it also encourages sebum production through the hair follicles catalysing blemishes and breakouts. Ceramides are instrumental in the skin barrier function and topical ceramides help improve this function which is essential for assisting acne-affected skin.

Where to find Ceramides + Hyaluronic Acid:

Essentials Deep Hydration Moisture Cream

Essentials Hydrating & Healing Serum

Keep Reading: The 9 Best Ingredients for your Skin Barrier

Vitamin A / Retinol

Yes, our favourite wrinkle-prevention solution also works against pimples! Retinol helps limit key factors of what causes blemishes. It does this by increasing skin cell turnover, regulating oil production and reducing over keratinised skin cells within hair follicles that can block pores.

Where to find Vitamin A / Retinol:

Essentials Pure Luxurious Retinol Oil

Age Reversal Potent Retinol Serum Concentrate 1%

Keep Reading: 5 Mistakes to Avoid When Using Retinol

The best routine for blemish-prone skin

Find all these excellent acne-fighting ingredients in one place in the Not Today! Skin Clarifying Kit. This handy kit bag contains all you need for a breakout-busting routine that not only helps achieve clearer skin, but also healthy, hydrated skin to prevent future spots from forming.

Ready to start your clear skin routine? Find out how to use the Skin Clarifying Kit to achieve your healthiest, clearest skin yet, without irritation.

Discover more: The Best Retinol Routine for Acne