The Best Face Washes for Blackheads, According to a Dermatologist

Dr. Campbell prefers face washes with 5 percent or less BPO, like the Cerave Acne Foaming Cream Cleaner, which contains 4 percent BPO. Other standout ingredients include niacinamide, which soothes the skin, hyaluronic acid, for added hydration, and ceramides, which help keep impurities out. All in all, it’s a gentle cleanser that’ll keep breakouts at bay on a budget.

Pros

• Can be used daily
• Gentle on sensitive skin
• Also treats and heals
• Moisturizing

Cons

• Some reviewers say it doesn’t foam
• Will bleach fabrics

Dr. Campbell’s own line of skin care solutions includes this cleanser formulated with 5 percent BPO to help unclog pores, cleanse skin, and keep grime from working its way in. Dr. Campbell recommends using it daily in the shower on affected areas and then to dry skin with white towels to keep the BPO from bleaching your favorite linens.

Pros

• Can be used daily
• Kills bacteria
• 5% benzoyl peroxide

Cons

• Will bleach fabrics

This luxury face wash from Peter Thomas Roth exfoliates the skin while cleansing and unclogging even the darkest, dirtiest blackheads. Instead of BPO, it’s formulated with salicylic acid to dissolve the gunk that forms blemishes. It’s safe for all skin types, and doesn’t just de-clog pores, but refines them and smooths skin texture as well.

Pros

• Exfoliating
• Gentle on sensitive skin
• Also treats and heals
• Moisturizing
• Contains salicylic acid

Cons

• Expensive

Another one of Dr. Campbell’s choices, this cleanser is a powerhouse at cleaning pores. It’s stacked with skin-saving ingredients including salicylic acid, glycolic acid, and glycerin, which work together to remove build-up without drying out the skin. It’s also a Climate Pledge Friendly approve product, meaning it meets sustainability requirements that helps support the planet.

Pros

• Exfoliating
• Anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory
• Eliminates dead skin cells
• Sustainable
• Contains salicylic acid

Cons

• Some reviewers say it dries skin

Some acne treatments are too tough to use everyday—this is not that scrub. Instead, this cleanser gently treats breakouts and blackheads while arming the skin against new breakouts. Stand-out ingredients include 2 percent salicylic acid and sorbitol, for hydration in drying conditions. The best part? It’s only $9.

Pros

• Oil-free
• Affordable
• Exfoliating
• Contains salicylic acid

Cons

• Has a scent
• Some reviewers say it dries out skin

Popular brand The Inkey List makes a blackhead-battling cleanser made with salicylic acid. It froths into a gentle foam that washes away blemishes, de-gunking pores while preventing new spots from popping up. For $11, it’s an affordable option that will get skin squeaky clean.

Pros

• Clean ingredients
• Soothes irritation
• Contains salicylic acid

Cons

• Reviewers say it has a thick consistency

In addition to its fan-favorite blackhead pore strips, Bioré also makes an super face scrub that penetrates pores to stave off blackheads and whiteheads. It also features a gentle exfoliator that sloughs away dead skin and dirt, leaving skin softer after one wash.

Pros

• Gentle scrub
• Has salicylic acid
• Affordable

Cons

• Scented
• Some reviewers say the microbeads are sparse

Made by La Roche-Posay, the gel cleanser fights acne, blackheads, and blemishes using salicylic acid. There’s no pore-clogging oils, no harsh exfoliants, no drying ingredients—it’s powerful enough to wash away a day’s worth of impurities while leaving the skin protected again future breakouts.

Pros

• Hydrating
• Exfoliating
• Oil- and fragrance-free
• Has salicylic acid

Cons

• Some reviewers say it’s not gentle enough for sensitive skin

There’s not one, but two types of salicylic acid in this bad boy to stop acne in its tracks. It’s safe for oily to normal skin, lightly washing away grime and build-up while leaving the skin smooth, hydrated, and fresh. It’s clinically-tested and killer at banishing blackheads from deep within pores.

Pros

• Dissolves excess oil
• Gentle on sensitive skin
• Also treats and heals
• Has two types of salicylic acid

Cons

• Has a scent

Splurge on this dreamy cleanser, crafted with natural botanicals (including salicylic acid from white willow bark) to ban blackheads while nourishing skin. As for the other ingredients, there’s botanicals to fight blemishes (like prickly pear enzymes and citric acids), ingredients to balance oil (tapioca and yucca root), and ingredients to fight redness (like chlorella and honey).

Pros

• Botanical ingredients
• Soothes redness
• Balances oil
• Has salicylic acid from white willow bark

Cons

• Expensive

Get your pores back to normal with this clarifying cleanser from Paula’s Choice. The salicylic acid, or BHAs, dissolve dirt and gunk to refresh your pores and stave off future impurities from cropping up. There’s no fragrances, no parabens, or any other “bad” stuff—just the ingredients that’ll leave skin happy and clean.

Pros

• Reduces redness
• Soothing and calming
• Has salicylic acid
• Fragrance-free

Cons

• Some reviewers say it may be too strong for sensitive skin