This is a more complex topic than we really currently know. Even dermatologists only have a few blunt weapons to use against acne (such as retinoids, antibiotics or diuretics) and very little has been confirmed to work for all skin types. It starts in the glands in our face, when they get blocked by sebum or dead skin cells. Then bacteria eat the sebum (gross, I know) then trigger our immune function; leading to red, angry and irritated lesions. The turnover of cells increases (and blockages are more common) in oily skin and hormonal conditions. Especially during puberty, pregnancy and times of great stress, we’re likely to see more outbreaks. 

If we know the science behind it – how do we stop it? As the cause is multi-focal, the solution can be complex as well. But there are a few simple steps that work well for most people to help reduce spots.

Well, to stop our pores getting clogged, it’s important to upgrade our cleansing routine. This is where K-Beauty shines, with a love of double cleansing, toning pads, exfoliators and more. Finding a good cleansing routine that helps exfoliate (especially in oily skin) and clear pores is the best start to helping reduce acne on your face. 

If you have oily skin, I recommend cleansing twice a day. The best balance I’ve found is a simple foam cleanser in the morning followed by a double cleanse in the evening to remove make-up and pollutants from throughout the day. But find what works best for your skin, increasing steps if you’re finding excess oils or reducing if your face is feeling tight or dry. 

For a long time, the thought was – well bacteria trigger the inflammation of an acne spot. So, they must be the problem right? This is a mainstay of older acne treatments, such as powerful essential oils or acids to help reduce acne-causing bacteria. The real downside is that we can’t target only acne-causing bacteria on your face and you kind of need those other happy, protective bacteria. 

It’s vital to find the balance, as destroying your natural microbiome can lead to worse outbreaks, as your natural biome is disrupted and cannot protect your skin anymore. If you are looking at using essential oils (such as tea tree, pine tree bark or benzoyl peroxide), remember you should only use as a spot treatment on acne spots. These can help reduce healing time and solve spots quickly, but do so with care. 

This, in my opinion, is an underrated way to help treat acne spots in the long-term. Once you’ve helped clear a lot of acne spots, add some skincare products with probiotics in them (such as protective Lactobacillus or Bacillus strains), to help rebuild your microbiome. Not only do these help rebuild your skin’s natural protection, but they also balance and strengthen your immune function, to generate less irritated skin.

This multi-tasking skincare agent is a great addition to help reduce acne spots and balance the skin. It's one of the best topical treatments that you can buy outside a dermatology office and helps stop dark spots forming, reduces bacteria, improves exfoliation of skin and aids skin healing. 

Retinol and other retinoids are a favourite for acne care as they boost exfoliation and cell turnover, which helps clear and dry out oily and clogged skin easier. It also helps even skin tone and reduce scarring. Most common prescribed as ‘tretinoin’ by dermatologists (which is far more potent), a lower dose of retinol or retinal is available in a variety of skincare products. It’s important to use carefully, as there is a risk of skin burns from overuse or misuse.

So, thinking of the above – even with this limited knowledge, there’s a couple of great K-Beauty products that come to mind in helping balance skin and reduce acne outbreaks. A disclaimer however, is that the more products you use, the more chance of irritating your skin. An ideal acne routine should be simple, careful and balanced – using a 12 step routine is more likely to bring out imbalance or trigger breakouts. Be careful, thoughtful and start very small. 

This is our top pick for cleansing oily skin. It’s designed to be gentle and friendly for sensitive skin, but provides a deep and exfoliating cleanse. The cleansing oil helps bring impurities from deep within pores to the surface, following with the brightening foam helps exfoliate away sebum and refresh the skin barrier. All melded through with healing heartleaf – this is our top pick for a cleansing routine for oily skin.

Also, try to avoid using the oil cleanser on its own, as it's hard to clear well enough with water. A common rookie mistake in K-beauty is using an oil-based cleanser alone, finding that it immediately clogs pores and triggers outbreaks. It should always start as a kind of ‘pre-cleanser.’ If you’re not a fan of double cleansing, the Heartleaf cleansing foam on its own works well to refresh skin. 

For a more gentle cleanse, this brightening and botanical bubble cleanser is our top pick. If a gentle scrub is too irritating for your sensitive skin, this bubble cleanser helps refresh skin, boosts with antioxidants and leaves your skin clear and bright. Its our personal top pick for effective, but kind acne care. 

The best acne care starts with a good cleanser. Even if you don’t like our picks – research and choose a good cleanser wisely; as this is the most vital step in acne care. 

If you’re struggling with excess oils, this is our favourite and holistic cleanser. Made with a base of rice water, it's enriched with proteins and antioxidants to repair and strengthen the skin barrier. It’s also mixed through with kaolin clay, to lightly wick away excess oils and clear pores for a dryer, balanced skin texture. It’s definitely not a toner for dry skin – but if excess oils are your problem; it’s highly beneficial to refresh skin.

Say hello to deeeeeeep refreshment. These carefully designed pads are a perfect contribution to acne care and balancing the biome. They come with textured cotton pads, which help directly scrub away dead skin cells, with salicylic acid to exfoliate gently and clear pores. Mixed with refreshing botanical extracts, these pads are cooling and deeply calming.

It’s no surprise azelaic acid made the list (as it has so many benefits) and this is the gentlest azelaic acid serum on the market. It doesn’t sting, irritate and gently blends into skin to help exfoliate and refresh the biome. It is an acid, so avoid using on broken skin – but for any sensitive or damaged skin, it’s incredibly gentle.

This is my personal go-to when things get tough. It infused with rosemary oil, which reduces bacterial load on the skin, whilst also balanced with niacinamide to help refresh skin and balance shine. With a few other moisturizing and gentle botanical extracts, it helps reduce spots quickly and tackle an acne outbreak.

This refreshing and brightening serum is also gentle on the skin, but balanced with healing retinal to refresh the skin barrier. With a background of healing ginseng extract and niacinamide, it helps reduce spots and scarring whilst also refreshing and balancing skin health. It’s a good addition to acne-prone skin; but best used in an evening routine and away from exfoliants.

Once your skin has been depleted of bacteria (through more aggressive methods and spot treatments), don’t forget to treat your skin to some probiotics to rebuild the biome. This gentle moisturizer is enriched with macadamia and moringa oils to boost moisture as well as probiotics to help strengthen and refresh skin. 

If you're after a brightening, quick acne treatment to eliminate spots, this spot cream is a long-time favourite. Enriched with rosemary extract, cica extract and exfoliating AHA/BHA/PHA this oily skin treatment is the most aggressive on this list. If you have a stronger skin biome and need a quick treatment - this is the one for you, with a timeline to eliminate spots in just two weeks. 

It should be kept to spots only and I recommend following with a probiotic-friendly moisturizer after finishing the treatment regime, but it will kill off acne fast and makes it an effective treatment.

Any spot patch is an important part of acne care. It helps improve healing time, reduces irritation from accidental scratching or picking and helps relieve large spots so you feel clearer and improved. These are our top picks (although a lot of spot patches are similar) due to the thin, easy application and infusion of heartleaf, tea tree and centella to help provide targeted and gentle spot treatment. With 78 in the package, it's a great price for several months of targeted spot care.

Acne care is a complex and ongoing science that doesn't have one cure for all. Due to differences in causes, skin types and sensitivities - it's important to tailor your routine to what's best for you. 

My advice is be careful of aggressive treatments, as although they can yield fast results in the short term, damage to your skin biome can become apparent and trigger worse breakouts in the future. Be kind to your skin, don't impulse buy products that do not match your biome and be mindful of what you're applying to your skin.

After more acne-care advice? Check out our blogs on how to improve acne-scarring after a breakout. Or check out our guide to reducing general redness for clearer, calmer skin.

How to Heal Acne Scars 
How to Reduce Skin Redness 

What Causes Acne?

Acne spots are irritated and infected glands in our skin. This is caused by a combination of built-up sebum and skin cells combined with acne-causing bacteria that end up straying too deep into your pores. It's mostly found in oily skin, when used irritating products (always be suspicious of what products are in your routine), excess hormones, stress and an inadequate cleansing routine.

How to Stop Acne?

Considering the dual cause of acne - the most common solution is to improve cleansing habits (such as using a good acne cleanser twice daily, adding an exfoliator to refresh pores or using toning pads to mechanically cleanse skin) as well as reducing bacterial load on skin (applying anti-bacterial products to spots directly) using ingredients like tea tree, rosemary oil, pine tree extract, witch hazel, salicylic acid, green tea.

A lot of people know most of this, but don't realise they can overdo it with antibacterial treatments, which can eradiate healthy bacteria on your skin. These bacteria actually protect against acne - so its important to use antibacterial treatments carefully (try using spot treatments or more gentle formulas) and follow your acne skincare with a probiotic friendly routine.

What Ingredients Are Good For Acne?

According to dermatologists; the most effective treatment for acne-prone skin is the using of retinoids. Dermatologists prescribe high-dose retinoids (and monitor carefully for side effects), but lower dose retinol/retinal are available for use in a variety of products. It's important to follow instructions carefully, however, as strong retinol can burn your skin. Also azelaic acid comes as a close second for great skincare treatment; reducing bacteria, modulating the immune system and exfoliating pores for clearer and calmer skin.