The 13 Best Face Masks for Acne

Best Overall

Neutrogena Clear Pore Cleanser/Mask

View On Amazon $13 View On Riteaid.com $10 View On Walgreens $12

Technically, our top choice is a cleanser, but it doubles as a mask — making it the most versatile choice on this list. All three experts we consulted recommended it because its formula contains 3.5 percent benzoyl peroxide, an ingredient that kills acne-causing bacteria. It will treat your classic case of inflammatory acne (think: large red bumps and lesions) with kaolin and bentonite clay, which our experts say are ring leaders in the fight against oily skin, by absorbing oil and removing built-up dirt in your pores.

Dr. Wolinksy tells us it’s best for normal, non-sensitive skin because it’s strong, so be sure to do a patch test before applying it. Also, maybe don’t reach for the fancy guest towels to remove the mask or wear your favorite sweatshirt because the active ingredients tend to bleach fabrics. Dr. Robert Finney, a board-certified cosmetic dermatologist at Entière Dermatology in New York City, recommends rinsing it off in the shower after letting it sit for five to fifteen minutes to avoid any mishaps.

Active Ingredients: Benzoyl peroxide  | Benefits: Deep cleaning | Size: 4.2 ounces  | Cruelty-Free: No

Best Budget

Cetaphil Pro DermaControl Purifying Clay Mask

View On Amazon $13 View On Target $13 View On IHerb

Bentonite and kaolin clay tag team to clear out buildup in pores and exfoliate dead cells for radiant, shine-free skin. Since the formula doesn’t have fragrances and parabens, it’s gentle enough to use up to three times a week. The mask also includes shea butter to prevent over-drying. Be sure to set a timer so you don’t leave it on too long, though. Unlike most clay masks that harden, providing a good indicator it’s time to rinse off, this one remains a gel.

Active Ingredients: Kaolin and bentonite clay, shea butter, apple fruit, and cucumber seed extract | Benefits: Unclogs pores, reduces shine | Size: 3 ounces | Cruelty-Free: No

Best for Shrinking Pores

Paula’s Choice Purifying Clay Mask

View On Amazon View On Dermstore $29 View On Paulaschoice.com $24

Paula’s Choice has earned our trust for its commitment to education and transparency around skincare’s most mysterious ingredients. The brand’s Clear line penetrates down into pores for the skincare equivalent of getting your car detailed: a deep, yet gentle clean that leaves no stone (or zit) unturned. In particular, this clay mask earns rave reviews for mattifying and reducing the appearance of pores.  

We’re also seriously impressed by the ingredients list. Not one, not two, but three types of clay team up to mattify skin and control shine. On their own, these clays might accidentally over-strip your skin, but they’re thoughtfully counterbalanced with soothing herbal ingredients and one of our favorite breakout-busting ingredients, salicylic acid. 

Active Ingredients: Brown seaweed, kaolin clay, salicylic acid | Benefits: Pore reduction, mattifying | Size: 3.0 ounces | Cruelty-Free: Yes

Best Splurge

Drunk Elephant T.L.C. Sukari Babyfacial AHA + BHA Mask

View On Sephora $80 View On Ulta $80 View On Drunkelephant.com

Users of Drunk Elephant’s T.L.C. Sukari Babyfacial rave about breaking up with their monthly facial appointments in favor of this face mask. Sure, it’s still a splurge, but your skin will thank you after it looks brighter thanks to the mask’s blend of alpha hydroxy acids (AHAs) and salicylic acid, which banish dead skin cells. And you can use it in the comfort of your own home.

Dr. Finney appreciates that the mask helps unclog pores and smooth out texture. You can credit what it leaves out of its vegan formula (fragrant oils and silicones) and what it leaves in (chickpea flour and antioxidants) for providing sensitive skin users a deep clean without irritation. But even though it’s gentler than other resurfacing treatments, this mask still uses acids, so Dr. Finney tells us to follow it up with a good moisturizing cream and only apply it intermittently. With that in mind, the brand also recommends setting other treatments aside before using this mask because you don’t want to accidentally damage your skin’s barrier or cause irritation.

Active Ingredients: Blend of AHAs (glycolic, tartaric, lactic, and citric), salicylic acid, chickpea flour  | Benefits: Exfoliating, evens texture  | Size: 1.69 ounces | Cruelty-Free: Yes

Best for Combination Skin

Exuviance Mud Mask

View On Amazon $51 View On Ulta $52 View On Exuviance.com

Our skin picks up more grit and grime than a Roomba, but we found a mask to vacuum out those clogged pores. Exuviance created the Dyson of face masks for those who have dry and oily skin. It contains 23 percent active charcoal and kaolin clay to absorb excess oil and NeoGlucosamine to remove superficial dead skin cells which, according to Dr. Wolinsky, are ingredients that help unclog pores leading to acne.

It’s on the pricier end, but what would you give for a flawless face? Technically, you can’t actually erase pores, but this mask does a fantastic job at reducing their appearance for an Instagram-filter finish. We only wish the formula didn’t have a fragrance because some users with sensitive skin say it causes irritation. 

Active Ingredients: 23 percent active charcoal, clay, and NeoGlucosamine blend | Benefits: Clarifying | Size: 3.4 ounces | Cruelty-Free: Yes

Best Exfoliator

Glamglow Acne Clearing Mask

View On Amazon $10

A five-minute mask-cleanser duo that purges pores and banishes blackheads sounds too good to be true, but Glamglow pulls it off. As Dr. Lal explains, this mask has salicylic acid, kaolin clay, and charcoal which are key for cleaning out your pores. Plus, he adds, this mask is “less drying than benzoyl peroxide masks and is thus better for those with combination skin.”

Note that the mask uses silica beads to exfoliate which are generally less abrasive than microplastic beads. But, if you prefer a smoother scrub look for an exfoliator that ditches beads altogether. 

Active Ingredients: Salicylic acid, charcoal, kaolin clay, and silica beads  | Benefits: Refining, smoothing  | Size: 4.2 ounces | Cruelty-Free: No

Best for Repairing Damaged Skin

EltaMD Skin Recovery Night Mask

View On Amazon $54 View On Dermstore $54 View On Beautifiedyou.com

Except for a few skincare practices everyone benefits from, like wearing sunscreen and avoiding overly hot showers, much of our journey to clear skin is trial-and-error. Whether you’ve unintentionally caused damage from scrubs and peels or developed sensitive skin from the treatments you’re currently using, this mask treats your largest organ to some R&R.  

Dr. Finney tells us the formula’s three amino acids “will deeply hydrate and restore the skin barrier to help reduce redness and flakiness.” Antioxidants create a forcefield against pollution and sun exposure that induces free radical damage and leads to dark spots and fine lines. This mask also hydrates your skin, allowing it to balance itself out; drying out your skin too much might cause it to produce extra oil, which eventually causes breakouts. This mask’s primary purpose is to heal and protect your skin, and many users found it reduced redness. Just don’t expect to wake up with completely perfect skin after one use.

Active Ingredients: Amino acids, antioxidants | Benefits: Rejuvenating  | Size: 1.7 ounces | Cruelty-Free: No

Best Clean

Herbivore Pore Refining Mask

View On Amazon $50 View On Nordstrom $50 View On Sephora $50

Plant-based ingredients mean you’re less likely to experience irritation, so we’re big fans of this vegan formula from Blue Tansy. Dr. Wolinsky also likes that it uses willow bark as a precursor to the salicylic acid to exfoliate clogged pores, while natural ingredients like papaya and fruit extracts soothe inflamed skin. 

She suggests that anyone who has a drier complexion sticks to using this mask for a few minutes a week and cautiously consider increasing contact time if your skin is more oily. While it might not smell like a trip to the spa (some reviewers weren’t fans of the “medicinal” smell), we appreciate the fragrance doesn’t come from synthetic ingredients. 

Active Ingredients: White willow bark extract, fruit enzymes, blue tansy oil | Benefits: Clarifying | Size: 2 ounces  | Cruelty-Free: Yes

Best Mud Mask

New York Biology Mud Mask

View On Amazon $15

Who knew using dirt was the best way to get rid of it? Dead Sea mineral mud removes the grime clogging your pores, reduces excess sebum (fancy word for oil), and gently exfoliates to remove toxins. A blend of plant-based oils and vitamin E brightens and smooths so your skin is beaming from sea to shining sea. Just keep a moisturizer handy and watch the clock because some reviewers found their skin a little dry after removing the mask.

Active Ingredients: Dead Sea mineral mud, aloe vera, calendula oil, vitamin E, and jojoba oil | Benefits: Unclogs pores, Exfoliating | Size: 8.8 ounces | Cruelty-Free: Yes

Best Peel

Vichy Peel Mask

View On Amazon $20 View On Vichyusa.com View On Walgreens $10

Vichy uses gentle acids for its peel mask to have your skin beaming, not burning. Volcanic rock particles and Vichy volcanic water work to cool and soothe skin rather than leave you with the redness you might experience from other peel masks.

It uses AHAs, which according to Dr. Lal, make it a great ingredient for all skin types and exfoliates dead skin that clogs pores and causes acne. Since it's more gentle than other peels on the market, reviewers say it takes consistency to see their acne disappear. However, we’re all for an instant dewy glow and preventative treatment to avoid future breakouts.

Active Ingredients: Vichy volcanic water, alpha hydroxy acids, volcanic rock particles  | Benefits: Exfoliating, refining | Size: 2.5 ounces | Cruelty-Free: No

Best Sheet Mask

Dr. Jart+ Dermask Clearing Solution

View On Sephora $7 View On Drjart.com View On Kohls.com $7

Breakouts, pimples, stress flare-ups, hormonal acne — one sheet covers it all. This mask from Dr.Jart+ uses salicylic acid to target acne and dissolves skin debris, but hydrating ingredients like tea tree oil means it won’t dry out your skin. Curious about that G-word printed front and center on the package? The formula includes glutathione, a naturally-occurring antioxidant, to help remove toxins and give you a glow. The mask also contains plant-derived glycerin to strengthen and hydrate the skin barrier, but just know this ingredient can leave your skin slightly sticky. 

Active Ingredients: Glutathione, niacinamide, salicylic acid, and tea tree leaf oil | Benefits: Brightening, hydrating, oil-reducing | Size: 0.95 ounces (Single-use mask)  | Cruelty-Free: No

Best for Inflamed Skin

Rosen Skincare Earth Mask

View On Rosenskincare.com $18 View On Target $18 View On CVS

Finding a treatment that diminishes red, angry bumps on your skin without making the inflammation worse is a challenge, but the Rosen Skincare Earth Mask is a worthy opponent. Zinc oxide fights back against acne-causing bacteria while Fuller’s Earth clay clears out clogged pores. To soothe the skin and prevent redness, Rosen included plant-based ingredients like eucalyptus oil. Reviewers even found it was powerful enough to treat painful acne but gentle enough that they weren’t left with irritated skin. We also love that the brand develops all of its products with the concerns of women of color at the forefront, so you can trust they’ve thought through a wide range of issues for everyone.

Avoid applying this mask over your new Brooklinen sheets, though, and opt for putting it on in the shower because its liquid consistency gets a little messy. 

Active Ingredients: Zinc oxide, niacinamide, eucalyptus oil | Benefits: Anti-inflammatory, Detoxifying  | Size: 2 ounces | Cruelty-Free: Yes