The Ultimate 2022 Acne Awards: Best Skincare, Treatments, and Tools
Discover the top expert-recommended acne products, treatments, and tools that transform breakouts into clear, healthy skin.
Finding truly effective products for acne-prone skin can feel like a never-ending experiment. With endless shelves stocked with cleansers, serums, and spot treatments, it’s tough to separate what truly works from what just clogs your cabinet. That’s why Cosmopolitan’s annual Acne Awards are so eagerly awaited—offering a vetted, editor-approved guide to the best-of-the-best acne solutions that deliver clear, healthy skin.
What Are the Acne Awards?
Each year, Cosmopolitan’s expert beauty editors pool their industry knowledge, real-world testing, and professional wisdom to select the top 50 products and treatments for acne. This comprehensive roundup covers every step of your routine, from gentle cleansers to innovative spot patches, must-have masks, lightweight sunscreens, treatment serums, and more—all tailored for those fighting breakouts, blackheads, and inflammation.
Meet the Judges
- Beauty editors with years of testing every major acne product.
- Dermatologists and cosmetic chemists offering clinical, ingredient-focused expertise.
- Passionate skin-care enthusiasts ensuring real-world results and usability.
The selection process prioritizes clinical efficacy, safety for sensitive skin, texture, application experience, price point, and (of course) the glow-up factor.
Top Cleansers for Acne-Prone Skin
Cleansing is your foundational step: the right formula removes bacteria, excess oil, makeup, and pollution without stripping or irritating. Here are the 2022 winners:
- BeautyStat Cosmetics Universal Microbiome Barrier Balancing Cleanser: A creamy, gentle cleanser packed with barrier-restoring ceramides and plant extracts. It melts away impurities and makeup while calming and strengthening your skin.
- Cocokind AHA Jelly Cleanser: Exfoliating AHAs (like glycolic and lactic acid) tackle buildup, while a trio of humectants—hyaluronic acid, glycerin, betaine—keep it gentle, hydrating, and suitable for daily use.
- Burt’s Bees Natural Acne Solutions Deep Cleansing Scrub: Made with 99% natural ingredients and carnauba wax beads, this scrub deeply exfoliates for pore-unclogging power—yet remains kind to sensitive skin.
- PlantGenius® Creamy Bubbling Cleanser by Alpyn Beauty: Gel-based and rich in wild botanicals, this cleanser delivers an effective yet mild clean and is especially praised for supporting the skin barrier.
Effective Serums and Leave-On Treatments
When tackling stubborn spots and bumps, serums provide concentrated active ingredients that work beneath the surface for visible results. Standout picks include:
- Neutrogena Stubborn Blackheads Daily Serum: Combines salicylic acid, glycolic acid, and mandelic acid to dissolve built-up oil, dead skin, and debris, effectively clearing even the most persistent blackheads.
- Nettle & Niacinamide Firming Serum by Alpyn Beauty: A soothing, strengthening serum powered by wild nettle, vitamin B3 (niacinamide), and other plant-derived actives to firm skin and minimize inflammation.
- The A Method Zit Stopper: A Holy Grail favorite, this treatment features the power of adapalene (a retinoid previously available only by prescription) to prevent and treat cystic acne with consistent, visible results.
Spot Treatments, Patches, and Tools
When speed is of the essence, nothing beats modern pimple patches, extraction stickers, and simple gadgets. The best:
- Starface Hydro-Stars: The cult-favorite hydrocolloid pimple patches that protect, absorb, and transform breakouts overnight, while making acne a little more fun and a lot less stressful.
- Zitsticka Face Map Targeted Extraction Patches: Extra-large patches infused with salicylic acid and niacinamide to tackle clusters of blemishes or larger problem areas.
Mists and Pads for Fast Relief
When redness and inflammation strike, these quick-fix mists and pads can calm, refresh, and clarify:
- Tower 28 Beauty SOS Save.Our.Skin Daily Rescue Facial Spray: Features hypochlorous acid (a natural antimicrobial) for a simple, three-ingredient formula that soothes sensitive and irritated skin.
- ZO Skin Health Complexion Renewal Pads: Convenient acid-soaked pads loaded with salicylic and glycolic acid to manage clogged pores, excess oil, and surface dullness without harshness.
What others are reading
Sunscreens That Shield Without Clogging
Protection from UV damage is a must for acne-prone skin, but many sunscreens can weigh skin down. 2022’s winners combine efficacy and a gentle finish:
- Nudestix Nudescreen Daily Mineral Veil SPF 30: A lightweight, non-chalky mineral sunscreen with 15% zinc oxide—offering strong protection minus the pore-clogging heaviness.
- Proactiv Clear Skin SPF 30: A matte, oil-free sunscreen formulated to shield while containing soothing allantoin—calming active, breakout-prone skin without a greasy residue.
Masks and Exfoliators to Renew and Unclog
- Wild Huckleberry 8-Acid Peel by Alpyn Beauty: This “peel in a jar” uses a blend of eight naturally-derived acids to brighten, exfoliate, and boost cell turnover, delivering both instant radiance and longer-term clarity.
Masks, especially chemical exfoliants, are best used a few times a week for a clearer, refined complexion. Always layer with SPF the next morning!
Complete Routines: Kits and Three-Step Systems
- Clinique 3-Step Skin System: The ultimate customizable kit for newcomers and devotees alike. This iconic trio (cleanser, exfoliator, moisturizer) remains a beacon for efficient, multitasking acne care.
Routine kits take the guesswork out of layering actives, making them ideal for maintaining skin health and achieving consistent results.
Moisturizers and Barrier Balancers
Hydration is essential even for oily or breakout-prone complexions—stripping the skin will only worsen inflammation and excess sebum production. Editors’ top choices:
- Universal Microbiome Barrier Balancing Cleanser by BeautyStat Cosmetics: Double-duty as a hydrating cleanser and barrier supporter, protecting your skin from environmental stressors during every wash.
- Vitamin C Glow Serum by Alpyn Beauty: Lends antioxidants and radiance while supporting your skin’s natural defenses against free radicals and blemish marks.
Holistic Skincare: Calming and Post-Breakout Support
- PlantGenius® Eye Balm by Alpyn Beauty: While designed for eye care, its plant actives and nourishing texture make it a gentle hydrator for delicate, recovering skin (think post-acne marks and sensitivity).
Holistic skin care means treating not just pimples but the redness, stress, and scars left behind—restoring calm and confidence to your complexion.
Award-Winning Acne Products at a Glance
| Product Name | Category | Hero Ingredient(s) | Why It Won |
|---|---|---|---|
| BeautyStat Universal Microbiome Cleanser | Cleanser | Ceramides, Plant Extracts | Gently removes build-up, restores barrier |
| Cocokind AHA Jelly Cleanser | Cleanser | AHAs, Humectants | Daily gentle exfoliation and hydration |
| Neutrogena Stubborn Blackheads Serum | Serum | Salicylic Acid, Glycolic Acid | Clears and prevents blackheads |
| Starface Hydro-Stars | Pimple Patch | Hydrocolloid | Protects & heals individual pimples |
| The A Method Zit Stopper | Treatment | Adapalene | Best for cystic & stubborn acne |
| Wild Huckleberry 8-Acid Peel | Mask/Exfoliant | 8 Different Acids | Brightening, surface renewal |
| Proactiv Clear Skin SPF 30 | Sunscreen | Allantoin, Zinc Oxide | Non-greasy, soothes inflammation |
| Clinique 3-Step System | Set | Customizable | Comprehensive routine for any skin type |
Expert Tips for Getting the Most from Acne Products
- Always introduce new actives (like acids or retinoids) gradually, especially if you have sensitive skin.
- Layer products from thinnest (cleansers, toners) to thickest (moisturizers, SPFs).
- Use targeted treatments or patches directly on spots—don’t overapply to healthy skin.
- Wear sunscreen daily. Many acne treatments increase photosensitivity.
- Keep your routine consistent for at least 4 to 6 weeks before judging results.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: How do I choose the right acne product for my skin?
A: Identify your main acne concern (e.g., blackheads, cystic acne, surface pimples) and pick targeted ingredients—salicylic acid for clogged pores, benzoyl peroxide or adapalene for inflammatory acne, and gentle hydrators for redness and sensitivity.
Q: Are natural or wildcrafted ingredients effective against breakouts?
A: Yes. Wild ingredients, such as those found in Alpyn Beauty’s line, may be more nutrient-dense due to their survival in harsh environments, delivering potent anti-inflammatory and brightening effects.
Q: What’s the right age to start using acne-focused skincare?
A: Many acne-safe cleansers and non-prescription treatments are suitable from early teens onward, but retinoids like adapalene should be introduced under professional guidance for younger users.
Q: Are pimple patches safe for daily or long-term use?
A: Hydrocolloid patches are safe for frequent use and work best when applied to new blemishes. They are less effective on cystic bumps or established scarring.
Q: Can I use chemical exfoliants and retinoids together?
A: It’s best to alternate or stagger these potent actives to avoid irritation. For example, use an AHA mask once or twice a week, and apply a retinoid on alternate nights.
Final Takeaways: Your Clear Skin Guide for 2022
Every product on this list reflects hours of real testing and expert feedback, designed to take the stress and confusion out of acne care. Whether you battle breakouts, oily skin, or just want to keep your complexion healthy, Cosmopolitan’s 2022 Acne Awards offer a toolkit for success—no guesswork, just results.
Remember, clear skin is a journey, not a sprint. Consistency, patience, and products that work with—not against—your unique skin are the keys to healthy, lasting transformation.
References
- https://www.janicemccaffertypr.com/client-wins-cosmopolitan-holy-grail-acne-award/
- https://alpynbeauty.com/pages/awards-press
- https://www.cosmopolitan.com/style-beauty/beauty/a41546272/acne-awards-2022/
- https://www.cosmopolitan.com/style-beauty/beauty/a40775124/readers-choice-beauty-awards-2022/
- https://camerareadycosmetics.com/collections/cosmopolitan-beauty-awards
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