Home » Beauty » 14 Best Moisturizers for Acne-Prone Skin: Find The Best One For Yourself

Beauty

14 Best Moisturizers for Acne-Prone Skin: Find The Best One For Yourself

Praneeth Simon

March 22, 2022

While finding a great moisturizer for a normal person might not be a big effort, the same can’t be said for those suffering from acne. An acne-prone skin needs special moisturizers that don’t break down skin, packs some effective anti-acne ingredients, and contains fewer or none of the plausible irritants (like parabens, mineral oils, sulfates, preservatives, etc.).

No matter what your skin type is, no matter how severe your acne is, we bet that you can discover the best moisturizer for your acne-prone through this extensively researched article.

14 Best Moisturizers for Acne-Prone Skin

A Brief Explanation Of Terms You Will Frequently Encounter

Acne-Relevancy: Specifies how specialized the moisturizer is in treating or reducing acne.

Positive Acne-Reviews Percentage: Describes the percentage of acne-related positive reviews a moisturizer enjoys on Amazon.

Popularity: Defined by the number of reviews a product enjoys on Amazon.

Acne-Effectiveness Score: A score (out of 10) that defines a moisturizer’s total effectiveness against acne.

Non-comedogenic: Doesn’t contain any ingredients known to clog the pores. Going after non-comedogenic moisturizers might be a safe bet for acne sufferers.

Mattifying Capability: Ability to provide refined, matte texture appearance by reducing unwanted shiny appearance from the oily skin.

Curious to know how we came up with this product list and the Acne-Effectiveness Score? Click “How we came up with this list of best moisturizers for acne-prone skin” or just scroll down to the bottom of the page.

Don’t want to spend minutes skimming through the list? Check our FAQs section to find your perfect moisturizer instantly.

Note: Price* mentioned is the product’s price on Amazon India at the time of writing review. As prices are dynamic on all eCommerce websites, we request you to visit the eCommerce sites (or click the mentioned links) to view the latest prices.

UrbanBotanics® Oil Free Moisturizer For Oily/Acne Prone/Normal Skin

Check Price on Amazon

If there is a perfect moisturizer for acne prone skin, UrbanBotanics® Oil Free Moisturizer check marks on almost all the key aspects. It’s all-skin friendly, irritants-free, non-comedogenic, oil-free, lightweight, and packs two reliable anti-acne ingredients.

• Target Skin Type: All (Oily, Combination, Sensitive, Normal)
• Price*: Rs.279
• Popularity: High
• Total Acne Fighting Ingredients: 2
• Non-Comedogenic: Yes
• Mattifying Capability: Yes
• Acne-Relevancy: Medium
• Positive Acne-Reviews Percentage: High
• Other Benefits: Anti-Aging, Skin-Clarifying
• Available On: Amazon, Flipkart

What makes it an excellent moisturizer for acne-prone skin: Its superb formulation which packs two great anti-acne ingredients – Neem and Glycolic Acid. Rich in Vitamin C, Neem not only helps with acne treatment, but also aids in reducing dryness. Glycolic Acid prevents build-up of skin debris that can cause acne, and has been also shown to treat acne by a few studies.

Other Things We Love About This Moisturizer:

• It’s a mattifying moisturizer, so it contains a sebum-controlling active ingredient that absorbs the excess oil, and provides a refined, matte texture. Do you have oily skin and don’t want that unwanted shiny appearance? This is the moisturizer to go for.
• It features lightweight composition, so it won’t feel heavy or greasy like it does after putting on some rich moisturizers.
• Suitable for all skin types including Oily, Combination, Sensitive, and Normal. This is worth mentioning as most moisturizers only go well for a particular skin type.
• UrbanBotanics® Oil Free Moisturizer absorbs quickly into skin, and provides moisturization for as long as 12 hours.
• Comes in a premium-looking travel-friendly packaging, and offers a press nozzle for easy usage.
• Free from the majority of irritants including Parabens, Phthalates, SLS, Propylene Glycol, PABA, and DEA. That means, there is a very less chance of any skin breakout or side-effects when using it. Great for those with perfect skin. Plus, it’s a 100% vegan product, so doesn’t involve any animal cruelty.
• Offers a nice subtle fragrance. Many reviewers seem to be adoring it for its smell (however, some do despite it too; can’t help as smell is a subjective taste, isn’t it?) .

Things To Note:

• UrbanBotanics® Oil Free Moisturizer can only be bought online.
• Contains alcohol, which has the potential to be irritating.
• We would have loved it if UrbanBotanics® would have mentioned the percentage of anti-acne ingredients. Transparency always benefits, right?

Acrofy, Moisturizer For Acne-Prone Skin

Check Price on Amazon

Tired of the oily acne-prone skin even after trying multiple products? Non-comedogenic mattifying dermatologists-recommended Acrofy moisturizer with credible anti-acne ingredient “Niacinamide” is the best moisturizer you can get for your money. It’s the most acne-specialized moisturizer that offers deep prolonged moisturization.

• Target Skin Type: Oily
• Price*: Rs.480
• Popularity: Medium
• Total Acne Fighting Ingredients: 1
• Non-Comedogenic: Yes
• Mattifying Capability: Yes
• Acne-Relevancy: High
• Positive Acne-Reviews Percentage: High
• Other Benefits: Moisturization
• Available On: Amazon, 1mg, Flipkart, PharmEasy

What makes it an excellent moisturizer for oily acne-prone skin: Its brilliant formulation contains a credible anti-acne ingredient called Niacinamide, which lowers acne-related redness, itching and inflammation. In a study, using 4% niacinamide for 8 weeks led to improvement in acne in as much as 82% participants.

Other Things We Love About This Moisturizer:

• It’s the most acne-specialized cream in the list, which surpasses the second-best performer by as much as 10%.
• It’s a god-send for those with oily acne-prone skin, as it not only reduces excess sebum production but also offers a mattifying effect (which reduces unwanted shiny appearance).
• Many reviewers with acne-issues explain that their dermatologists themselves recommended Acrofy Moisturizer to them. Want a moisturizer that dermatologists recommend? Yes, this is the one to go for!
• Like UrbanBotanics® Oil Free Moisturizer, it absorbs quickly. However, where it outbeats UrbanBotanics® is in moisturizing ability and duration. It offers deeper moisturization, and that too for as long as 24 hours (beating UrbanBotanics® by 100% margin). Want deep moisturization without needing to apply moisturizer frequently? Go for it!
• Contains no fragrant chemicals. This is great as fragrance chemicals in skin care products can induce negative skin reactions, especially in those with sensitive skin. Also, as smell is a subjective liking, there won’t be any divided opinions as we generally get to see in fragrance-based products .

Things To Note:

• You need to use it in a very small amount during hot or humid weather. Using it as recommended or in excess under such weather conditions can make your skin appear oily.
• It does take a few minutes to get fully absorbed, especially during summers. However, it does get absorbed eventually.
• Acrofy Moisturizer is more expensive than other moisturizers in the list. But that’s worth the price as it outperforms all other anti-acne moisturizers in acne-specific score.
• Contains parabens; preservative chemicals that may induce allergic reactions like redness, irritation, itchy skin, flaking, hives in a few people. Looking for paraben-free moisturizer? UrbanBotanics® Oil Free Moisturizer is the best bet.

Cipla Excela Moisturizer For Oily & Acne Prone

Check Price on Amazon

If you have a normal or combination acne-prone skin, dermatologists-recommended Cipla Excela Moisturizer with 3 (yes, 3!) effective anti-acne ingredients is hands down an awesome option. It’s super lightweight, offers mattifying capability, and goes well for sensitive skin types.

• Target Skin Type: Normal
• Price*: Rs.460
• Popularity: Medium
• Total Acne Fighting Ingredients: 3
• Non-Comedogenic: No (Company Claims “Yes” Though)
• Mattifying Capability: Yes
• Acne-Relevancy: High
• Positive Acne-Reviews Percentage: High
• Other Benefits: Moisturization
• Available On: Amazon, Flipkart, 1mg, NetMeds

What makes it an excellent moisturizer for acne-prone skin: Cipla Excela Moisturizer’s ingenious formulation packs not 1, not even 2, but 3 potent anti-acne ingredients including Niacinamide, Zinc PCA, and Zinc Gluconate. While we already discussed Niacinamide before, zinc compounds like Zinc PCA and Zinc Gluconate not only provide strong antimicrobial activity against P. acnes (bacteria linked to acne) but also control sebum production.

Other Things We Love About This Moisturizer:

• It’s a super lightweight moisturizer, similar to UrbanBotanics® Moisturizer. Just apply it and you would feel nothing close to wearing a moisturizer.
• Like Acrofy Moisturizer, Cipla Excela Moisturizer gets frequently endorsed by leading dermatologists. So, if you are one of those who like spending money on products recommended by skin scientists themselves, this sure is a great buy.
• Might work wonders for combination skin types (skin that’s dry or normal in some areas and oily in others, such as the T-zone (nose, forehead, and chin)). Yes, even though it’s meant for normal skin type, many users with combination skin type have nothing but amazing words to say about it in reviews.
• Comes in a nice-looking airless jar which maintains the integrity of the product.
• Contains Enantia Chlorantha extract, which firms and tightens your skin. For those with wrinkly or saggy skin, this might be a better option than the first two moisturizers.
• Doesn’t contain any essential oils, fragrance chemicals and parabens, which might cause irritation or side-effects in a few users. If you have a sensitive skin type, we give you a green go for this.

Things To Note:

• Contains Ethylhexyl Palmitate (a highly comedogenic ingredient), which can cause skin irritation or burning sensation in some users. So, always take a sample amount of Cipla Excela Moisturizer and test on your skin before incorporating it into your everyday schedule.

Mamaearth Oil-Free Moisturizer

Check Price on Amazon

Looking to buy a highly-popular dermatologically tested moisturizer for your oily & acne-prone skin? Then, go for Mamaearth Oil-Free Moisturizer – and while it does make it to the top of our list (all thanks to its immense popularity), we can’t endorse it as strongly as other moisturizers in the list as it contains no acne fighting ingredients and enjoys mixed reviews online.

• Target Skin Type: Oily
• Price*: Rs.259
• Popularity: High
• Total Acne Fighting Ingredients: 0
• Non-Comedogenic: Yes
• Mattifying Capability: No
• Acne-Relevancy: Medium
• Positive Acne-Reviews Percentage: Low
• Other Benefits: Hydration, Nourishment
• Available On: Amazon, Flipkart, Nykaa, ApolloPharmacy

What makes it a good moisturizer for acne-prone skin: While Mamaearth Oil-Free Moisturizer doesn’t contain any traditional or proven acne fighting ingredient, it’s still able to rank at top in our best moisturizers for acne-prone list. That’s due to its No.1 spot in popularity and a decent acne-relevancy score (one of the two factors used for calculating acne-effectiveness score).

Other Things We Love About This Moisturizer:

• Most popular moisturizer for acne-prone skin, which enjoys 2.5 times more reviews than the second most popular moisturizer in the list. Wanna pick up the moisturizer which is selling like a hotcake? This is the one to buy now.
• Safe to use and goes with sensitive skin types, as not only is it dermatologically tested but is also free of many plausible irritants including Sulfates, Paraben, SLS, Mineral Oil, Petroleum, Artificial Preservatives, and Colors.
• Most reviewers praise it for its mild and appealing apple cider vinegar smell. If you are one of those who just can’t digest odorless moisturizers, this one might satiate your fragrance senses.
• Less pricey compared to moisturizers at the top, so in case you have severe budget constraints to pick up great anti-acne moisturizers, you know what to do.
• While most people appreciate the mattifying feature in a moisturizer, a few don’t. They would rather prefer having a natural oily appearance, instead of forcibly reducing excessive oil. If you are one of those, buy Mamaearth Oil-Free Moisturizer as it won’t give you a matte finish.

Things To Note:

• The moisturizer enjoys mixed reviews on Acne. In fact, it ranks 13th (out of 15) in the percentage of positive reviews related to acne. So, we think you would be better off going with any other moisturizers in the list, either from the top or below.
• While Mamaearth is marketing it as a lightweight moisturizer, most reviewers complain that it rather makes their skin more oily and greasy after application. That’s why it might not be the best moisturizer for summers. Looking for a true lightweight and summer-friendly moisturizer? UrbanBotanics® and Cipla Excela are the best ones.

Plum Green Tea Oil Free Moisturizer

Check Price on Amazon

Packing so many magical ingredients, Plum Oil Free Moisturizer is an all-weather friendly, lightweight, non-greasy, fragrance-free moisturizer that works great on oily acne-prone skin. It’s FDA-approved (the only product in the list), 100% cruelty-free and is also free from many unnecessary chemical irritants.

• Target Skin Type: Oily
• Price*: Rs.399
• Popularity: Medium
• Total Acne Fighting Ingredients: 2
• Non-Comedogenic: Yes
• Mattifying Capability: Yes
• Acne-Relevancy: Medium
• Positive Acne-Reviews Percentage: Medium
• Other Benefits: Hydration
• Available On: Amazon, Flipkart, Nykaa

What makes it a great moisturizer for oily acne-prone skin: Just like Acrofy Moisturizer, Plum Green Tea Moisturizer contains a proven anti-acne ingredient called Niacinamide. That’s not all though. It also contains Green Tea (if that’s not obvious from the name), which has shown effectiveness against mild-to-moderate acne in two promising studies.

Other Things We Love About This Moisturizer:

• Its formulation packs 8 wonderful ingredients (one of the highest of any other moisturizer in the list) including Aloe Vera (a great moisturizer and has several anti-inflammatory), Betaine (which provides nice skin protection and moisturization properties), White Willow Bark Extract (which contains anti-inflammatory natural salicylates), Sodium Hyaluronate (excellent for reducing dryness and wrinkles), and Squalane (makes your skin nice and smooth, without being heavy or greasy).
• Ideal for all year usage, as it’s non-greasy, lightweight (with water-like consistency), mattifying, and non-comedogenic.
• The only moisturizer in the list to be FDA approved, which means that not only has its effects been reviewed by CDER, but also it provides benefits that outweigh its known and potential risks.
• Free from many unnecessary chemical irritants including Fragrance, Mineral Oil, Paraben.
• 100% cruelty-free (doesn’t involve any animal suffering), so very unlikely to cause skin problems such as rashes, allergies, eczemas, and skin inflammation and other skin diseases.

Things To Note:

• Doesn’t offer as deep moisturization as some users may desire. That might be due to its thin consistency. If you want deep prolonged moisturization (and an overall better moisturizer for acne-prone skin), go for Acrofy Moisturizer.
• If you are one of those who have issues with Aloe Vera-based products, you may want to be cautious as this Plum Moisturizer contains Aloe Vera. In case you belong to that group, always test with a small amount before making it a part of your routine.
• Many reviewers complain that the amount of moisturizer provided for the price is way too less (you just get 50ml for Rs.400).

Clean & Clear Essentials Dual Action Moisturizer

Check Price on Amazon

Have dry acne skin and just can’t discover the right moisturizer for yourself? Well, now you have. With reliable anti-acne ingredient salicylic acid at its core, Clean & Clear Essentials Moisturizer’s oil free lightweight non-comedogenic formula not only helps with acne, but provides decent moisturization, mild cooling sensation, and even comes with a mild admirable fragrance. Although quite expensive, just one of its bottles can last you for as much as a year!

• Target Skin Type: Dry
• Price*: Rs.1723
• Popularity: High In US, Low In India
• Total Acne Fighting Ingredients: 1
• Non-Comedogenic: Yes
• Mattifying Capability: No
• Acne-Relevancy: High
• Positive Acne-Reviews Percentage: High
• Other Benefits: Moisturization
• Available On: Amazon, Flipkart (Showed “Sold Out” When We Last Checked)

What makes it a great moisturizer for dry acne-prone skin: Clean & Clear Moisturizer contains an attested anti-acne ingredient called salicylic acid, which treats acne by unclogging blocked pores. In a small study of 20 people, it improved facial acne of as much as 95% of people. Even on its Amazon reviews, we discovered 88% reviews (3rd in the list) speaking in its favor. Isn’t that impressive?

Other Things We Love About This Moisturizer:

• Most moisturizers won’t make you feel fresh once you apply them. However, Clean & Clear Essentials Dual Action Moisturizer not only makes you feel fresh but also provides a mild cooling sensation after application.
• One of the few moisturizers designed for dry acne-prone skin. Also, its lightweight formulation is able to provide decent moisturization to even the dry skin type.    
• It comes in a 4 ounce (118 ml) bottle. That’s great as its single bottle can easily last you for 6 months to a year. But is this moisturizer worth taking the big risk of buying such a huge bottle? We believe so! However, we would love to see it in a smaller bottle too.

Things To Note:

• As it’s developed in the US, gets imported from the US, and comes in such a big bottle, it’s quite expensive than other moisturizers in the list. Also, importing from the US means it can take as long as a month to receive the product after you place an order on Amazon India (7-14 days are required just for product to get shipped from US after order’s placement).
• Using it simultaneously with another topical medication can lead to skin irritation and dryness. The manufacturer suggests to stop using it (or the other topical medication) in case that happens.
• While the product enjoys amazingly great reviews (and high popularity) amongst US audiences, the story is a little different in India. It enjoys very low popularity in India (price and delivery time), so we aren’t sure if it’s truly effective for Indian skin (due to less sample size).

Derma Essentia Mattifying Moisturizer For Oily, Sensitive and Acne Prone Skin

Check Price on Amazon

Derma Essentia Mattifying Moisturizer is a dermatologist-tested, lightweight, and pocket-friendly moisturizer that regulates oil production, hydrates & moisturizes skin, and mattifies skin shine. While it does enjoy great reviews amongst those with oily and combination skin type, it isn’t our favorite as it has no anti-acne ingredients, contains a highly comedogenic and a highly irritant compound, and is relatively less popular than many other moisturizers in the list.

• Target Skin Type: Oily & Combination
• Price*: Rs.375
• Popularity: Low
• Total Acne Fighting Ingredients: 0
• Non-Comedogenic: Debatable
• Mattifying Capability: Yes
• Acne-Relevancy: High
• Positive Acne-Reviews Percentage: High
• Other Benefits: Smoothening, Hydration, Anti-Pores Action
• Available On: Amazon, Flipkart, Nykaa, 1mg

What makes it a great moisturizer for dry acne-prone skin: While we couldn’t discover any anti-acne ingredients in its formulation, it does seem to work for acne (marketing placebo, maybe?). It enjoys a whopping 86.66% positive reviews on acne, which ranks it 5th best on our list. In one of the reviews, a doctor who had persistent growing acne and couldn’t heal it even after trying charcoal face wash, salicylic acid face masks, benzoyl peroxide soaps, antibiotic gels and tablets, miraculously stopped his acne just after using it for 2 months. However, we would have loved to see at least one proven acne fighting ingredient in its composition.

Other Things We Love About This Moisturizer:

• Works great for combination skin type. According to one of the Amazon reviewers, it can control oil on one’s T-zone for more than 5-6 hours.
• One of the very few moisturizers in the list to be dermatologically tested, meaning it meets a standardized set of skin safety requirements.
• Provides a host of skin benefits including reducing the unsightly appearance of dilated pores, soothing irritation, and making skin uniform and radiant.

Things To Note:

• Many Amazon customers complain of receiving a defective moisturizer piece (like issues with nozzle), so we recommend you to double check the product after receiving and bringing it to Amazon’s notice asap in case that happens.
• Derma Essentia Mattifying Moisturizer contains Laureth-4, a highly comedogenic and a highly irritant compound. That’s why we wonder if it should be even called a non-comedogenic moisturizer or dermatology tested.

RE’ EQUIL Oil Free Mattifying Moisturizer

Check Price on Amazon

Gel-based ultra-lightweight dermatologically-tested RE’ EQUIL Oil Free Mattifying Moisturizer is another great bet for those with oily and sensitive acne skin type. While it does offer a prolonged mattifying effect and provides a perfect hydration (neither makes skin greasy nor leaves it dry), again, like many other moisturizers for acne in this list, it also doesn’t contain any anti-acne ingredient. However, it does work for acne, as we read through in many Amazon reviews.

• Target Skin Type: Oily
• Price*: Rs.440
• Popularity: Medium
• Total Acne Fighting Ingredients: 0
• Non-Comedogenic: Yes
• Mattifying Capability: Yes
• Acne-Relevancy: Medium
• Positive Acne-Reviews Percentage: Medium
• Other Benefits: Pore Treatment, Oil Control
• Available On: Amazon, Flipkart, Nykaa, Tata CLiQ

What makes it a good moisturizer for dry acne-prone skin: Like Derma Essentia Mattifying Moisturizer, we couldn’t discover any acne controlling compound in its recipe. Again, we wonder how these companies are able to market their products for acne without having any anti-acne component in their product. Ignoring that though, RE’ EQUIL Moisturizer does seem to be working for acne. 72% reviewers had something good to say about it regarding its benefit for acne. Still, that’s low compared to many other moisturizers in our list. Again, we (still) can’t wrap our head around the fact that it contains no ant-acne component.

Other Things We Love About This Moisturizer:

• It comes in a water-based gel formulation, meaning it spreads easily, absorbs quickly & thoroughly, requires a small usage amount, and can be used in summers (just like Acrofy Moisturizer).
• According to the company (and many reviews), it’s able to provide a mattifying look for as long as 6 hours (more than any other moisturizer in our list), which means you won’t need to wash or wipe your face frequently when using it.
• It’s great for those with sensitive skin type as it’s SLS & Parabens free, contains clinically backed ingredients, and is non-comedogenic. However, it’s not odorless.

Aveeno Clear Complexion Daily Moisturizer

Check Price on Amazon

Targeted for dry sensitive acne-prone skin users, Aveeno Clear Complexion Daily Moisturizer, with dependable acne-reducing element salicylic acid, works beautifully against acne. Packing sunscreen in its formulation and offering mesmerizing fragrance, it’s also superb at treating uneven skin tone, blemishes, dark or poor complexion. However, it’s the most expensive moisturizer in our list and gets shipped from the US, so it can require a few weeks to be delivered to your doorstep. That being said, yes, it’s worth the wait and the price!

• Target Skin Type: Dry
• Price*: Rs.3109
• Popularity: High WorldWide, Low In India
• Total Acne Fighting Ingredients: 1
• Non-Comedogenic: Yes
• Mattifying Capability: No
• Acne-Relevancy: Medium
• Positive Acne-Reviews Percentage: High
• Other Benefits: Evens Out Skin Tone, Provides SunScreen Control
• Available On: Amazon, Flipkart (Showed “Currently Unavailable” When We Last Checked)

What makes it a great moisturizer for dry acne-prone skin: Like Clean & Clear Moisturizer, Aveeno Moisturizer contains a dependable acne reducing ingredient called “Salicylic Acid”. With it and its superb formulation, it’s able to rank 3rd in terms of having positive reviews regarding acne and pimples-issues.

Other Things We Love About This Moisturizer:

• For those with uneven skin tone, blemishes, dark or poor complexion, this is a magical product. It contains Glycine Soja Seed Extract through which it inhibits skin pigmentation, provides antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, and offers skin smoothing and softening properties.
• Goes well even for those with even extremely sensitive skin type, as it doesn’t contain aloe vera, chamomile, feverfew, shea butter and oils.
• Offers sunscreen control (with a decent SPF of 30), which is great for summers (and also great because you don’t need to apply sunscreen over it or buy a sunscreen in the first place). Yup, the only moisturizer in our list to offer that.
• Hate fragrances? Bet you won’t hate this moisturizers’ fragrance. That’s because we couldn’t find even a single review when anybody mentioned not liking its smell (instead everyone was adoring its fragrance to an extent we didn’t see for any other moisturizer in our list).

Things To Note:

• The manufacturer cautions the user to avoid using it simultaneously with any other topical acne medication or immediately after applying it as that may lead to irritation.
• This is the most expensive perfume in our list. Also, it gets imported from the US, so it can require a few weeks to be delivered to you. Only order this if you get time and patience.
• One of its ingredients, PPG-10 Cetyl Ether, is a little high on the comedogenicity scale. We advise you to first check the moisturizer before making it a full-time part of your routine (we did see a few reviews complaining of break out issues; might be due to it).
• Many reviewers complain about its applicator, as it pumps out more moisturizers than they need.

The Derma Coo Ceramide + HA Intense Face Moisturizer

Check Price on Amazon

There aren’t many great moisturizers for acne and blemish-prone skin. Dermatologically-tested moisturizing king

The Derma Coo Ceramide + HA Intense Face Moisturizer with acne reducing ingredient Phytosphingosine is a leading choice for such people. Free from mineral oil, dye, paraben, and sulfate (contains fragrance though), this hypoallergenic (not likely to cause an allergic reaction when used), pocket-friendly moisturizer is a great boon for those with having dull, irritated, wringly, or aged-skin.

• Target Skin Type: Dry, Normal, Combination
• Price*: Rs.313
• Popularity: Medium
• Total Acne Fighting Ingredients: 1
• Non-Comedogenic: Yes
• Mattifying Capability: No
• Acne-Relevancy: Medium
• Positive Acne-Reviews Percentage: High
• Other Benefits: Fine Lines & Wrinkles Treatment, Pigmentation Reduction, Moisturization
• Available On: Amazon, Flipkart, Nykaa

What makes it a great moisturizer for dry acne-prone skin: The moisturizer contains Phytosphingosine, a lipid which fights Propionibacterium acnes – an evil acne causing bacteria. Thanks to its anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial activities, it’s showing promise as a complementing active ingredient in treating acne-prone skin. And that’s evident from the fact that it enjoys a handsome 85.7% positive reviews relating to acne – fourth best in our list.

Other Things We Love About This Moisturizer:

• Contains as many as 6 good moisturizing ingredients which allow it to offer moisturization for a mind boggling 72 hours duration (highest of any moisturizer in the list). For people with dry skin, this is hands down the best option. Along with this prolonged moisturization, it offers perfect moisturization (neither makes skin oily nor leaves it dry).
• Packs 8 good skin-identical ingredients (nice ingredients that can be found in the skin or mimic the things that can be found in the skin naturally), which allows this moisturizer to calm irritated skin and slow the aging process. For those having dull, irritated, wringly, or aged-skin, this moisturizer should be a brilliant choice.

Aroma Magic Juniper Berry Oil Free Moisturizer

Check Price on Amazon

Wouldn’t it be wonderful to buy an all-natural summer-friendly moisturizer that even provides sunscreen control? Well, now, you can. Aroma Magic Juniper Berry Oil Free Moisturizer is a super-cheap moisturizer that not only  provides good results on oily acne-prone skin, but also lightens blemishes – all while leaving your skin well nourished, refreshed and brighter. But again, like many other moisturizers for acne in the list, we couldn’t discover any acne controlling ingredient in its formulation. Is that a dealbreaker for you? We will leave that on you to decide.

• Target Skin Type: Oily
• Price*: Rs.164
• Popularity: High
• Total Acne Fighting Ingredients: 0
• Non-Comedogenic: Yes
• Mattifying Capability: No
• Acne-Relevancy: Low
• Positive Acne-Reviews Percentage: Medium
• Other Benefits: Brightening, SunScreen Control
• Available On: Amazon, Flipkart, Nykaa, NetMeds

What makes it an okay moisturizer for acne-prone skin: Well, like many other moisturizers marketed for acne in our list, this one also does not contain any acne controlling ingredient. Also, it’s not really an acne specialized moisturizer, and only does just okay in terms of positive reviews percentage regarding acne. That’s why it occupies this low of a position in our list.

Other Things We Love About This Moisturizer:

• One of the best moisturizers for summer. That’s because it’s a lightweight moisturizer with water-like consistency that neither makes you feel heavy nor leaves any creamy glycerin type of feel on your skin. Also, it offers a decent sunscreen control (with SPF 15), which is super necessary during summers.
• One of the very few moisturizers in the list to just contain natural ingredients in its composition. It’s 100% free of petrochemicals, phthalates, toxic ingredients, parabens, artificial fragrance and color. For those who don’t like the idea of using artificial chemicals on their delicate skin, this one is undoubtedly a no-brainer.

Things To Note:

• It doesn’t offer prolonged or deep moisturization. So, those who want deep moisturization and hate to apply moisturizers multiple times a day, this may not be an ideal bet. Also, that means it may not be the best moisturizer for the winter season.
• There were very mixed opinions about its natural fragrance. Some people adored it, while some truly hated it. If you don’t like to use moisturizer with fragrance, you can go for odorless moisturizers like Acrofy Moisturizer.

Nua Oil-Free Gel Moisturizer

Check Price on Amazon

Amazon’s choice for Niacinamide-based moisturizers, Nua Oil-Free Gel Moisturizer is a lightweight, summer-friendly, budget-friendly moisturizer that not only controls acne but also boosts overall skin health. Co-created with acne-expert dermatologists, Nua Moisturizer provides deep hydration and is free from parabens, sulfates, and artificial color. Developed for all skin types, it’s both highly acne-specialized and highly praised for acne, making it a great moisturizer for acne sufferers.

• Target Skin Type: All
• Price*: Rs.379
• Popularity: Low
• Total Acne Fighting Ingredients:1
• Non-Comedogenic: Yes
• Mattifying Capability: No
• Acne-Relevancy: High
• Positive Acne-Reviews Percentage: High
• Other Benefits: Moisturization, Hydration, Oil-control
• Available On: Amazon, Flipkart, Nykaa, 1mg

What makes it a great moisturizer for acne-prone skin: Like Acrofy & Cipla Excela Moisturizer, Nua Oil-Free Gel Moisturizer contains credible acne reducing ingredient “Niacinamide”. We have talked about it multiple times in this article. Due to it and its overall great formulation, Nua moisturizer enjoys 100% positive reviews relating to acne (however, it only has few reviews, so the data is far from accurate).

Other Things We Love About This Moisturizer:

• Nua Moisturizer enjoys the “Amazon’s Choice” badge for “Niacinamide Moisturizer”, which is usually given to products with high-rating, high customer satisfaction, and low return rates. While some other moisturizers also had this label, they got this label for a certain keyword, not for a category. That’s surely an achievement.
• One of the very few moisturizers in the list which is compatible for all skin types. The Nua team says that their expert knowledge of monthly periods and hormones has allowed them to develop such well-balanced formulations.   
• Its lightweight oil-free gel-based formula makes it suitable for summer usage. In spite of all this, it’s still able to provide amazing hydration (absorbing water from the atmosphere or your skin and holding it in place on your skin).

Lotus Herbals Alphamoist Oil Free Moisturizer

Check Price on Amazon

Highly popular water-based all-weather friendly Lotus Herbals Alphamoist Oil Free Moisturizer might be a decent choice for those with oily or combination acne-prone skin. Why only decent? Because it contains parabens, many borderline comedogenic ingredients while having no acne-fighting ingredients. It may be a good choice for those who want to try a popular budget-friendly moisturizer. However, it’s not our favorite for acne-prone skin, as we sure believe there are better alternatives.

• Target Skin Type: Oily & Combination
• Price*: Rs.234
• Popularity: High
• Total Acne Fighting Ingredients:0
• Non-Comedogenic: Yes
• Mattifying Capability: No
• Acne-Relevancy: Low
• Positive Acne-Reviews Percentage: Medium
• Other Benefits: Nourishing, Anti-Pores Action
• Available On: Amazon, Flipkart, Nykaa, Myntra

What makes it an okay moisturizer for acne-prone skin: Yet again, we have a moisturizer that contains no acne-fighting ingredient. Even in its reviews, only 6% (the lowest in the list) people mention acne for it, although a good percentage of people have good to say about it concerning its acne-related results. However, it’s far from being our favorite, which is why it ranks pretty low in our list.

Other Things We Love About This Moisturizer:

• It’s an all-weather moisturizer that goes well both in winter as well as summers. That’s because it’s lightweight (water-based), non-greasy, and delivers intense nourishing moisturization.
• Its mild fragrance seems to be getting loved by users, as we discovered just the positive reviews about its fragrance.

Things To Note:

• Your skin may feel sweaty for a while after applying it.
• It may not go well for sensitive skin types as it contains many ingredients that are borderline comedogenic.
• It contains parabens (methyl paraben and propyl paraben) – chemicals which may interfere with the body’s hormone balance and cause allergic reactions in some users. If that rings a red alarm for you, we advise you to go through the list again, as we have a number of parabens-free moisturizers in the list.

WOW Skin Science Apple Cider Vinegar Moisturizer

Check Price on Amazon

Free of Mineral Oil, Silicones, Parabens and Color, WOW Skin Science Apple Cider Vinegar Moisturizer is a light, non-greasy, quick-absorbing that offers superior skin absorption, long lasting hydration but very mixed results for acne. While this sure may not be our favorite, we love it for its price, popularity, and all-skin compatibility.

• Target Skin Type: All
• Price*: Rs.279
• Popularity: High
• Total Acne Fighting Ingredients:0
• Non-Comedogenic: Yes
• Mattifying Capability: No
• Acne-Relevancy: Low
• Positive Acne-Reviews Percentage: Low
• Other Benefits: Hydration, Soothing, Oil Reducing, Redness Reducing
• Available On: Amazon, Flipkart, Nykaa, BigBasket

What makes it an okay moisturizer for acne-prone skin: Well, we don’t know again, as this moisturizer contains no anti-acne element. Also, in terms of acne-specialization score, and acne-related positive reviews, it ranks the lowest in our list, with only 50% reviews saying good about it regarding its anti-acne benefit.

Things To Note:

• Many reviewers complain that it makes their skin oily after application.
• It enjoys pretty mixed reviews related to acne. Some people got amazing positive results, while many got pimples, rashes and breakouts after using it.
• For those who want odorless moisturizer, or the one with a pretty nice fragrance, this may not be the best choice as it has a strong artificial fragrance, which a few reviewers were totally despising.

How we came up with this list of best moisturizers for acne-prone skin (and acne-effectiveness score)

1. Selection
We started by searching “moisturizers for acne” on both Amazon India and Google. We made sure they were moisturizers (many of the websites have covered gels, lotions under moisturizer-based articles), were meant for acne, and had at least some of the customer reviews with acne mentioned in them. After this first step, we had 20 moisturizers in the list. For all these selected moisturizers, we noted down the total number of Amazon ratings (Popularity), Amazon selling price, total number of Amazon reviews, number of acne mentions in reviews, acne reviews % (Acne-Relevancy), Positive Acne-Reviews Percentage.

Popularity: To define popularity, we looked at the number of reviews a product enjoys on Amazon. The moisturizers which had the most number of Amazon reviews, we gave them a high popularity score.

Acne-Relevancy: Most of the acne-based moisturizers shown in the list aren’t just meant for acne. They also provide other secondary benefits like moisturization, clarification or anti-aging. However, for those with acne issues, it’s important that the moisturizer is specialized in treating or reducing acne. Acne-relevancy term specifies this.

To calculate it, we made use of Amazon’s search functionality in reviews. We typed “acne” in it, and noted down how many times the term acne has been used in a moisturizer’s review. Then,

Acne-Relevancy Percentage= (Number of times acne term gets used in a moisturizer’s reviews/ Total number of reviews) * 100

Positive Acne-Reviews Percentage: While it’s important for moisturizer to be specialized in acne treatment, it’s also important for it to have a high percentage of positive reviews.

To calculate it, we divided the total number 4 and 5-star rated “acne-related” reviews with a total number of reviews (excluding neutral 3-star reviews number). Then,

Positive Acne-Reviews Percentage: (Total number of 4 and 5-star rated “acne-related” reviews/ Total number of reviews  (excluding neutral 3-star reviews number)) * 100

2. Elimination
Since we had 20 anti-acne moisturizers after the first step, and we needed just 15, we had to find some criteria to eliminate some of the moisturizers. To do that, we made use of parameters that we found in step 1: Popularity score, Acne-Relevancy score, and Positive Acne-Reviews score.

We eliminated 2 products which weren’t popular, 2 which had the lowest Acne-Relevancy score, and another 2 which scored the least Positive Acne-Reviews score. So, after this step, we just had 14 moisturizers to go with.

3. Deciding The Order
Now, we had to develop the basis for ranking these products. Which one is the best? That’s when we came up with the Acne-Effectiveness Score. Here’s how we calculated this:

Acne-Effectiveness Score = Popularity Score * Acne-Relevancy * Positive Acne-Reviews Percentage

An ideal anti-acne moisturizer would not only find acne mentions in a lot of its reviews, but must have a high percentage of great reviews in that. Also, for a moisturizer that has a lot of reviewers, the score would be much more accurate than something which enjoys a handful of reviews, right? That’s why all these elements matter in deciding the anti-acne power of a moisturizer.

With this formula, we decided the rank order of moisturizers. There were many mathematical adjustments we had to make to make at every step, and all of that can’t be explained. In case you want to explore the complete excel list, it’s available here.

Best Moisturizers For Acne Prone Skin-Related FAQs

Which is the overall best moisturizer for acne-prone skin?
All skin-compatible UrbanBotanics® Oil Free Moisturizer is the overall best moisturizer for acne-prone skin. It’s mattifying, water-based, and packs two reliable anti-acne ingredients. Plus, it’s free from the majority of irritants including Parabens, Phthalates, SLS, Propylene Glycol, PABA, and DEA.

What are the best water-based moisturizers for acne-prone skin?
Three best water-based moisturizers for acne-prone skin are:

What are the best mattifying moisturizers for acne-prone skin?
Again, UrbanBotanics® Oil Free Moisturizer, Acrofy Moisturizer, and Cipla Excela Moisturizer bag the top 3 spots for the best mattifying moisturizers for acne-prone skin.

What are the best moisturizers for OILY acne-prone skin?
Three best water-based moisturizers for oily acne-prone skin are:

What are the best moisturizers for combination-type acne-prone skin?
Three best water-based moisturizers for combination-type acne-prone skin are:

What are the best moisturizers for DRY acne-prone skin?
Two great moisturizers for DRY acne-prone skin are Clean & Clear Essentials Dual Action Moisturizer, and Aveeno Clear Complexion Daily Moisturizer. These moisturizers pack a special formula which is able to provide decent moisturization to even the dry skin type.

What are the best summer-friendly moisturizers for acne-prone skin?
Three best summer-friendly moisturizers for acne-prone skin are:

What are some of the best all-weather friendly moisturizers for acne-prone skin?
Some of the best all-weather friendly moisturizers for acne-prone skin are:

What are the best anti-acne moisturizers for SENSITIVE skin users?
Three best anti-acne moisturizers for SENSITIVE skin users are:

• UrbanBotanics® Oil Free Moisturizer
• Cipla Excela Moisturizer, and
• Mamaearth Oil-Free Moisturizer

What are the best odorless moisturizers for acne-prone skin?
UrbanBotanics® Oil Free Moisturizer & Cipla Excela Moisturizer are hands-down the two best odorless moisturizers for acne-prone skin.

What are the best dermatologists-tested/ dermatologists-recommended moisturizers for acne-prone skin?
Four best dermatologists-tested/ dermatologists-recommended moisturizers for acne-prone skin are:

• Acrofy Moisturizer for Acne-Prone Skin
• Cipla Excela Moisturizer
• RE’ EQUIL Oil Free Mattifying Moisturizer
• The Derma Co Ceramide + HA Intense Face Moisturizer

What are some of the best smelling moisturizers for acne-prone skin?
Some of the best smelling moisturizers for acne-prone skin are:

• UrbanBotanics® Oil Free Moisturizer
• Mamaearth Oil-Free Moisturizer
• Clean & Clear Essentials Dual Action Moisturizer
• Aveeno Clear Complexion Daily Moisturizer
• Lotus Herbals Alphamoist Oil Free Moisturizer

Is there a completely natural moisturizer for acne-prone skin?
Yes, Aroma Magic Juniper Berry Oil Free Moisturizer is the only moisturizer for acne-prone skin to just contain natural ingredients in its composition. It’s a water-based, summer-friendly, sunscreen controlling lightweight moisturizer; perfect for those who don’t like the idea of using artificial chemicals on their delicate skin.

Reviewed by
DR. B LAKSHMI DIVYA
Registration Number: 74576
MBBS, MD – Dermatology, MBBS, MD – Dermatology , Venereology & Leprosy