Acne Body Washes Are the Skincare MVP for My Smooth, Sexy Skin Year-Round

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From buttne and chestne to neckne and backne, body breakouts happen, regardless of your age. If you're noticing pimples, strawberry skin, or even rough texture that doesn't want to disappear, I highly recommend reaching for one of the best acne body washes. The good news: There are plenty to choose from, drugstore formulas for under $10 are super effective, and they start working more quickly than you'd think.

More good news: Treating mild to moderate body acne can easily be accomplished by making a few lifestyle changes (think using clean towels and pillowcases and showering directly after sweating or a workout), in addition to incorporating some of the best acne body washes on the market into your skincare routine. “Benzoyl peroxide, salicylic acid, and glycolic acid washes are very helpful,” explains board-certified dermatologist Karan Lal, DO. “They loosen up the skin cells that contribute to acne.”

What should you look for when shopping for an acne body wash? "The acne-fighting ingredient and its concentration are typically printed on the back of the bottle," says Carmen Castilla, M.D., a board-certified dermatologist at New York Dermatology Group in New York City. "[Salicylic acid and benzoyl peroxide] come in different strengths and have the potential to cause irritation. If you have sensitive, dry, or eczema-prone skin, it’s best to start with a lower-percentage formula." And make sure to keep an eye out for additional skin barrier-supporting ingredients like ceramides, hyaluronic acid, or glycerin, she adds.

There are countless options on the market, so I did the hard work ahead of time by testing, evaluating, and rounding up the best acne body washes you can buy. Ahead, dermatologists' and editors' 12 favorite acne body washes.

The Best Acne Body Washes

Victor Malzahn before and after testing Cerave acne body wash

Victor Malzahn testing CeraVe's SA Body Wash for Rough & Bumpy Skin.

(Image credit: Victor Malzahn)

before and after sudsing neutrogena body clear pink grapefruit wash

Catharine Malzahn testing Neutrogena's Body Clear Pink Grapefruit Acne Body Wash.

(Image credit: Catharine Malzahn)

before and after testing panoxyl acne foaming wash

Catharine Malzahn testing PanOxyl's Acne Foaming Wash for Face & Body 10% Benzoyl Peroxide.

(Image credit: Catharine Malzahn)

catharine malzahn before and after testing murad acne body wash on her back

Catharine Malzahn testing Murad's Acne Control Acne Body Wash.

(Image credit: Catharine Malzahn)

before and after lathering sol de janeiro acne body wash

Catharine Malzahn testing Sol de Janeiro's Bom Dia Bright Clarifying AHA BHA Body Wash.

(Image credit: Catharine Malzahn)

Does Acne Body Wash Actually Work?

Yes, acne body wash is absolutely effective, but with some caveats. You want to be cognizant of the cause and type of your acne, your skin type, and more. For best results, pay attention to the ingredients. "Salicylic acid works well for blackheads because it penetrates the pores and helps dissolve dead skin and oil clogging them," says Dr. Castilla. "Benzoyl peroxide works by killing C. acnes the bacteria that leads to acne development and also has some anti inflammatory properties."

Acne body washes, like anything else, will only work if you're consistent. Imagine if you went to the gym three times and expected to walk out with a six-pack. It takes time, and the same goes for your skincare. "You should have to use the wash for at least four weeks before you can expect to see any improvement. They work best for mild to moderate acne."

If you're dealing with severe or cystic acne, these "often won't respond to an acne body wash alone," says Dr. Castilla. "If your acne is not responding with consistent use, the acne is very severe, you are seeing scarring, or it is spreading rapidly, it's best to be evaluated by a board-certified dermatologist."

How to Use an Acne Body Wash

If you're prone to body acne, make sure you're showering at least once per day—and definitely after sweating or going to the gym. Once you've rinsed your body with water, use a generous amount of product all over your body. Because the skin on your body is a bit thicker than that on your face, you might want to consider letting the acne-fighting formula sit on the skin for three to five minutes before rinsing it off, as long as it isn't causing any sensitivity or redness.

What Ingredients Should I Look For in Acne Body Wash?

Think of an acne body wash the same way you think of an acne face wash—it’s a short-term contact therapy treatment. Your body's skin can handle something a bit more intense than your face, so you might find higher concentrations of active ingredients. Products with salicylic acid helps, and chances are you’ll also find additional AHAs, BHAs, or natural alternatives in the mix, such as glycolic acid, lactic acid, or tea tree extract.

It also helps to make sure you check the labels on your shampoo and conditioner, as some contain pore-clogging ingredients that could be the cause of your body acne. Check that the label says "oil-free" or "non-comedogenic."

Benzoyl peroxide has long been a popular ingredient for acne treatment thanks to its bacteria-killing ability. However, a recent study proposes that, when exposed to very high temperatures, it can break down into benzene, a known carcinogen. "Although this is disheartening news about a very effective medication, these results were found by one lab," board-certified dermatologist Jessica Dowling, MD previously shared with Marie Claire. "There have been no official recalls of these products and there has been no public response from the FDA." While more data is absolutely needed to verify these findings, if you're more comfortable with an alternative, there are plenty others to choose from.

Should I Use a Chemical or Physical Acne Body Wash?

Exfoliant options typically fall into one of two camps: They’ll be a physical exfoliant (think: grainy particles you manually scrub onto your skin) or a chemical exfoliant (think: acids like salicylic or glycolic). It is largely a personal preference, but Dr. Lal is partial to the latter. “I don’t recommend physical exfoliation for acne or folliculitis,” he says. “Chemical exfoliation is the way to go and washes are an easy way to do this. It allows for therapeutic intervention without irritation and dryness.”

Why Trust Marie Claire

For more than 30 years, Marie Claire has been an internationally recognized destination for news, fashion, and beauty trends, investigative packages, and more. When it comes to the products Marie Claire recommends, we take your faith in us seriously. Every product that we feature comes personally recommended by a Marie Claire writer or editor, or by an expert we’ve spoken to firsthand.

How We Tested

To find the absolute best acne body washes, Contributing Beauty Writer Catharine Malzahn interviewed dermatologists, asking them what makes a standout acne body wash, if they really work, and what to look for when shopping for one. The derms and and Marie Claire editors shared their go-to products, narrowing it down to the 12 best products you can buy. When evaluating the acne body washes, she took into consideration aspects like scent, efficacy, lather, ingredients, and more.

Meet the Experts

dermatologist headshot
Karan Lal, D.O.

Originally from New York City, he grew up in Queens and attended Hunter Science High School in Manhattan. He graduated summa cum laude from the New York Institute of Technology, where he completed a rigorous seven-year accelerated combined medical program. He was selected to be an academic medical scholar, during which he received a Master of Science in neuroscience and a scholarship for three years of medical school and graduate training. He was elected to the Sigma Sigma Phi and Psi Sigma Alpha medical honor societies. He completed his internal medicine internship at the University of Connecticut Medical Center where he was elected intern of the year. He completed a three-year dermatology residency at the University of Massachusetts, where he was elected chief resident. He continued at the University of Massachusetts to complete a pediatric dermatology fellowship, where he gained an interest in vascular anomalies, pediatric laser, and dermatologic surgery of pediatric patients. Dr. Lal specializes in pediatric and adult dermatology, laser surgery, soft tissue filler augmentation, body sculpting, melanocyte keratinocyte transplant surgery for vitiligo and hypopigmentation, pigmentary abnormalities of the skin and enjoys treating patients from birth onwards. He is an expert in atopic dermatitis, vitiligo, melasma, psoriasis, and hidradenitis and has worked in specialty clinics among experts. He is the only board-certified pediatric and fellowship-trained cosmetic dermatologist in the country.

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Jessica Dowling, MD

Jessica R. Dowling, M.D., is a medical and cosmetic dermatologist at the Skin Institute of New York (SINY). Dr. Dowling treats both adult and pediatric dermatology patients at SINY’s offices in the West Village of Manhattan and the Park Slope area of Brooklyn. Furthermore, Dr. Dowling is a committed educator, currently serving as a clinical instructor of Dermatology at NYU, where she teaches residents about medical and cosmetic dermatology in weekly clinics.

After graduating with a Bachelor of Arts degree from Vanderbilt University, Dr. Dowling earned her medical degree from Florida Atlantic University Schmidt College of Medicine. During her time in medical school, she was inducted into the prestigious Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society. Subsequently, Dr. Dowling completed her dermatology residency at SUNY Downstate in Brooklyn, NY, where she held the position of Chief Resident of Cosmetic Dermatology and the Estée Lauder Research Fellow. She has presented her research at numerous national conferences and has multiple publications in peer-reviewed journals. Additionally, she is an active member of the American Academy of Dermatology.

A woman with brown hair wearing medical scrubs, Dr. Carmen Castilla, crosses her arms and smiles in a headshot.
Carmen Castilla, MD

Born in the city of Almeria in Andalusia, Spain and raised in New York, Carmen Castilla, M.D., is a Manhattan-based, board-certified dermatologist specializing in personalized, patient-centered treatment plans in cosmetic and medical dermatology. Dr. Castilla graduated cum laude from New York University, with a degree in studio art-photography and minor in psychology. After serving as a volunteer in an emergency room, she was inspired to pursue a career in medicine. She attended Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, where she was a member of the highest honor society - Alpha Omega Alpha. She then completed her internship in internal medicine at the renowned Brigham and Women’s HospitalHarvard Medical School in Boston and her dermatology training at New York University Langone Hospital, one of the top-ranked programs in the country. Her interest in art naturally led her to dermatology, and this background has enhanced her clinical practice. Like art and photography, dermatology is a visual field which relies on pattern recognition to make a diagnosis or stylistic judgement to make things appear optimally beautiful. Art hones these observational skills, uniquely strengthening her abilities in dermatology. Her work in aesthetics, especially, is benefitted by a keen eye to notice subtleties, manipulating light and shadow to improve outcomes. As an internationally-recognized thought leader in skincare, and holistic medicine, she has published numerous papers and textbook chapters, is an expert source for media, and has a passion for sharing her evidence-based knowledge. She has frequently presented at conferences, including most recently, at the DASIL World Congress in Mexico City to speak about nutrition in dermatology. Finally, she remains a clinical instructor at Mount Sinai Hospital and is committed to advancing the field of dermatology by teaching advanced technologies and cutting-edge techniques.

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Catharine Malzahn
Catharine Malzahn
Contributing Beauty Writer

Catharine Malzahn is a freelance beauty editor and writer. She has more than half a decade of experience covering everything from skincare and makeup to spas and injectables. Previously, she held editorial positions at Good Housekeeping, Woman's Day, and Prevention; you can find her work in those publications and in Glamour, Byrdie, InStyle, PS Beauty, NewBeauty, CR Fashion Book, Makeup.com, Skincare.com, and more. When she's not writing or testing beauty products, you can find her cooking, trying a new restaurant, or reapplying sunscreen. A SoCal native, she received her BA in journalism from the University of Southern California's Annenberg School For Communication and Journalism.

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