10 Best Face Masks for Acne 2024 | UK Dermatologist Reviewed
While it may be considered more of a teenage affliction, acne can strike at any age. Regardless of whether you're sixteen or sixty, keeping on top of constant breakouts, cystic acne, hormonal breakouts along the jawline, and blackheads can be infuriating! Our advice? If you're currently battling acne-prone, oily, or sensitive skin, it's time to seriously consider incorporating a face mask into your at-home skincare routine.
In this article, we explore the pore-clearing, redness-soothing and scar-healing potential of active ingredients such as retinol, kaolin clay and salicylic acid, and help you decide whether to go for a traditional mud pack or give a sheet mask or overnight treatment a go. We've also compiled a list of affordable cult and K-beauty faves available to buy on Amazon, eBay and Boots!
Quick List - Top Face Masks for Acne
Felipe Partarrieu is a dermatologist, who is GMC registered with a full licence to practise in the UK. Specialising in cosmeceuticals, facial skin care, and hair disorders, we worked with Felipe to bring you top quality information to help you make informed buying decisions and understand more about what goes onto your skin.
A recommendation service that carefully researches each product and consults with experts across many disciplines. We are constantly creating new content to provide the best shopping experience from choosing ‘cosmetics’ to ‘food and drink’, ‘home appliances’ to ‘kids and baby’ products, reaching users all across the United Kingdom.
The expert oversees the Buying Guide only, and does not determine the products and services featured.
With Specialist Consultation From Dermatologist Felipe Partarrieu
Felipe Partarrieu is a final year dermatology resident, who is GMC registered with a full licence to practise in the UK. Specialising in cosmeceuticals, facial skin care, and hair disorders, we worked with Felipe to bring you top quality information to help you make informed buying decisions and understand more about what goes onto your skin.
How to Choose a Face Mask for Acne in the UK
- Select a Mask According to Your Skin Type and Skincare Routine
- Choose the Right Active Ingredients Based on Your Acne Type
- Sensitive Skin Types Should Avoid Using Physical Exfoliants
Choose Between Clay, Sheet and Overnight Masks Based on Your Skin Type and Routine
Go For an Absorbing Clay Mask if You Have Oily Skin
Clay masks are a fantastic choice for oily acne-prone skin thanks to the properties of mineral clay, which work wonders when it comes to absorbing and drawing out excess oils. After cleansing, apply to your face, relax for a while, then finish by washing away with water or a damp facecloth.
Although they are typically sold in jars or pots, some clay masks come in squeezable tubes for easy application. If it does come in a pot, use a spoon or scoop to remove it from the container as dipping your fingers in and out can easily spread bacteria.
These masks can be a little tricky to apply by hand so you may want to use a brush, which can also help you target only the areas you require such as your T-zone. Make sure to always wash brushes, scoops, or spoons after each use.
Don't forget to moisturise after! Check out our best moisturisers for oily skin.
Clay removes impurities from the skin in 2 ways, by adsorption (adhesion of dissolved molecules to a surface) or by cation exchange (swapping of positively charged clay minerals for positively charged toxins which are then removed from your skin with the clay).
There are several types of clays, which vary in chemical composition, colour and origin; some being more adequate for different skin types. Remember that clay masks can dry your skin out, stimulating an increase in sebum production in your skin, so they must be used in moderation (1-3 times per week)
Pick a Sheet Mask for a Convenient, Non-Drying Quick Fix
Looking for an ultra-simple solution to your acne woes? Why not give a sheet mask a go? In comparison to clay masks, sheet masks are much less messy and don't need to be washed off, making them ideal for travel or when you're short on time.
A good option for dry or combination skin, the mask comes pre-soaked in a serum that can be patted in for instant hydration. Don't fear hydration just because you're acne-prone, as adequate moisturisation is essential for all skin types. Skin that lacks moisture tends to produce even more oil to compensate – resulting in, you guessed it, clogged pores and acne breakouts.
Sheet masks represent another 'vehicle' to deliver active ingredients, just like a lotion, serum, cream, or ointment. It is recommended to gently cleanse the face with warm water to open up the pores and let the ingredients seep in better.
However, given the relatively low concentration of active ingredients, this kind of vehicle can hold, you should be realistic with the results you could obtain from a sheet mask, especially compared to creams or lotions with similar active agents.
Try a Sleeping Pack for an Intense Overnight Treatment
Sleeping packs are a little different from other face masks. As the name suggests, you leave them on overnight and wash them off in the morning. Known for being a more intense and effective treatment, these masks usually have a gel or cream-like consistency and are designed to deliver the benefits of their active ingredients gradually while you sleep.
Unlike clay or sheet masks that are applied immediately after your cleanser, sleeping packs should be the last step of your nighttime skincare routine, so they're pretty easy to use even if you're feeling very lazy come bedtime!
Sleeping masks tend to have a higher concentration of active ingredients than night creams, making them ideal products when you want intensive treatment with 'little' effort, as most of the effects will happing during your sleep.
Identify Your Acne Type to Select the Right Active Ingredients
Use Masks Containing Salicylic Acid to Clear Closed Comedones and Whiteheads
A comedo is a hair follicle that has become clogged with oil, sebum and dead skin. Closed comedones and whiteheads occur when the blocked follicle is covered by a thin layer of skin. These take the appearance of small flesh coloured or white bumps, producing a raised and uneven texture.
A good ingredient to look for when buying a treatment mask for this type of acne is salicylic acid. Sometimes referred to as beta hydroxy acid or BHA, it works as a chemical exfoliant. Salicylic acid can penetrate deep into the pores, thus dissolving the build-up of dead cells beneath the skin.
Discover our favourite non-comedogenc foundations!
Salicylic acid is an oil-soluble agent, meaning it can reach the deeper portion of the pores. This makes it a suitable ingredient for targeting the removal of dead skin cells on the surface of oily and blemish-prone skin. In general, salicylic acid masks should not be left on the skin for more than 10 minutes.
Choose Formulas With Chemical Exfoliants to Treat Blackheads
In contrast to whiteheads, blackheads are clogged comedones that are open at the surface of the skin. You may have seen videos online of people using various methods to extract blackheads in an attempt to clear 'dirt' from the pore, but this dark pimple head isn't actually dirt at all! In fact, it is simply skin cells and oils that have undergone oxidation after being exposed to oxygen in the air.
The best way to treat blackheads is not to squeeze them out, but to dissolve away the plug. You can do this by using masks containing chemical exfoliants. A few skin-safe, naturally-occurring acids to look for are salicylic acid and alpha hydroxy acids (known as AHA's), such as glycolic or lactic acid.
Alpha hydroxy acids (AHA), such as glycolic and lactic acid, have been recognized as adjuvant therapy in a variety of skin conditions, including acne. One of the mechanisms of acne is follicular hyperkeratosis, meaning an excess of skin cells and low turnover that leads to accumulation of debris, clogging and formation of comedones.
In low concentrations, like the ones found in masks, AHAs show desquamating (peeling) properties, reduction in skin cells cohesion and plugging, which enables the inflammatory contents to be excreted from the pore, leading to the disappearance of comedones.
For Cystic Acne, Give Kaolin and Bentonite Clay Masks a Go
Cysts, nodules and pustules are large, inflamed and often painful bumps that develop deep in the skin. One of the more severe types of acne, these are usually the result of excess oil production. To treat this type of acne, you'll want something that can draw out all the gunk without further irritating the skin.
We recommend masks containing kaolin or bentonite clay, as these ingredients do an excellent job at purging excess oils to help prevent further breakouts. Retinoids also offer various benefits to cystic acne sufferers. Derived from vitamin A, retinoids help increase collagen production to lessen the appearance of hyper-pigmentation and acne scarring.
Kaolin and bentonite are probably the most well-known sorts of clay. Bentonite is derived from volcanic ash and is known for its astringent, soothing and anti-bacterial properties, making it ideal for congested and oily skin. Given its high absorbing power, it's recommended to use it once a week only.
Kaolin is a soft white clay used in the manufacture of porcelain with less absorbent power than other clays, but has exfoliating and moisturising properties, making it more adequate for sensitive or dry skin. It is important to note that cystic acne requires prompt and aggressive treatment to avoid scarring and clay masks are only accessories to pharmacological treatment.
Avoid Masks That Contain Physical Exfoliants or Scrubs if You Have Inflamed or Sensitive Skin
When dealing with an acne breakout, you may be tempted to try and scrub away the excess oils. Granted, exfoliation is a key process in beating acne, but if you're considering a physical exfoliant then stop right there!
You'll likely come across multiple face masks containing physical exfoliants, which are large, gritty particles comprised of ingredients like salt, sugar or plastic microbeads. These masks are too abrasive for acne-prone skin, and don't remove congestion from beneath its surface, which leads to blackheads and whiteheads.
What's worse is that they can create tears, damaging the skin's protective barrier and letting in even more pore-clogging bacteria! We recommend ditching the scrubs and sticking to chemical exfoliants instead, like each product featured in our ranking.
Physical exfoliants leave your skin feeling soft and smooth, but they often are not the best exfoliant choice for acne-prone skin. Therefore, gentle physical exfoliation should be reserved for non-inflamed oily skin on the face or for other areas with thicker skin, such as the chest or back.
Although physical exfoliation can help to reduce the appearance and shorten the resolution time of comedones, the friction involved in the process can disrupt the skin barrier and irritate already inflamed skin, which leads to further breakouts.
10 Best Face Masks for Acne in the UK
Products | Image | Click to purchase | Key features | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | La Roche-Posay Effaclar Purifying Clay Mask | | A Powerful Pore-Cleaning Mask With Kaolin | |
2 | Dr. Jart+ Dermask Clearing Solution Mask | | The Best Sheet Mask for Clearing Blackheads | |
3 | Bulldog Oil Control Face Mask for Men | | A Budget-Friendly Treatment to Help With Cystic Acne | |
4 | The Ordinary Salicylic Acid 2% Masque | | Charcoal and Clay Infused Formula for Blemish-Prone Skin | |
5 | Baxter of California AHA Clay Mask | | A Weekly Maintenance Mask Ideal for Sporadic or Hormonal Acne | |
6 | BDL Green Tea Face Mask | | Detox and Brighten With Green Tea Infused Clay | |
7 | Avène Eau Thermale Cleanance Mask Scrub | | 3-in-1 Mask-Scrub Suitable for Oily, Blemish-Prone Skin | |
8 | Skin Republic Age Defying Retinol Hydrogel Face Mask | | A Great Choice to Combat Scarring and Hyper-Pigmentation | |
9 | Glow Recipe Watermelon Glow Sleeping Mask | | A Jelly-Like Sleeping Mask With a Sweet Watermelon Scent | |
10 | Sand & Sky Australian Pink Clay Porefining Face Mask Set | | An Instagram-Famous Clay Mask for Clear Skin and Tighter Pores |
A Powerful Pore-Cleaning Mask With Kaolin
If you're looking for a mask that's sure to get rid of all the gunk clogging up your pores, you'll want to try this clay mask from La Roche-Posay. Not only does the combination of kaolin and argilla cut through oil and sebum, but Panthenol B reduces the risk of sebum glands being over-stimulated.
This dermatological clay mask is known to control shine and effectively cleanse impurities caused by pollution. It's specifically formulated for oily, blemish-prone and sensitive skin in both adults and teenagers, and overall it's pretty powerful!
The Best Sheet Mask for Clearing Blackheads
Korean skincare brand Dr. Jart+ are known for their range of skin-balancing and healing face masks. We've chosen the Dermask Clearing Solution Mask as our number one choice for clearing blackheads.
The lightweight sheet mask comes saturated in a solution that's packed with active ingredients: salicylic acid penetrates deep into the pores to clear congestion, glutathione helps protect against cellular damage, and niacinamide works to minimise pores and improve the appearance of uneven skin tone.
A Budget-Friendly Treatment to Help With Cystic Acne
Bulldog's Control Face Mask for Men may be marketed towards gents, but is a fantastic pick for anyone with oily skin. The mild formulation contains kaolin clay to draw out sebum, alongside the astringent properties of witch hazel to reduce inflammation and shrink down pores.
The product is contained within a handy, hygienic squeeze tube and has a light herbal fragrance that's not too strong or overpowering. In conclusion, it's a budget-friendly option that works just as well as many high-end masks!
Charcoal and Clay Infused Formula for Blemish-Prone Skin
This 2% salicylic acid mask by The Ordinary is formulated to even out dull skin tones and irregularities in skin texture. Infused with charcoal and clays, the mask is aimed at improving the skin's overall appearance, enhancing its smoothness for clear skin.
These ingredients are renowned for their deep cleansing abilities, going as deep as the pores to remove impurities. Additionally, salicylic acid makes it ideal for removing dead skin cells off the surface of oily and blemish-prone skin in order to reveal a more radiant complexion after use.
A Weekly Maintenance Mask Ideal for Sporadic or Hormonal Acne
Baxter of California's AHA clay mask is a great product for skin maintenance. If you tend to experience mild or sporadic acne breakouts, this is the one for you. The blend of bentonite and kaolin clay keeps on top of excess oil production, and the AHA helps improve your overall skin texture.
The mask only takes 5 to 10 minutes to work its magic, so is easily incorporated into any skincare regime. After rinsing off, Baxter of California suggests following up with their oil-free moisturiser for soft, glowing skin.
Detox and Brighten With Green Tea Infused Clay
The Detox clay mask by BDL utilises the anti-inflammatory and anti-microbial properties of green tea extracts to treat acne-prone skin. Better yet, the polyphenols, a type of micronutrient found in green tea, may even help to reduce sebum secretion to prevent future breakouts.
A top choice for improving facial dullness and brightening skin tone, this mask helps to effectively clean skin pores, adjusts skin's water and oil balance, and calms inflammation, leaving your skin feeling soft and hydrated. What's more, the unique rotating head design allows for hygienic and easy use!
3-in-1 Mask-Scrub Suitable for Oily, Blemish-Prone Skin
In addition to mattifying and exfoliating pores, this multi-tasking clarifying scrub-mask also deeply cleans, decreases the appearance of blemishes, and absorbs excess oil for oily, blemish-prone skin. It also helps to soothe and improve skin tone and clarity.
Packed with ingredients to regulate sebum production and managing redness, added AHA and BHA exfoliates dead skin cells to reveal smoother skin. This mask-scrub is also formulated with Avene's Thermal Spring Water, which leaves skin feeling smooth and soft. And, it's really easy to use - simply leave on for 5 minutes and rinse.
Skin Republic Age Defying Retinol Hydrogel Face Mask
A Great Choice to Combat Scarring and Hyper-Pigmentation
Even if you've managed to stop your skin breaking out, it's normal to be left with some degree of scarring and hyper-pigmentation. If you're looking for a mask to help repair the damage and get your skin looking its best, we recommend the Age Defying Retinol Hydrogel face mask by Skin Republic.
One of the most affordable retinoid-containing sheet masks on the market, this amazing active ingredient can help boost natural collagen production, reducing the appearance of scarring and lightening dark spots.
A Jelly-Like Sleeping Mask With a Sweet Watermelon Scent
Glow Recipe's Watermelon Sleeping Pack works through the night to clear dirt, oil and dead skin cells from deep within the layers of the skin. The jelly-like consistency feels cooling and hydrating without being greasy, and has a delicious candy-sweet watermelon scent.
Use it on its own or alongside a clay or sheet mask as part of your weekly skincare routine. Prices for this product vary online, so you may want to compare listings to find a bargain if it's a little expensive for you.
Sand & SkyAustralian Pink Clay Porefining Face Mask Set
An Instagram-Famous Clay Mask for Clear Skin and Tighter Pores
An influencer favourite and social media sensation, Sky & Sand's Australian Pink Clay lives up to the hype! It only takes 10 minutes to work, and can even be used as a spot treatment for shrinking surprise zits.
The formula includes kaolin and bentonite alongside a host of other oil-absorbing clays and beneficial minerals, plus it comes with a free application brush. The biggest drawback is that it's a little pricey for only 60 g, but if you're willing to spend the money it's worth every penny.
Tips on Getting the Most out of Your Face Mask
Applying a face mask every day is not necessary (doing so can strip the skin of beneficial natural oils) so you need only use one 1-3 times a week. Always use a mask after washing your face with a water-based cleanser, then gently pat skin dry with a clean towel. Masks need to be left on anywhere from 10 to 40 minutes, so make sure you follow each product's instructions and get comfortable!
Looking for a reliable face wash for acne prone skin? We have just the suggestions!
If you're using a mask that contains chemical exfoliants for the first time, you will want to start off slowly – once per week for the first few weeks is advised. Be aware that chemical exfoliation can make the skin slightly more sensitive to the sun, so don't forget to apply sunscreen when out and about, even in winter.
Fed up with having a bathroom cabinet full of products that don't actually work for you? Check out our other skincare guides for acne-prone and oily skin, all with our usual informative tips and tricks, easy-to-use comparison tables and top 10 rankings.
Written and researched by Wren Mann
Top 5 Face Masks for Acne
No. 1: La Roche-Posay｜Effaclar Purifying Clay Mask
No. 2: Dr. Jart+ ｜Dermask Clearing Solution Mask
No. 3: Bulldog ｜Oil Control Face Mask for Men
No. 4: The Ordinary｜Salicylic Acid 2% Masque
No. 5: Baxter of California ｜AHA Clay Mask
View Full RankingThe descriptions of each product are referenced from content available on manufacturer, brand, and e-commerce sites.
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