Anyone with acne-prone skin knows the struggle of finding a skincare routine that doesn’t clog pores, cause uncomfortable dryness, or irritate breakouts even more. Building an acne skincare routine that’s gentle yet effective can be tricky. You want products that keep pores clear, sebum in check, and redness soothed without any flaky, peeling side effects. Challenging? Yes. But we’ve got you covered.
At Haruharu Wonder, we formulate for all skin types, including blemish-prone skin. That said, some of our products are especially suited for dealing with pimples and clogged pores. If you’re looking for our best skincare for acne-prone skin, there are four products we definitely recommend adding to your routine. Get to know our acne skincare heroes below.
Which K-beauty skincare products are good for acne-prone skin?
To keep acne-prone skin healthy and balanced, we recommend looking for products that do one of two things: calm or exfoliate. Calming formulas will help gently address the redness from inflamed, active breakouts so they can heal faster. Exfoliating options can sweep away buildup and impurities while ensuring your pores stay clear instead of getting clogged. Exfoliants are also essential after your breakouts heal, since they can help post-acne dark marks fade faster.
How to Do a Skincare Routine for Acne-Prone Skin
We recommend this routine for anyone with breakouts, whether you’re experiencing a stray cystic pimple or are acne-prone in general. It’s also a great routine if you have oily skin or want to target blackheads, whiteheads, and clogged pores.
Step 1: Cleanse
Cleansing is the essential first step to any skincare routine. Not only does it ensure your face is free from impurities and buildup, it also creates a clean canvas so your products can absorb effectively. The right cleanser should help keep your sebum levels in check without stripping your skin. To get the job done, stick to our Black Rice Triple AHA Gentle Cleansing Gel. This gentle, exfoliating cleansing gel is packed with a triple AHA (alpha-hydroxy acid) blend that delicately removes dead skin cells, helps regulate oil, and deep-cleans pores. We formulated it with a low pH so it won’t feel harsh on your skin, even if you use it daily.
“I love how it cleanses and exfoliates in one step,” says our team member Tamara. “It definitely helps the rest of my routine absorb better.”
Step 2: Exfoliate
Next, it’s time to grab your exfoliating toner. When it comes to exfoliants, you want to make sure you don’t overdo it and damage your skin barrier. Our recommendation? Try our Centella 3% PHA Gentle Liquid Exfoliating Serum, which is gentle enough to apply every single day. PHA (poly-hydroxy acid) is an especially mild acid, giving you a boost of pore-clearing benefits without irritation. We paired it with orange water for a gentle dose of brightening vitamin C, and you can apply the fluid formula just like toner. This is also a great formula for helping fade dark spots and boosting glow.
“I really like how gentle this exfoliant is for everyday use, yet it still does a great job at sloughing off dead skin cells and leaving my skin feeling smooth and revitalized,” says our team member Eunjeong. “The addition of PHA makes it an excellent option for sensitive skin like mine. After using it a few times, my skin looks and feels clearer.”
If you want to swap this out for a more hydrating option in your AM or PM routine, we also like pairing it with our Black Rice Probiotics Barrier Essence. This hydrating toner gives you pore-friendly moisture that doesn’t feel heavy or greasy. “It works as a toner, essence, and moisturizer in one and leaves a beautiful glow to my skin,” says our team member Claire.
Step 3: Moisturize
Yes, acne-prone skin needs hydration too! If you’ve struggled with finding an acne-friendly moisturizer in the past you need to try our Centella 5% Niacinamide Radiance Gel Cream. Not only does it absorb in seconds and deliver non-greasy hydration, it’s also formulated with powerful ingredients that help soothe, support your skin barrier, and target hyperpigmentation. Along with calming Centella asiatica leaf water, it also contains niacinamide and vitamin C, two ingredients that are essential in balancing sebum, boosting glow, and helping your complexion look more even and smooth.
“I love that it’s lightweight and doesn’t clog my acne-prone skin,” says Claire. “The combination of niacinamide and vitamin C is perfect for targeting dark spots.” To ensure this formula delivers what it promises, we even put it to the test. It’s clinically proven to improve skin brightness by 4.459%, skin surface pigmentation by 32.822%, and inner skin pigmentation by 30.457%.* If your acne skincare routine doesn’t include this, update it immediately.
*In a clinical trial of 20 subjects after 4 weeks of use.
Step 4: Protect
As a Korean skincare brand, we’ll always tell you to wear your sunscreen every single day. If you hate the greasy feel of traditional SPF formulas, you’re going to love our Haruharu Wonder Black Rice Moisture Airyfit Daily Sunscreen. This light-as-air formula absorbs in seconds, hydrates without getting greasy, and dries down to a natural satin finish that layers beautifully under makeup. It’s also clinically proven to improve skin texture after exposure to UV rays and soothe damaged skin after exposure to UV rays.*
*In a clinical trial of 21 subjects after 2 weeks of use.
“It doesn’t clog my pores at all,” says our team member Annalisa. “I love that my skin feels like it can breathe without the day. And it has additional skincare benefits from the antioxidant-rich black rice.”
With these acne products on your bathroom shelf, your blemishes and blackheads are handled. It can also supplement prescription retinoids and acne treatments from your doctor without irritating your skin. Bye, breakouts.
Meet the Author
Haruharu Wonder contributor Sarah Y. Wu has a decade of experience in the industry as a beauty editor, copy director, and brand consultant. Her bylines have appeared in outlets including Teen Vogue, Forbes, Allure, Marie Claire, Glamour, NYLON, Bustle, The Zoe Report, Vogue, WWD, and Byrdie. She’s also the copywriter and copy director for some of your favorite skincare, fragrance, and makeup brands. While she’s tried thousands of products over the course of her career, she’ll always save a spot in her beauty routine for Haruharu Wonder’s Black Rice Bakuchiol Eye Cream and Centella Sunflower Makeup-Melting Cleansing Balm. Connect with her on Instagram @say.wu.
If You Have Acne-Prone Skin, Try This Skincare Routine
Anyone with acne-prone skin knows the struggle of finding a skincare routine that doesn’t clog pores, cause uncomfortable dryness, or irritate breakouts even more. Building an acne skincare routine that’s gentle yet effective can be tricky. You want products that keep pores clear, sebum in check, and redness soothed without any flaky, peeling side effects. Challenging? Yes. But we’ve got you covered.
At Haruharu Wonder, we formulate for all skin types, including blemish-prone skin. That said, some of our products are especially suited for dealing with pimples and clogged pores. If you’re looking for our best skincare for acne-prone skin, there are four products we definitely recommend adding to your routine. Get to know our acne skincare heroes below.
Which K-beauty skincare products are good for acne-prone skin?
To keep acne-prone skin healthy and balanced, we recommend looking for products that do one of two things: calm or exfoliate. Calming formulas will help gently address the redness from inflamed, active breakouts so they can heal faster. Exfoliating options can sweep away buildup and impurities while ensuring your pores stay clear instead of getting clogged. Exfoliants are also essential after your breakouts heal, since they can help post-acne dark marks fade faster.
How to Do a Skincare Routine for Acne-Prone Skin
We recommend this routine for anyone with breakouts, whether you’re experiencing a stray cystic pimple or are acne-prone in general. It’s also a great routine if you have oily skin or want to target blackheads, whiteheads, and clogged pores.
Step 1: Cleanse
Cleansing is the essential first step to any skincare routine. Not only does it ensure your face is free from impurities and buildup, it also creates a clean canvas so your products can absorb effectively. The right cleanser should help keep your sebum levels in check without stripping your skin. To get the job done, stick to our Black Rice Triple AHA Gentle Cleansing Gel. This gentle, exfoliating cleansing gel is packed with a triple AHA (alpha-hydroxy acid) blend that delicately removes dead skin cells, helps regulate oil, and deep-cleans pores. We formulated it with a low pH so it won’t feel harsh on your skin, even if you use it daily.
“I love how it cleanses and exfoliates in one step,” says our team member Tamara. “It definitely helps the rest of my routine absorb better.”
Step 2: Exfoliate
Next, it’s time to grab your exfoliating toner. When it comes to exfoliants, you want to make sure you don’t overdo it and damage your skin barrier. Our recommendation? Try our Centella 3% PHA Gentle Liquid Exfoliating Serum, which is gentle enough to apply every single day. PHA (poly-hydroxy acid) is an especially mild acid, giving you a boost of pore-clearing benefits without irritation. We paired it with orange water for a gentle dose of brightening vitamin C, and you can apply the fluid formula just like toner. This is also a great formula for helping fade dark spots and boosting glow.
“I really like how gentle this exfoliant is for everyday use, yet it still does a great job at sloughing off dead skin cells and leaving my skin feeling smooth and revitalized,” says our team member Eunjeong. “The addition of PHA makes it an excellent option for sensitive skin like mine. After using it a few times, my skin looks and feels clearer.”
If you want to swap this out for a more hydrating option in your AM or PM routine, we also like pairing it with our Black Rice Probiotics Barrier Essence. This hydrating toner gives you pore-friendly moisture that doesn’t feel heavy or greasy. “It works as a toner, essence, and moisturizer in one and leaves a beautiful glow to my skin,” says our team member Claire.
Step 3: Moisturize
Yes, acne-prone skin needs hydration too! If you’ve struggled with finding an acne-friendly moisturizer in the past you need to try our Centella 5% Niacinamide Radiance Gel Cream. Not only does it absorb in seconds and deliver non-greasy hydration, it’s also formulated with powerful ingredients that help soothe, support your skin barrier, and target hyperpigmentation. Along with calming Centella asiatica leaf water, it also contains niacinamide and vitamin C, two ingredients that are essential in balancing sebum, boosting glow, and helping your complexion look more even and smooth.
“I love that it’s lightweight and doesn’t clog my acne-prone skin,” says Claire. “The combination of niacinamide and vitamin C is perfect for targeting dark spots.” To ensure this formula delivers what it promises, we even put it to the test. It’s clinically proven to improve skin brightness by 4.459%, skin surface pigmentation by 32.822%, and inner skin pigmentation by 30.457%.* If your acne skincare routine doesn’t include this, update it immediately.
*In a clinical trial of 20 subjects after 4 weeks of use.
Step 4: Protect
As a Korean skincare brand, we’ll always tell you to wear your sunscreen every single day. If you hate the greasy feel of traditional SPF formulas, you’re going to love our Haruharu Wonder Black Rice Moisture Airyfit Daily Sunscreen. This light-as-air formula absorbs in seconds, hydrates without getting greasy, and dries down to a natural satin finish that layers beautifully under makeup. It’s also clinically proven to improve skin texture after exposure to UV rays and soothe damaged skin after exposure to UV rays.*
*In a clinical trial of 21 subjects after 2 weeks of use.
“It doesn’t clog my pores at all,” says our team member Annalisa. “I love that my skin feels like it can breathe without the day. And it has additional skincare benefits from the antioxidant-rich black rice.”
With these acne products on your bathroom shelf, your blemishes and blackheads are handled. It can also supplement prescription retinoids and acne treatments from your doctor without irritating your skin. Bye, breakouts.
Meet the Author
Haruharu Wonder contributor Sarah Y. Wu has a decade of experience in the industry as a beauty editor, copy director, and brand consultant. Her bylines have appeared in outlets including Teen Vogue, Forbes, Allure, Marie Claire, Glamour, NYLON, Bustle, The Zoe Report, Vogue, WWD, and Byrdie. She’s also the copywriter and copy director for some of your favorite skincare, fragrance, and makeup brands. While she’s tried thousands of products over the course of her career, she’ll always save a spot in her beauty routine for Haruharu Wonder’s Black Rice Bakuchiol Eye Cream and Centella Sunflower Makeup-Melting Cleansing Balm. Connect with her on Instagram @say.wu.