13 Best Acne Spot Treatments of 2024 (Tested and Reviewed by Dermatologists and Editors)

A favorite among dermatologists, editors, and skincare gurus, this acne spot treatment from La Roche Posay is fast-acting without being overly irritating thanks to benzoyl peroxide (it’s a derm- favorite ingredient for reducing acne-causing bacteria on the skin), exfoliating lipohydroxy acid, and hydrating glycerin. The lightweight gel formula can be applied either as a spot treatment on specific breakouts or as a thin layer over the entire face depending on the kind of acne you’re dealing with.

• Type: Gel
• Key ingredients: Benzoyl peroxide, lipohydroxy acid, glycerin

Glowing customer review: “I have been using this stuff for almost three months and it has made a huge difference for my skin. I suffered from awful acne during pregnancy and it decided to hang around even after I gave birth. When my regular skin care products failed, I turned to this and I’m so glad I did.”

Sometimes, the only way to help a cyst is to take down some of the red or purple hue, which is where this green color corrector from Hero Cosmetics comes in. It’s actually not makeup though; the consistency is much richer (like a cream moisturizer). Plus, it’s filled with soothing allantoin like to help calm down an inflamed pimple, as well as moisturizing shea butter, panthenol, and peptides to strengthen your skin barrier and get rid of any crusty post-acne remnants.

TBH, I actually gave one of these to my best friend who hates wearing foundation but likes to gently cover up any red zits on her face. She promptly went through the entire tube, then ordered a jumbo size because she swears by it. According to her, it’s the easiest way to cover up a zit without actually adding coverage to her face (she’s a no-foundation girl—what can I say, opposites attract).

• Type: Cream
• Key ingredients: Allantoin, shea butter, panthenol, peptides

Glowing customer review: “Love this product, was so glad when I saw it came in a larger size. I use this product instead of wearing makeup on my skin. Let’s me get a little coverage and even out redness while helping my skin heal at the same time.”

Anyone with persistent breakouts knows how frustrating it is to check your makeup midday and notice a raging whitehead on your chin roughly the size of Rhode Island (or is that just me?). In those moments, I just pull this gel pen out of my bag and dab it right onto my pimple. It’s got cica to help soothe any major inflammation, plus succinic acid and tea tree extract, which both have antibacterial properties to help decrease the bacteria that leads to breakouts and further irritation.

• Type: Gel pen
• Key ingredients: Succinic acid, cica, tea tree extract

Glowing customer review: “I get redness, drying, and irritation from most pimple spot treatments. Salicylic acid was my go-to before, but this works better. It will usually zap baby pimples overnight, and for bigger ones, it calms and prevents them from worsening and they go away in two to four days. It’s clear, easy to apply, and has no odor.”

Team Cosmo is pretty much all in agreeance that these (extremely affordable, might I add) pimple patches are legit the GOAT. Let me quickly explain pimple patches for the uninitiated, though: The hydrocolloid patch soaks up the excess oils around your pimple, which can make it appear flatter and smoother after six-ish hours. But I also swear by mine for keeping my grimy lil fingers away from my zit to avoid having the urge to pick and prod.

Personally, these are my favorite because they stick really well (no wondering where tf your patch went in the middle of the night). And editor Olivia Truffaut-Wong says she notices way more oil on the patch in the morning than others she’s tried.

• Type: Pimple patch
• Key ingredients: Hydrocolloid

Glowing customer review: “I have used several different kinds if pimple dots and always disappointed. UNTIL NOW! As soon as I start to feel like I’m getting a pimple. I put one of these on and it is gone by morning. I love this product so much. I went back to Amazon and bought two more boxes.”

As much as I love pimple patches and clay-based creams, they don’t really work under makeup. But Kiehl’s liquid patch essentially acts as a barrier between my zit and foundation or concealer, all the while helping to clear up my breakout at the same time. It uses a combo of exfoliating salicylic acid to dissolve dead skin that clogs pores, smoothing niacinamide, and soothing licorice root, all of which create the ideal canvas for blending makeup on top. However, I also just love the lightweight texture of this product so much that I often dab it on with a cotton swab even when I’m makeup free.

• Type: Liquid
• Key ingredients: Salicylic acid, niacinamide, licorice root

Glowing customer review: “I was actually surprised at how this does not pill under any makeup, and it goes well with any moisturizer or sunscreen that I have used. I would not say it works better than a traditional pimple patch, but as an all over treatment after skincare but before makeup I think it does help calm my skin down and contribute to the overall maintenance of clearer skin. I’d recommend it, and I do feel like the formula was developed in a way that makes it effective.”

On a girls’ trip a few years ago, I was the only one who remembered to bring spot treatment (ofc!), and turns out, everyone had a sudden breakout. We began passing this acne spot treatment around every night, and legit, everyone ended up buying their own tubes when we got back because they loved the results.

I just dab a dot of this on a zit before bed as the last step in my routine (skip face oils and slugging, FYI), let it dry, then go to sleep. In the mornings, I notice my pimples are way less inflamed, and usually, whatever whitehead was there has gone away—no popping required. It’s filled with kaolin clay and sulfur to help soak up the oils on my skin (basically like a pimple patch), while willow bark extract exfoliates dead skin and azelaic acid soothes irritation and reduces redness.

• Type: Clay mask/paste
• Key ingredients: Kaolin clay, willow bark extract, sulfur, azelaic acid

Glowing customer review: “I’ve been using this product for roughly a week and it’s so good! It disappeared two huge pimples that I had on my face in a matter of days, without leaving any scarring. I definetely recommend this to anyone who is struggling with acne!”

This gentle acne spot treatment from First Aid Beauty is a solid choice for anyone with sensitive skin that’s also acne-prone. Why? well, it uses 2 percent salicylic acid to reduce breakouts, as well as a trio of soothing ingredients (shoutout to aloe vera, bisabolol, and oatmeal) to curb any potentially drying or irritating side effects.

• Type: Gel
• Key ingredients: Salicylic acid, bisabolol, oatmeal, aloe

Glowing customer review: “This is my new go-to spot treatment! In the past I’ve noticed spot treatments tend to burn at least a little bit and would take several applications to work. I noticed clearer skin immediately with this treatment, and had absolutely no issue with stinging or burning.”

A Cosmo beauty team favorite (ahem, it’s an O.G., having won best spot treatment in our 2021 Holy Grail Acne Awards!), this acne-fighting gel works best on whiteheads and non-inflammatory acne, since it’s packed with 1.5 percent saliyclic acid. Dab a tiny bit with a Q-tip on affected areas up to three times a day, reducing frequency as you notice any dryness or flaking. Personally, I love how soothing this is, especially on any ~fragile~ whiteheads that I’m dying to pop.

• Type: Gel
• Key ingredients: Salicylic acid, bisabolol, oatmeal, aloe

Glowing customer review: “I’ve tried so many different acne spot treatments and this one has to be the best. It does its job really well without causing too much irritation or dryness, and I find it only takes one or two applications for the blemish to go away.”

If your breakouts tend to resemble angry red sirens, this is the acne spot treatment for you. It’s got 2 percent salicylic acid to de-gunk pores and shrink your breakout, plus a dose of azelaic acid (the ingredient is commonly used for people with rosacea) to dramatically reduce redness, discoloration, and inflammation. IMO, this is great for slathering on my nose, which is prone to clogged pores and redness. I’ll lightly rub a pea-sized dot on my nose a few nights a week before moisturizer, and I notice my nose looks a bit clearer.

• Type: Cream
• Key ingredients: Salicylic acid, azelaic acid

Glowing customer review: “A really effective spot treatment! It helps prevents acne scars and gets rid of acne very quickly. I would definitely recommend the entire Skinfix acne line—it is all very good even if it is a little pricey.”

Even though this is the most inexpensive acne spot treatment on the list, it doesn’t skimp on quality or efficacy. It contains 2 percent succinic acid (a gentle exfoliating ingredient that can help reduce bacteria that causes acne) with salicylic acid and oil-absorbing sulfur powder to help clear up breakouts. It’s fairly gentle too, making this a great addition to your routine if most spot treatments just dry tf out of your skin.

• Type: Gel
• Key ingredients: Salicylic acid, succinic acid, sulfur

Glowing customer review: “I have been using this product for a week now and I love the way it has cleared up my acne and dark spots. I will say I don’t love the smell, but I do like the outcome.”

Clear your pores and minimize breakouts with this overnight acne spot treatment. Just dip a cotton swab into the jar (don’t shake it first, though—you want the separation) until it comes in contact with the pink particles at the bottom. Then, dab it onto your skin and leave it on overnight to work its magic. The formula is loaded with exfoliating salicylic acid to help unclog pores, while sulfur soaks up oils. There’s a reason it’s got over 24,000 five-star reviews, K!?

• Type: Paste
• Key ingredients: Salicylic acid, sulfur

Glowing customer review: “This stuff really works if you use it at the right moment. For me, I have to wait until a pimple is just under the surface, or just becoming a whitehead, and this stuff will dry it right out.”

Let me start by saying this acne spot treatment is STRONG. It contains 10 percent benzoyl peroxide—the maximum amount of the ingredient used in over-the-counter acne products. If you have “tough” skin or have been using medicated acne products for years, feel free to give Persa-Gel 10 a try—otherwise, skip this one.

• Type: Gel
• Key ingredients: Benzoyl peroxide

Glowing customer review: “This got rid of a painful pimple within 12 hours, but if you use too much it will dry out your skin. I had some leathery skin on my chin after using too much Persa-Gel, but if you use just a dot on a zit, it will do the trick without over-drying (at least in my experience).”

Blind underground pimples, clusters of blackheads, juicy whiteheads…this acne spot treatment can help treat them all. The tried-and-true drugstore formula contains 2.5 percent benzoyl peroxide gel to effective treat all kinds of acne without turning your skin into a flaky mess.

• Type: Cream
• Key ingredients: Benzoyl peroxide

Glowing customer review: “The product is very lightweight and absorbs into skin immediately. The skin where I applied it doesn’t feel any different than skin in untreated areas. The treated area doesn’t feel dried out or in any way different, it just feels like healthy skin.”

Consider the active ingredients

Most acne spot treatments contain salicylic acid, benzoyl peroxide, and/or sulfur to help clear up breakouts. A spot treatment that contains salicylic acid or sulfur is great for unclogging pores and reducing whiteheads and blackheads, while benzoyl peroxide is a better choice for treating inflammatory acne, like cysts and blind pimples.

Pay attention to the percentages

At the first sign of a zit, I bet you’re tempted to reach for the most concentrated spot treatment you can find. But guess what? Stronger doesn’t mean better. Studies show that 2.5 percent benzoyl peroxide is proven to be just as effective as higher concentrations (like 5 or 10 percent) but is less drying or irritating. Same goes for salicylic acid—if you’re new to the ingredient look for an acne spot treatment that contains 1 or 1.5 percent as opposed to 2 percent.

Always follow the directions

Not all spot treatments work the same way, and the key to getting the best result (and minimal irritation) from whatever one you decide to buy is following the directions. That means you shouldn’t be using a rinse-off spot treatment overnight, or wearing your pimple patch for just five minutes as opposed to all day.

Beth Gillette is the beauty editor at Cosmopolitan and has been writing about skincare for more than five years, with stories like the best ice rollers and pore-clogging ingredients. She’s constantly interviewing dermatologists about acne, both for her job and also for personal use, as she’s dealt with frustrating hormonal acne for over a decade.

Lauren Balsamo is the deputy beauty director at Cosmopolitan with 11 years of experience researching, writing, and editing skincare stories that range from the laser skin tightening to the the best acne products with benzoyl peroxide. She’s an authority in all skincare categories, but is an expert when it comes to acne thanks to years of dealing with her own stubborn breakouts and breakouts. She regularly tests and analyzes acne spot treatments for efficacy, while working with the industry’s top dermatologists and estheticians to assess new formulas and brands.