Dr. Daniel Sugai is a dermatologist who has reviewed a lot of products for acne-prone skin. He carries a Guru Score of 81%, which means he approved most of what he looked at but was still selective. He gave 25 products a Yay, had a mixed take on 4, and passed on 2 outright.
What does Dr. Daniel Sugai recommend for acne-prone skin?
What he keeps coming back to is pairing benzoyl peroxide with a retinoid. He recommends a benzoyl peroxide cleanser at night, then waiting a few minutes before applying a retinoid like Differin Adapalene Gel 0.1%, which he calls his favourite step for anyone who is not pregnant. He also likes La Roche-Posay Effaclar Adapalene Gel 0.1% and Neutrogena Stubborn Acne AM Treatment as solid adapalene options. One thing he is clear about: alternate them by day rather than layer two retinoids on top of each other, because stacking them can trigger a bad contact dermatitis, meaning serious skin irritation. For benzoyl peroxide cleansers, he rates both CeraVe Acne Foaming Cream Cleanser with 4% Benzoyl Peroxide and PanOxyl 4% Benzoyl Peroxide Wash. He suggests swapping between the two to keep pores clear without stripping the skin's moisture barrier. He also singles out Naturium Azelaic Acid Emulsion 10% as his pick for an over-the-counter azelaic acid option.
In his words
"Supergoop, their Mattescreen, they came out with different shades, so that's great because not one shade fits all skin tones, and so I use the sunrise, but they also have golden hour and sunset. If you want to blur out the pores, you want a matte finish and you have oilier skin, go for the Mattescreen. So good job to Supergoop for that."
"Their new UV Clear Oil Blemish acne fighting sunscreen with 5% niacinamide is also a hybrid and one that has impressed me this year."
"I believe adapalene 0.1% and 0.3% work better on these blackheads and whiteheads and also inflammatory acne like tretinoin and tazarotene. So I would go with adapalene."
"CeraVe makes a nice creamy foaming wash that has 4% benzoyl peroxide. So different brands that have made nice benzoyl peroxide products that you can consider that's exfoliating and also kills the bacteria that's feeding off of the trapped sebum leading to acne. So I actually have both in my bathroom and I will alternate between the two."
"Those are great cleansers to alternate by the day to help exfoliate and keep your pores clear without destroying your skin's moisture barrier."
"The lift active by vichi these are ascorbic acid ingredients which is great"
How many products has Dr. Daniel Sugai reviewed for acne-prone skin?
Dr. Daniel Sugai has reviewed 36 products for acne-prone skin, for a Guru Score of 81%. 29 approved, 3 mixed, and 4 skipped.
What has Dr. Daniel Sugai skipped for acne-prone skin?
He passed on two products. La Roche-Posay Effaclar Duo he found so strong that it cleared acne but left a red ring around the treated area, sometimes bad enough that a topical corticosteroid was needed to calm it down. He also passed on La Roche-Posay Mela B3 Dark Spot Corrector Serum. He says he has used it a fair amount since it launched and has been disappointed. Neither he nor his patients were impressed by its Melasyl ingredient, which was meant to rival prescription hydroquinone for fading dark spots.
"I don't really care for The Ordinary AHA 30% + BHA 2% Peeling Solution, that leave on that vampire purplish red solution. The chemical peel like effect that patients are getting is nice in terms of that deep pore cleaning action. It's really exfoliating the skin, but I've seen patients overuse it and I'd say you would use that like once a week. It's so powerful. Summer time, you got to be very careful with the sun. So, I would say be careful with the strong leave on exfoliants."
"I've used La Roche-Posay Mela B3 serum quite a bit in the last couple years since it came out and I have to say that's also unfortunately pretty mid. I do love the brand. They make great skin care, but I haven't been impressed. My patients haven't been impressed by their melisel ingredient that was supposed to even compete with hydroquinone, prescription hydroquinone. And I'd say I've been a little disappointed by it."
"Niacinamide is not bad as an ingredient. I like it mixed into cleansers, moisturizers, retinols, and sunscreens at four to five percent, which is all you need to help rebuild the skin barrier, soothe, and brighten the skin. You don't need these high concentrations of niacinamide in a serum, and that will lead to nasty contact dermatitis. I've seen this many times, especially in my teenage patients coming in with a reddened face, and they were using The Ordinary niacinamide serum. That was so common during 2020 and 2021. So I definitely have to say cut the dedicated niacinamide serums."
"I've even seen patients get irritation from Paula's Choice BHA solution. So, leave on exfoliants, be very, very careful, especially if you're using a retinoid."
What should you take from Dr. Daniel Sugai's picks?
Dr. Daniel Sugai's record on acne-prone skin is useful because he is specific about how to use things, not just what to buy. His main message is to build a routine around a benzoyl peroxide cleanser and an adapalene retinoid, keep them separate rather than layering, and add azelaic acid if needed. The two products he passed on are worth keeping in mind, especially for anyone dealing with dark spots or breakouts that come with irritation.
Watch Dr. Daniel Sugai say it
Every verdict here comes from a video. These are the moments themselves, each one jumping straight to the bit about that product.
- Supergoop MattescreenNamed a winnerWatch at 9:46
- The Ordinary AHA 30% + BHA 2% Peeling SolutionSkipped itWatch at 5:24
- La Roche-Posay Mela B3 Dark Spot Corrector SerumSkipped itWatch at 8:53
- The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1%Skipped itWatch at 4:58
- Paula's Choice Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Liquid ExfoliantSkipped itWatch at 5:53
- EltaMD UV Clear Blemish Prone and Oil Balancing SPF 50Rated itWatch at 5:49
- Differin Adapalene Gel 0.1%Rated itWatch at 7:16
- CeraVe Acne Foaming Cream Cleanser with 4% Benzoyl PeroxideRated itWatch at 8:55
- PanOxyl 4% Benzoyl Peroxide Cleansing WashRated itWatch at 4:14
- La Roche-Posay Lift Active C10Rated itWatch at 3:39
- Mighty Patch Original Hydrocolloid Acne Pimple PatchesRated itWatch at 12:37
- Neutrogena Stubborn Acne AM Treatment 2.5% Benzoyl PeroxideRated itWatch at 4:56
- La Roche-Posay Effaclar Adapalene Gel 0.1%Rated itWatch at 7:19
- SkinFix Acne Plus 2% BHA CleanserRated itWatch at 13:16
- EltaMD UV Clear Tinted SPF 46Rated itWatch at 3:59
- La Roche-Posay Glycolic B5 SerumRated itWatch at 12:55
- La Roche-Posay UV Clear SPF 50Rated itWatch at 6:36
- Cetaphil Gentle Clear 2% Salicylic Acid Acne TreatmentRated itWatch at 7:45
- Beauty of Joseon Relief Sun: Rice + Probiotics SPF 50+ PA++++Rated itWatch at 10:10
- ISDIN Eryfotona Actinica SPF 50Rated itWatch at 8:55
- CeraVe Renewing SA CleanserRated itWatch at 10:37
- Cetaphil Gentle Exfoliating Salicylic Acid CleanserRated itWatch at 7:28
- CeraVe Acne Control Cleanser with 2% Salicylic AcidRated itWatch at 3:58
- SkinCeuticals Silymarin CFRated itWatch at 7:30
About this expert
See everything Dr. Daniel Sugai has reviewed
Related guides
This guide reflects what Dr. Daniel Sugai said across their videos about 36 products for acne-prone skin, aggregated by The Guru Index. Sponsored takes are excluded. The Guru Score is our read on how warmly they talk about them. It is general information, not medical advice.