Dr. Shereene Idriss is a dermatologist who has reviewed 37 acne-focused products, landing on a Guru Score of 70% for this category. She approved 26 of them, had mixed feelings on 6, and skipped 5. Two products stood out as her top picks: Beauty of Joseon Relief Sun: Rice + Probiotics SPF 50+ PA++++ and Finacea 15% Azelaic Acid Gel.
What does Dr. Shereene Idriss recommend for acne-prone skin?
Dr. Idriss loves a product that does more than one job. Beauty of Joseon Relief Sun: Rice + Probiotics SPF 50+ PA++++ won her over partly because it doubles as a moisturiser. She also called it fragrance-free and cheaper than a McDonald's meal. She has a clear soft spot for azelaic acid when it is well made. She praised Peach Slices Redness Relief Azelaic Acid Serum for its elegant formula and its extra barrier-supporting ingredients. She was just as impressed that Finacea 15% Azelaic Acid Gel hits the 15% concentration she considers the sweet spot for rosacea. Barrier support, anti-inflammatory ingredients, and fragrance-free formulas keep showing up in her approvals. For acne scars, she pointed to Isntree Onion Newpair Gel Cream, citing its onion bulb extract and silky, lightweight texture, especially for anyone prone to keloid scarring.
In her words
"For 10 bucks this sunscreen also doubles up as a nice moisturizer especially if you have dry skin it is a beautiful product can't be beat I think it's cheaper than McDonald's nowadays and it is fragrance free."
"Peach Slices has their Redness Relief Azelaic Acid Serum which retails for 19 bucks. The beauty with this one is that it also has green algae and panthenol to help with your barrier support as well as centella to help reduce signs of redness. There is no hyaluronic acid and no fragrance, and it is extremely elegantly formulated, which quite frankly I'm shocked by because 10% azelaic acid is high and it usually pills, so this is a beautiful formula of azelaic acid. Truly impressed."
"If you're just looking for salicylic acid because you're just oily now and acne prone and you want to unclog your pores, salicylic acid is great because it's oil loving and it's going to go deeper into your pores. PanOxyl can use on your face at night several times a week. It's very similar to [Paula's Choice] but it's much cheaper and it comes for 12 bucks."
"Isdin has their Eryfotona Actinica, a zinc oxide sunscreen loaded with DNA repair, so it not only protects from future sun damage but also helps reverse the sun damage you already have."
"The prescription is 15% which is the sweet spot, and I don't know how the prescription is formulated but it's so elegant. Finacea is so elegant. Azelaic acid at that percentage, when you're using it for rosacea, you really want to be at 10% or above, but above that is prescription and prescription is 15%."
"Isntree has come up with their Onion Newpair Gel Cream that retails for $32 and the reason why I wanted to highlight this one is because they say it is a cream that is good for acne scars and hyperpigmentation concerns, why, because of the onion bulb extract. It helps with scars and the appearance of scars. It has a light lavender color to it, it does not look or smell like onions, and it also has Huwenia Cordata extract, which is a flowering plant native to Southeast Asia, and it helps exhibit anti-inflammatory, antioxidants and antibacterial properties. It also has been shown to decrease the damage from UVB rays, the rays that cause burns, and to minimize that damage on your skin. It's a beautiful texture that's extremely silky and light to the touch, so if you are somebody who has had acne and your scars are relatively new and you want to minimize how bad they appear, especially if you're somebody who keloids, I suggest look into this particular moisturizer to help with that."
How many products has Dr. Shereene Idriss reviewed for acne-prone skin?
Dr. Shereene Idriss has reviewed 37 products for acne-prone skin, for a Guru Score of 70%. 26 approved, 6 mixed, and 5 skipped.
What has Dr. Shereene Idriss skipped for acne-prone skin?
Her skips usually come down to concentration or misleading claims. She flagged The Ordinary AHA 30% + BHA 2% Peeling Solution as genuinely too strong for regular use, warning that using it several times a week will damage your skin. She did allow that once a week may work for some people. Florence by Mills Pimple Patches got a firm skip because they combine tea tree oil, peppermint oil, and salicylic acid. She said that trio adds up to a real irritation risk and possible contact dermatitis, which is an allergic skin reaction. Neutrogena Stubborn Texture Cleanser frustrated her for a different reason: she found the marketing misleading. It highlights glycolic acid while calling itself a salicylic acid treatment, and she did not think it was strong enough to actually even out skin texture.
"The Ordinary decided to create an AHA 30% BHA 2% solution. The pH of this is correct at 3.6, but this will rip your face off. All of you guys on TikTok out there, please stop doing this every week, several times a week. Your face is getting messed up. Maybe once a week if you want to do a deep one, but you really don't need to be doing it every day by any means."
"If you live in Europe and you're trying face basting with Sudocrem, just be careful because it has essential oils. This one can be a little bit irritating, believe it or not, if you are sensitive."
"This is not going to help even out your texture because it's not strong enough to help you even out your texture. But it says salicylic acid acne treatment, yet they choose to highlight 4% glycolic acid and polyhydroxy acid. I'm a little confused by this one because of the misleading marketing."
"I don't love these ones because it has tea tree oil, peppermint oil, and salicylic acid, which is a lot of irritation. The tea tree oil is actually a very big irritant and can cause contact dermatitis. So I'm not a huge fan."
What should you take from Dr. Shereene Idriss's picks?
Dr. Idriss backs products that are honest about what they do, gentle on the skin barrier, and formulated to match their claims. Her approval rate for acne-prone skin products is high, but her skips are pointed. Anything with a stack of irritating ingredients or a concentration high enough to cause real damage gets a clear pass from her. Her record suggests starting with the basics she trusts and being careful with anything marketed as extra-strength.
Watch Dr. Shereene Idriss say it
Every verdict here comes from a video. These are the moments themselves, each one jumping straight to the bit about that product.
- Beauty of Joseon Relief Sun: Rice + Probiotics SPF 50+ PA++++Named a winnerWatch at 3:15
- Finacea 15% Azelaic Acid GelNamed a winnerWatch at 10:51
- The Ordinary AHA 30% + BHA 2% Peeling SolutionSkipped itWatch at 11:32
- SudocremSkipped itWatch at 9:16
- Neutrogena Stubborn Texture CleanserSkipped itWatch at 6:29
- Florence by Mills Pimple PatchesSkipped itWatch at 15:11
- La Roche-Posay Mela B3 Dark Spot Corrector SerumSkipped itWatch at 9:53
- Peach Slices Redness Relief Azelaic Acid SerumRated itWatch at 3:14
- PanOxyl 4% Benzoyl Peroxide WashRated itWatch at 9:53
- ISDIN Eryfotona Actinica SPF 50Rated itWatch at 14:12
- Isntree Onion Newpair Gel CreamRated itWatch at 8:02
- Sofie Pavitt Face Mandelic Clearing SerumRated itWatch at 5:56
- Kate Somerville Eradicate CleanserRated itWatch at 8:19
- iNNBEAUTY PROJECT Green Machine SerumRated itWatch at 7:10
- Hero Cosmetics Mighty Patch OriginalRated itWatch at 14:58
- Tower 28 SOS Daily Rescue Facial SprayRated itWatch at 6:08
- Neutrogena Salicylic Acid Face WashRated itWatch at 12:52
- Tower 28 SOS Daily Rescue Facial SprayRated itWatch at 14:43
- Differin Adapalene Gel 0.1%Rated itWatch at 15:51
- iNNBEAUTY PROJECT Pimple PasteRated itWatch at 18:13
- HibiclensRated itWatch at 7:21
- Skin Rocks Retinoid 2Rated itWatch at 6:39
- SkinCeuticals Silymarin CFRated itWatch at 8:54
- Peter Thomas Roth Sulfur MaskRated itWatch at 13:45
About this expert
See everything Dr. Shereene Idriss has reviewed
Related guides
This guide reflects what Dr. Shereene Idriss said across their videos about 37 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.