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Last Updated on August 8, 2026 by Giorgia Guazzarotti

most common acne mistakes

WTH? Why are you still there, pimple?! You’ve tried everything. You’re washing your face 10 times a day and scrubbing it like there’s no tomorrow, but your acne just. Won’t. Budge. Even popping those damn pimples won’t work. For every one you kill, two more spring up. It’s a curse! Being harsh on your skin isn’t working. Why not be kind to it instead?

Acne may be clinging stubbornly to your skin, but when you try too hard to get rid of it, you’re actually creating the perfect environment for it to thrive. Here are 5 common acne mistakes you’re making without knowing it – and what to do instead, so you can get clearer skin faster:

Acne Mistake #1: You’re Popping Your Pimples

Don’t pop your pimples. Don’t pick at your pimples. Don’t touch your pimples. Capisce? Look, I get it. Popping those pimples is SO satisfying. It’s also the reason your skin won’t clear up. Pimples don’t like to be popped. If you do it, they’ll get their revenge.

Think of pimples like honeybees. When an honeybee stings you, it knows it’ll die. But it also knows it’ll hurt you like hell and poison you. Pimples are just as vindictive. Pimples are infected wounds. When you pop them, the infection spreads around, potentially giving birth to new pimples. Like that weren’t enough, popping pimples can leave scars behind. And those are way harder to treat than pimples. Choose your poison wisely.

What to do instead: Use a spot treatment with benzoyl peroxide or sulfur. Benzoyl Peroxide uses oxygen to kill the bacteria that causes acne and has the advantage that bacteria don’t grow used to it. Sulfur shrinks pimples faster than anything else I’ve ever tried. Both are harsh, so use them on pimples only, not all over your face!

Best Picks:

  • Dr Zenovia 5% Benzoyl Peroxide Acne Spot Treatment ($27.00): Enriched with 5% Benzoyl Peroxide, Glycolic acid to exfoliate skin, and skin-soothers to reduce redness and inflammation, this spot treatment helps you to get rid of those nasty pimples faster. Available at Dermstore.
  • Jan Marini SkinSolutions Benzoyl Peroxide Acne Treatment Lotion 5% ($37.00): A lightweight lotion suitable for oily skin. Available at Dermstore
  • Epionce Purifying Spot Gel ($42.00): My fave, it kills pimples faster than everything else I’ve ever tried. Available at at Dermstore 
  • Indie Lee Blemish Lotion ($26.00): A basic sulfur treatment that does the job well. Available at Cult Beauty and Dermstore

Related: Is Benzoyl Peroxide A Safe And Effective Treatment For Acne?

Want a cost-effective skincare routine that gets rid of acne? Download your FREE “The Ordinary Anti-Acne Skincare Routine” cheatsheet to get started:

Acne Mistake #2: You’re Washing Your Face Too Much

Makeup. Sweat. Pollution. Your skin gets easily dirty during the day. Add to the mix the truckload of oil your skin pumps out on a daily basis and you’re in the bathroom washing your face ten times a day. And then you wonder why your skin feels so dry…

Sebum’s your skin natural moisturizer. When you remove too much from your skin, you’re drying it out. And then it starts producing more oil to compensate. It’s a vicious circle than leads to MORE, not less, acne. P.S. While you’re at it, don’t cleanse your face in the shower. The hot water dries out skin, too.

What to do instead: Wash your face twice a day (morning and night) with a gentle, low-pH foaming cleanser. They cleanse your skin and remove excess oil without drying it out.

Best Picks:

  • Corsx low PH Good Morning Gel Cleanser ($14.00): pH 5.5. A gentle, pH-balanced cleanser that removes impurities without drying out skin. Available at Sokoglam and YesStyle.
  • Neutrogena Fresh Foaming Cleanser ($7.99): pH 6.2. A no-frills, daily foaming cleanser. Available at Target.
  • Paula’s Choice Skin Balancing Oil-Reducing Cleanser ($24.00): pH 5.5. A foaming cleaner with a drop of oil to remove impurities and makeup. Available at Paula’s Choice. 

Related: Why You Should Ditch Cleansers With A High pH

acne mistakes

Acne Mistake #3: You’re Using Physical Exfoliants

Like scrubs with apricot kernels or sugar. The Foreo sonic cleanser. Anything with small particles or bristles (a washcloth is ok). Breakouts are sensitive things. Scrubbing them (even gently) can irritate skin and inflame it even more. It can spread the infection to healthy areas. And it can cause small tears to the skin that just invite bacteria in. To add insult to injury, physical exfoliants don’t do anything for acne. They can’t treat it or help in it any way. So why do it?

What to do instead: Exfoliate daily with salicylic acid. Salicylic acid exfoliates the surface of the skin and gets inside your pores, removing all the gunk that’s clogging them up. And it has anti-inflammatory properties that soothe redness. Can your scrub do all that? For the love of your skin, make this switch now.

Best picks:

  • Paula’s Choice Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Liquid ($29.00): A solid salicylic acid exfoliant for oily, acne-prone skin. It both prevents and treats blackheads, whiteheads, and pimples. Its texture is a little sticky, but if you’re cool with that, you’ll get results. Available at Cult Beauty, Dermstore, Paula’s Choice, Sephora and SpaceNK
  • The Inkey List Beta Hydroxy Acid (£9.99): A basic salicylic acid exfoliant that unclogs pores. Just don’t expect anything extra. Available at Cult Beauty
  • Glowness 2% BHA Exfoliant (£12.99): It’s loaded with soothing ingredients that makes it suitable for sensitive skin too. Available at Amazon and Glowness

Related: Physical Vs Chemical Exfoliation: Which One Is Good For You?

Acne Mistake #4: You’re Not Using A Moisturizer

Wait, my skin produces a trackload of oil every day and you want me to moisturize, Gio? Are you nuts? Hear me out. I don’t believe everyone needs a moisturizer. If your skin is simply oily, then a hydrating serum or lightweight sunscreen may be enough for your skin.

But if you’re actively treating your acne with benzoyl peroxide, sulphur, retinoids or prescription products, a moisturizer is a must. Those acne fighters are double-edged swords: they rid you of acne but they dry out your skin. And you already know the damage that can cause. Don’t wait until it’s too late before you add a moisturizer to your skincare routine. Do it now so your skin won’t get dry in the first place. Prevention is always better than cure. 😉

What to do instead: Use a lightweight, oil-free moisturizer. They’ll hydrate your skin without feeling greasy. Using it once at night is usually enough, but gauge how your skin’s behaving to be on the safe side.

Best Picks:

  • CeraVe PM Facial Moisturizing Lotion ($19.99): It uses humectants that hyaluronic acid and glycerin to attract water into your skin and ceramides to moisturise skin without adding more oil to it. Available at Beauty Bay, Boots, Cult Beauty, Dermstore, and Ulta.
  • Paula’s Choice Skin Balancing Invisible Finish Moisture Gel ($29.00): A hydrating moisturizer loaded with antioxidants to prevent premature aging. Available at Paula’s Choice.
  • COSRX Advanced Snail 92 All In One Cream ($26.00): Enriched with snail mucin, this super moisturising cream deeply hydrates skin without adding more oil to it. Available at Asos, Beauty Bay, Look Fantastic, Stylevana, Superdrug, Ulta, and Yes Style

Related: Does Everyone Need A Moisturizer?

Acne Mistake #5: You’re Skipping Sunscreen

If you have acne-prone skin, you’re probably paranoid about sunscreen. Aren’t they heavy and greasy concoctions that clog your pores and give you more breakouts? Yep, some sunscreens are like that. But just because there are a few bad apples out there, it doesn’t mean you shouldn’t eat any fruits, does it? You may be thinking that your sunscreen does nothing for your acne anyway, so why bother? Sunscreens may not treat acne, but they help heal those post-breakout marks way faster.

Acne can leave a small discolouration behind. Your skin produces melanin, the pigment responsible for their colour (and your skin colour), to protect itself from too much sun exposure. You see now how not wearing sunscreens can make those dark marks last way longer than they should? Plus, we all know the sun causes wrinkles. You don’t want to achieve clear skin only to see it marked by premature wrinkles, do you? Be smart. Wear sunscreen. Every day.

What to do instead: Use a lightweight, non-comedogenic sunscreen every day. Rain or shine. Chemical sunscreens are the better option for you. Yes, really. The new generation of chemical UV filters, like Tinosorb and Uvinol, is much gentler on the skin and feels lightweight, so absorbs quickly – no greasy residue or white cast left behind.

Best Picks:

  • Bioderma Photoderm Aquafluide SPF 50+ ($18.00): A water-resistant cream sunscreen with a matte finish. Available at Escentual and Look Fantastic
  • Ultrasun Face Anti-Ageing Lotion SPF 50+ (£32.00): A moisturising sunscreen with antioxidants to provide extra protection. Available at Asos, Escentual, Look Fantastic, and SpaceNK

Related: The Best Sunscreens For Oily Skin

The Bottom Line

Going nuclear on acne doesn’t make it disappear faster. Often, it just inflames skin, so that new breakouts keep popping up. Now you know how to treat acne with gentle care and create a skincare routine that makes it disappear faster, so you can finally get your clear skin back.