Top 10 Best Face Masks for Acne in the UK 2021 (Glow Recipe, La Roche-Posay and More)

Not all face masks are suitable for treating acne – some may even make your skin worse! This guide is here to teach you exactly what to look for and avoid when shopping for a face mask for acne online.

Firstly, consider the type of face mask you want to try. Clay masks and sheet masks are both excellent for acne, but as they work in different ways, you may prefer one over the other based on your particular skin type or lifestyle. There are also overnight treatments to try – or perhaps you'll want to try all three!

Clay masks are a fantastic choice for oily acne-prone skin thanks to the properties of mineral clay, which work wonders when it comes to absorbing and drawing out excess oils. After cleansing, apply to your face, relax for a while, then finish by washing away with water or a damp facecloth.

Although they are typically sold in jars or pots, some clay masks come in squeezable tubes for easy application. If it does come in a pot, use a spoon or scoop to remove it from the container as dipping your fingers in and out can easily spread bacteria. 

These masks can be a little tricky to apply by hand so you may want to use a brush, which can also help you target only the areas you require such as your T-zone. Make sure to always wash brushes, scoops, or spoons after each use. 

Looking for an ultra-simple solution to your acne woes? Why not give a sheet mask a go? While they may look a bit Michael Myers, there are plenty of benefits to using a sheet mask. 

In comparison to clay masks, sheet masks are much less messy and don't need to be washed off, making them ideal for travel or when you're short on time. A good option for dry or combination skin, the mask comes pre-soaked in a serum that can be patted in for instant hydration. 

Don't fear hydration just because you're acne-prone, though, as adequate moisturisation is essential for all skin types. Skin that lacks moisture tends to produce even more oil to compensate  – resulting in, you guessed it, clogged pores and acne breakouts.

Sleeping packs are a little different from other face masks. As the name suggests, you leave them on overnight and wash them off in the morning. Known for being a more intense and effective treatment, these masks usually have a gel or cream-like consistency and are designed to deliver the benefits of their active ingredients gradually while you sleep.

Unlike clay or sheet masks that are applied immediately after your cleanser, sleeping packs should be the last step of your nighttime skincare routine, so they're pretty easy to use even if you're feeling very lazy come bedtime!

Being able to identify which type of acne you're dealing with will help you to determine the right treatment, as the active ingredients in each mask will be better suited to certain conditions. Here's everything you need to know! 

A comedo is a hair follicle that has become clogged with oil, sebum and dead skin. Closed comedones and whiteheads occur when the blocked follicle is covered by a thin layer of skin. These take the appearance of small flesh coloured or white bumps, producing a raised and uneven texture.  

A good ingredient to look for when buying a treatment mask for this type of acne is salicylic acid. Sometimes referred to as beta hydroxy acid or BHA, it works as a chemical exfoliant. Salicylic acid can penetrate deep into the pores, thus dissolving the build-up of dead cells beneath the skin.

In contrast to whiteheads, blackheads are clogged comedones that are open at the surface of the skin. You may have seen videos online of people using various methods to extract blackheads in an attempt to clear 'dirt' from the pore, but this dark pimple head isn't actually dirt at all! In fact, it is simply skin cells and oils that have undergone oxidation after being exposed to oxygen in the air.  

The best way to treat blackheads is not to squeeze them out, but to dissolve away the plug. You can do this by using masks containing chemical exfoliants. A few skin-safe, naturally-occurring acids to look for are salicylic acid and alpha hydroxy acids (known as AHA's), such as glycolic or lactic acid. 

Cysts, nodules and pustules are large, inflamed and often painful bumps that develop deep in the skin. One of the more severe types of acne, these are usually the result of excess oil production.

To treat this type of acne, you'll want something that can draw out all the gunk without further irritating the skin. We recommend masks containing kaolin or bentonite clay, as these ingredients do an excellent job at purging excess oils to help prevent further breakouts. 

Retinoids also offer various benefits to cystic acne sufferers. Derived from vitamin A, retinoids help increase collagen production to lessen the appearance of hyper-pigmentation and acne scarring.

When dealing with an acne breakout, you may be tempted to try and scrub away the excess oils. Granted, exfoliation is a key process in beating acne, but if you're considering a physical exfoliant then stop right there!

You'll likely come across multiple face masks containing physical exfoliants, which are large, gritty particles comprised of ingredients like salt, sugar or plastic microbeads. These masks are too abrasive for acne-prone skin, and don't remove congestion from beneath its surface, which leads to blackheads and whiteheads. 

What's worse is that they can create tears, damaging the skin's protective barrier and letting in even more pore-clogging bacteria! We recommend ditching the scrubs and sticking to chemical exfoliants instead, like each product featured in our ranking. 

When it comes to skincare, there's an almost endless stack of products online to sift through. To save you time, we've researched the ingredients and read the reviews to bring you, in ranking order, our top 10 face masks for acne!

To get the best results from any skincare product, you need to know how to apply it properly! Applying a face mask every day is not necessary (and doing so can strip the skin of beneficial natural oils) so you need only use one 1-3 times a week.

Always use your mask after washing your face with a water-based cleanser, then gently pat skin dry with a clean towel. Masks need to be left on anywhere from 10 to 40 minutes, so make sure you follow each product's instructions and get comfortable!

If you're using a mask that contains chemical exfoliants for the first time, you will want to start off slowly – once per week for the first few weeks is advised. Be aware that chemical exfoliation can make the skin slightly more sensitive to the sun, so don't forget to apply sunscreen when out and about, even in winter. 

Fed up with having a bathroom cabinet full of products that don't actually work for you? Check out our other skincare guides for acne-prone and oily skin, all with our usual informative tips and tricks, easy-to-use comparison tables and top 10 rankings. 

Don't let acne get you down! Getting to the root cause of pimples and spots will enable you to pick the best products to gradually improve the look of your skin over time. A face mask is a great way to relax whilst treating your skin, and we hope this article helped you find one you'll love. 

Author: Wren Mann