There are a lot of different approaches to treating acne, however, some of my favorites include retinoids as well as other clinically researched treatment options such as BPO and topical antibiotics.

I excluded common OTC active ingredients such as niacinamide, vitamin C, hyaluronic acid, and common AHAs/BHAs only because there is a vast amount of products containing these out there that are going to suit different needs and different skin types based on a variety of factors. (i.e., someone with extremely dry skin wanting a niacinamide serum may want to consider an occulsive-heavy moisturizer containing niacinamide instead).