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Byrdie / Danie Drankwalter
Acne and scarring: Two skin woes that go hand in hand. According to the American Academy of Dermatology, over 50 million Americans are affected by acne annually. Rest assured that if you're convinced you can't ever catch a break from its side effects like scarring, hyperpigmentation, and inflammation, you're not alone, and you will get through this. Trusting in a reliable skincare regimen will make all the difference.
When it comes to fading acne scars, a lot of products come into play. There are serums, cleansers, home remedies, and more that you can use for treatment. One of the best products for bringing on clear, glowing, radiant skin is a trusty face mask. Curling up on your couch with Netflix going and a face mask on could be the answer to getting those dark spots to finally fade away. We tapped the pros to figure out which masks have the best acne-fading reputation.
Keep scrolling to discover the best face masks for acne scars.
Best Overall
Ren Clean Skincare Glycol Lactic Radiance Renewal Mask
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Courtesy of Ren Clean Skincare
Potent formula
Pump bottle
Little goes a long way
Strong smell
Who else recommends it? Women's Health, Cosmopolitan, and Today all picked the Ren Clean Skincare Glycol Lactic Radiance Renewal Mask.
What do buyers say? 89% of 150+ Amazon reviewers rated this product 4 stars or above.
This peel-off mask has an effective concoction of four acids to speed up cell turnover and leave you with baby-soft skin. The powerful grouping of acids helps to even out the skin tone and diminish the look of dark spots over time.
Benefits: Exfoliates, boosts radiance, smooths texture, firms | Active Ingredients: Alpha hydroxy acids | Skin Type: Balanced, dry, combination, oily | Size: 1.7 oz. | Cruelty-Free: Yes | Byrdie Clean: Yes
Best Brightening
Peter Thomas Roth Pumpkin Enzyme Mask Enzymatic Dermal Resurfacer
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Smells good
Quick results
Littles goes a long way
Not ideal for sensitive skin
Key Ingredients
Alpha-hydroxy acids are a group of acid compounds most often derived from plant-based sources. There are a variety of different ones out there, some of which include glycolic (derived from sugarcane) and lactic (derived from sour milk). While they all act on the surface of the skin as chemical exfoliants, they differ in size and subsequently penetration and potency.
Mōda artist and skin expert Dominique Lerma loves this triple-action mask because it revitalizes dull-looking skin with its exfoliating properties while soothing acne-prone areas. "I am especially a fan because pumpkin is packed with fruit enzymes and alpha hydroxy acids to increase cell turnover and boost collagen production," she says.
Benefits: Exfoliates, peels, boosts radiance, smooths texture | Active Ingredients: Pumpkin enzymes, alpha hydroxy acids, aluminum oxide crystals | Skin Type: Balanced, dry, combination, oily | Size: 5 oz. | Cruelty Free: No | Byrdie Clean: Yes
Runner-Up, Best Exfoliating
Noto Botanics Resurface Scrub
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Courtesy of Noto Botanics
Potent formula
Natural ingredients
Preps skin for serum application
Can be drying
Founder of skincare line Noto Botanics and makeup artist Gloria Noto suggests using this scrub as a mask to reap optimal benefits. All of the alpha hydroxy acids (AHAs) blended with the grounded walnut shells deeply penetrate the skin when you let it seep in for at least five minutes. "Once ready to remove, you are adding extra resurfacing by gently exfoliating the micro-ground walnut shells off of your face," Noto explains. "AHAs are known to help repair and bring fresh skin to the surface."
Benefits: Exfoliates, boosts radiance | Active Ingredients: Alpha hydroxy acids, walnut shell powder | Skin Type: Acne-prone | Size: 2 oz. | Cruelty-Free: Yes | Byrdie Clean: Yes
Best Sheet Mask
Joanna Vargas Dawn Face Mask
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Courtesy of Saks Fifth Avenue
Potent formula
Easy to use
Paraben-free
Pricey
Key Ingredients
Vitamin C is an essential nutrient required for the growth and repair of tissues in all parts of the body, including the skin, but we cannot produce it on our own. For the skin, it helps to boost collagen, fade discoloration, and fight free radicals.
Exfoliating powers are always a plus when looking to fade acne scars. "This mask has mandelic acid along with vitamin C, so it's both exfoliating and healing, which is perfect for people with acne and scarring,” celebrity aesthetician Joanna Vargas explains.
Benefits: Smooths texture, reduces wrinkles, exfoliates, boosts radiance | Active Ingredients: Mandelic acid, vitamin C | Skin Type: Acne-prone | Size: 4.5 oz. | Cruelty-Free: Yes | Byrdie Clean: Yes
Best for Hyperpigmentation
May Lindstrom The Problem Solver Correcting Masque
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Warming sensation
Quick results
Pricey
The best remedy for curing cold-weather blues? A warming mask, of course. "This is a warm correcting mask that is rich in raw cacao," Lerma adds. "Its unique formula heals inflammation and aides with fading hyperpigmentation while also treating current breakouts."
Benefits: Boosts radiance, fades hyperpigmentation, provides antioxidant protection, restores skin barrier | Active Ingredients: Raw cacao, rhassoul clay, activated bamboo charcoal | Skin Type: All | Size: 8.45 oz. | Cruelty-Free: Yes | Byrdie Clean: Yes
Best Firming
Palermo Vitamin C Facial Mask - Pink Clay + Rosehip
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Courtesy of Palermo Body
Non-irritating
Quick results
Smells good
Messy application
This mask is rich in rosehip, vitamin C, and strawberry extracts. "These ingredients are key in the production of collagen, which can help heal scarring, plump up the skin, and reduce the appearance of sun damage," Noto says.
Benefits: Exfoliates, boosts radiance, firms | Active Ingredients: Pink clay, vitamin C | Skin Type: All | Size: 1.2 oz. | Cruelty-Free: Yes | Byrdie Clean: Yes
Best Clay Mask
H is for Love Propolis Face Mask
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Courtesy of The Choosy Chick
Tingling sensation
Natural ingredients
Pricey
Noto points out the generous amount of clay in this mask, which draws out impurities, deep-cleans clogged pores, and prevents future breakouts and scarring. "This mask also has orange peel and frankincense, which are both known to help heal and purify the skin," she explains.
Benefits: Boosts radiance, unclogs pores, prevents scarring | Active Ingredients: French green clay, kaolin clay, vitamin C | Skin Type: Acne-prone | Size: 5.07 oz. | Cruelty-Free: Yes | Byrdie Clean: Yes
Best Calming
L:A Bruket Hydrating Face Mask
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Courtesy of L:A Bruket
Natural ingredients
Smells good
Can leave on overnight
Pricey
This Swedish skincare line's international skin advisor Teja Mulic always recommends this mask because it's great for soothing the skin and calming down microinflammation, as it's formulated with aloe vera and cucumber extract. "Acne-prone skin is often sore, irritated, and dehydrated from deep cleansers used every day that balance sebum production," Mulic explains. "Therefore, it is ideal to use products with calming and super-hydrating ingredients to balance and calm the inflammation, which helps avoid scars."
Benefits: Hydrates, soothes, calms | Active Ingredients: Aloe vera, cucumber extract | Skin Type: Acne-prone | Size: 1.7 oz. | Cruelty-Free: Yes | Byrdie Clean: Yes
Final Verdict
We're giving top picks to the Ren Clean Skincare Glycol Lactic Radiance Renewal Mask. With a powerful blend of four acids to promote quicker cell turnover, this mask will give you soft, even-toned skin and fade your acne scars over time. Have acne scars on your body? Look no further than the Noto Botanics Resurface Scrub. Its gentle but effective blend of AHAs and grounded walnut shells will promote new, healthy, and glowy skin.
What to Look For in Face Masks for Acne Scars
Type
From scrubs to creams to sheets and peels, there are several types of face masks to treat acne scars. When exploring masks, consider which specific type will best heal your acne scars. If you’re looking for added exfoliation properties, a scrub is a great option. If you want to avoid messy application, opt for a sheet mask that’s easy to apply and remove.
Formula
Face masks differ in what specifically they target, key ingredients, and how “clean” they are. If you also want to tackle wrinkles or hydrate your skin, look at other listed benefits on the product’s packaging. As for ingredients, if you have sensitive skin or find yourself irritated by salicylic acid, pay attention to the dominant ingredients to avoid inflammation on top of acne scarring. Finally, if you’re committed to all-natural, vegan, or cruelty-free masks, it’s also important to double-check the product’s packaging and the company’s core values.
How We Researched
To compile this list, our team of editors and contributors spent hours researching the best products on the market in this category, evaluating their key features—like ingredients, shade range, or design—in addition to reviews from customers and other trusted sources. We then used this research to assign a star rating from one to five (five being the best; one being the worst) to certain products on the list.
Why Trust Byrdie
Maya Allen is an experienced journalist who has covered all things beauty for Byrdie, Cosmopolitan, InStyle, O, The Oprah Magazine, and many more publications. This article was also reviewed by a certified-board dermatologist, Dr. Rachel Nazarian, whose writing contributions have been featured in Byrdie, Harper's Bazaar, Marie Claire, and more.
According to our Diversity Pledge, 15% of products in our newly-published market roundups will feature Black-owned and/or Black-founded brands. At the time of publishing, we were not able to find any face masks for acne scars from a Black-owned and/or Black-founded business. If you know of one we should consider, please email us at contact@byrdie.com and we will evaluate the product ASAP.
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