Pimples are ugly and they hurt. Popping them is temporarily satisfying but can lead to an infection. Physical exfoliation doesn’t always solve the problem and sometimes it’s too painful.
Happily, there is an easy solution. The best acne body spray unclogs pores, reduces inflammation, and kills the bacteria that cause pimples. There’s no need for scrubbing or slathering on sticky lotion. The spray format makes it less awkward to treat back acne, too.
Sprays like these are some of the best products for body acne:
| The best body acne sprays | Why we love them |
|---|---|
| Paula's Choice CLEAR Back and Body Acne Spray |
|
| Murad Clarifying Body Spray |
|
| Glytone Acne Treatment Spray |
|
| AcneFree Salicylic Acid Body Spray |
|
| Via Naturelle Body and Face Acne Spray Treatment |
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| Nature's Cure Body Acne Treatment Spray |
|
| Replenix Acne Solutions Gly/Sal 10-2 Acne Body Spray |
|
Contents
- 1 What is an acne body spray?
- 2 Which is the best body acne spray?
- 3 Best Acne Body Sprays in 2024
- 3.1 Paula’s Choice CLEAR Back and Body Acne Spray, 2% Salicylic Acid Treatment
- 3.2 Murad Clarifying Body Spray
- 3.3 Glytone Acne Treatment Spray Back & Chest 2% Salicylic Acid
- 3.4 AcneFree Salicylic Acid Body Spray
- 3.5 Via Naturelle Body and Face Acne Spray Treatment with Benzoyl Peroxide
- 3.6 Replenix Acne Solutions Gly/Sal 10-2 Acne Body Spray
- 3.7 Nature’s Cure Body Acne Treatment Spray
- 4 Conclusion
What is an acne body spray?
An acne body spray is an aerosol or pump bottle with a liquid containing anti-acne ingredients like salicylic acid, glycolic acid, or benzoyl peroxide. You’ll apply it to clean, dry skin and wait a few minutes before getting dressed.
Instead of a spot treatment, a spray covers a large area of acne-prone skin. It’s formulated to absorb quickly and dry transparently.
Moreover, the active ingredients tend to be stronger than they are in facial formulas.
Which is the best body acne spray?
It’s easier to choose a spray to treat acne if you understand what the ingredients do.
Take salicylic acid, for example. It’s a beta-hydroxy acid that’s related to aspirin as it’s a salicylate. (Therefore, if you’re allergic to aspirin, stay away from salicylic acid). It’s an exfoliant that clears away dead skin cells and unclogs pores by dissolving oil buildup. It also calms inflammation and redness (1).
Then, there’s glycolic acid, an alpha-hydroxy acid. It’s an exfoliant that dissolves the bonds between dead skin cells. It lessens inflammation caused by acne and it’s moisturizing to the skin, which is why it appears in anti-aging products. Depending on the way it’s formulated, it can also eliminate acne-causing bacteria (2).
Third, there’s benzoyl peroxide that straight out kills acne bacteria without causing bacterial resistance like antibiotics can. It can also shrink pimples and reduce redness (3).
Lastly, there are other natural anti-acne ingredients like witch hazel, tea tree oil, and peppermint. The first is an astringent that diminishes inflammation and dries out pimples. The latter two are antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory botanicals that soothe the skin.
Best Acne Body Sprays in 2024
If you’re in doubt as to which body spray is best for you, please speak to a doctor. See our acne body spray reviews below for an overview of the options.
Paula’s Choice CLEAR Back and Body Acne Spray, 2% Salicylic Acid Treatment
Have you heard of the brand Paula’s Choice? Their premium skincare products are always free of artificial fragrances and parabens. Moreover, they explain the purpose of each ingredient. There are no mystery chemicals or extra fillers.
The CLEAR series of products is designed to clear up acne starting at the source. Take this body spray, for example. It uses 2% salicylic acid to eliminate redness, unclog and shrink pores, and get rid of blackheads. It treats cystic acne and keratosis pilaris as well as run-of-the-mill pimples.
Salicylic acid exfoliates dead skin and penetrates pores to dissolve excess oil. On its own, it’s kind of harsh. But this spray is formulated without drying alcohol to avoid dehydrating the skin. It also features a low pH to help the acid work even more effectively. All the same, feel free to apply moisturizer once the spray has dried.
The 2% concentration is the maximum over-the-counter strength available. That’s why it’s important to wear sunscreen if you’ll be outdoors after using this product. Please don’t use it on your face as it’s too potent for that purpose. Paula’s Choice has acne treatments made for the face instead.
In clinical trials, 88% of the users found that their body acne decreased while using the spray. Ninety-six percent also noticed that pores looked smaller.
As for regular reviewers, they pointed out that there’s a bit of an odor, but it fades quickly. The spray is easy to apply even on the back. It dries up blemishes and makes a significant difference within only a few days.
Pros:
- Uses 2% salicylic acid to unclog pores, dissolve excess oil, and exfoliate
- Maximum strength over-the-counter acne treatment for the body
- Sprays easily onto the back and other awkward places
- Non-drying formula free of alcohol, parabens, and artificial fragrances
- Proven to work in clinical trials
Cons:
- Has an odor that fades once it dries
Murad Clarifying Body Spray
Murad takes an alternative approach with its anti-acne body spray. Although it has only 0.5% salicylic acid, it also contains glycolic acid and retinol. No blemishes can escape this triple threat.
Plus, it’s paraben-free and has no artificial fragrance. However, it contains menthol which makes it smell minty and feel cooling to the skin.
Also on the bright side, it has skin-soothing ingredients like blue lotus and allantoin. These reduce the redness and inflammation caused by acne.
The spray is packaged in a container that can mist at any angle to reach the back and other difficult places.
Users are thrilled with the results. Many have subscribed to regular deliveries as the spray keeps bacne at bay.
Pros:
- Features a triple threat of salicylic acid, glycolic acid, and retinol
- Menthol provides a cooling sensation while blue lotus and allantoin soothe the skin
- Free of parabens, artificial fragrances, and other nasty ingredients
- Packaged in a bottle that can spray at any angle to reach every part of the body
Cons:
- None
Glytone Acne Treatment Spray Back & Chest 2% Salicylic Acid
This body spray for acne can be sprayed up to three times per day on the affected skin. It rapidly clears breakouts on the chest, shoulders, and back. The ultra-fine mist won’t drip, plus it dries quickly as it gets to work unclogging pores. It can also help clear up ingrown hairs.
Fortunately, the pump bottle sprays at any angle so you don’t need a friend handy to do your back.
On the downside, users say it has a strong odor. They recommend spraying it and moving away from the area where you applied it to get fresh air.
Another negative is that it can be drying if you live in a dry climate and use it twice a day. Consider using a non-comedogenic moisturizer afterward.
Pros:
- Can be used up to three times per day to rapidly clear a breakout
- Uses 2% salicylic acid to unclog pores
- Comes in a spray bottle that works at any angle
- Ultra-fine mist that doesn’t drip
Cons:
- Has a strong odor and may dehydrate the skin
AcneFree Salicylic Acid Body Spray
The experts at AcneFree created this custom blend of salicylic and glycolic acid with witch hazel, zinc PCA, niacinamide, and aloe. You may be familiar with the first three ingredients, but what are niacinamide and zinc PCA? How can they help with acne?
Niacinamide isn’t just an anti-aging ingredient. It’s anti-inflammatory, so it helps with acne and other skin conditions, too. Meanwhile, zinc PCA is an antibacterial agent that puts a freeze on acne.
Put it on right after toweling off after a shower and allow it to dry before getting dressed. It can be used up to twice a day. The continuous spray feature simplifies treating the back (although it runs through the product pretty quickly).
The main con is that the formula has a strong odor.
Pros:
- Potent blend of salicylic and glycolic acids with witch hazel, niacinamide, and zinc PCA
- Antibacterial, anti-acne, and anti-inflammatory benefits
- Can be used up to twice per day
- Packaged with a continuous spray applicator
Cons:
- Has a strong odor that fades once it dries
Via Naturelle Body and Face Acne Spray Treatment with Benzoyl Peroxide
We’re always happy to see anti-acne body sprays without drying alcohol. Our poor skin gets enough torture as it is. This product is also unscented and designed for sensitive skin.
What’s interesting is that it combines salicylic acid with benzoyl peroxide. This lethal (to pimples) combination zaps zits right from the start. The salicylic acid opens up the pores to allow the benzoyl peroxide to kill the acne-causing bacteria.
Moreover, those aren’t the only pimple-fighting ingredients included. The spray also has witch hazel, eucalyptus, and tea tree oil. The first two ingredients are natural astringents. Tea tree is astringent but it’s also antimicrobial. Blemishes don’t have a chance when confronted with this product.
What are the negatives? The formula doesn’t dry as quickly as some sprays and the applicator doesn’t always work upside down. Also, since it contains benzoyl peroxide, it may discolor clothing if it hasn’t dried completely.
Pros:
- Effective blend of salicylic acid and benzoyl peroxide eliminates blemishes
- Surprisingly mild for sensitive skin – no parabens, drying alcohol, or artificial fragrance
- Also has tea tree oil, eucalyptus, and witch hazel
Cons:
- The applicator can be a little clunky when used upside down
Replenix Acne Solutions Gly/Sal 10-2 Acne Body Spray
The 10-2 stands for 10% glycolic acid and 2% salicylic acid. It’s a perfectly balanced combination of exfoliants to clarify the skin. Not only does it get rid of acne, but it also helps with other issues like ingrown hairs.
Of course, the formula is non-comedogenic. Furthermore, it’s sometimes dermatologist-recommended. But there’s a catch. Not everyone’s pleased with the strong odor or the inclusion of certain ingredients like alcohol.
Although this isn’t our top pick, we saw that many people are more than satisfied with the results.
Pros:
- Sure-fire blend of glycolic and salicylic acids
- Non-comedogenic and has no parabens
- Clarifies the skin to get rid of acne and ingrown hairs
Cons:
- Strong odor and some shady ingredients
Nature’s Cure Body Acne Treatment Spray
You might think that if the brand is called Nature’s Cure that the product would be all-natural. Unfortunately, our final pick has parabens, alcohol, and a formaldehyde releaser.
On the bonus side, it smells nice and it’s packed with skin conditioning ingredients like aloe, chamomile, and calendula. That’s not surprising as it’s made to counteract acne caused by sweaty clothes and athletic gear.
The active ingredient is 2% salicylic acid, a tried and true anti-acne miracle. Users say the formula makes a visible difference within days and offers a dramatic improvement after a month.
Pros:
- Contains 2% salicylic acid and several skin conditioners like aloe, calendula, and chamomile
- Smells better than most acne body sprays
- Reduces breakouts caused by sweaty athletic gear
Cons:
- Has some undesirable ingredients
Conclusion
Don’t put up with bacne – the solution is at hand. Try one of these acne body sprays to get rid of the pimples and inflammation causing you grief. Stick with it and in a few days and your skin should be noticeably healthier.
We’d love to hear back from you if we helped you find an effective skincare product today. Please feel free to leave us a comment below.
Sources:
1. https://www.webmd.com/drugs/2/drug-18-193/salicylic-acid-topical/salicylic-acid-for-acne-topical/details accessed June 28, 2021
2. https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-020-64545-9 Published: 04 May 2020 pH-Dependent Antibacterial Activity of Glycolic Acid: Implications for Anti-Acne Formulations, by Elba R. Valle-González, et al., published in Scientific Reports volume 10, Article number: 7491 (2020), accessed June 28, 2021
3. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3016935/ What is the Role of Benzoyl Peroxide Cleansers in Acne Management? Do they Decrease Propionibacterium acnes Counts? Do they Reduce Acne Lesions? By James Q. Del Rosso, et al., published in Journal of Clinical Aesthetical Dermatology, November 2008, accessed June 28, 2021