Best Treatments for Combination Skin

Ranked by 20 mentions across Reddit · Updated October 2026

Top picks· 12

Reddit’s top pick

Differin5 mentions

The why

Nightly use leaves one user feeling dry most of the time, even with an oily forehead and nose.

“I have combination skin, but it feels quite dry most of the time. I think its mostly because of using differin every night”
— Reddit, r/SkincareAddiction

One minus

Purging can be brutal before clearance

Good forOily Skin, Combination Skin

Compare the top 5

	1 Differin Adapalene Gel 0.1%	2 COSRX BHA Blackhead Power Liquid	3 Stridex Daily Care Acne Pads With Salicylic Acid, Maximum Strength	4 Avene Retrinal 0.1% Intensive Multi-Corrective Cream	5 Regimen Lab Azelaic Advanced
	Top pick		Budget pick	Compare with #1 →
Reddit mentions	5	4	2	1	1
Price	—	from $18	from $8	from $68	—
Better for	Acne	—	Keratosis Pilaris	—	—
Key ingredients	Adapalene, Parabens	Betaine Salicylate, Niacinamide	Salicylic Acid	Shea Butter	Azelaic Acid, Potassium Azeloyl Diglycinate

Community take

For combination skin, Redditors most often recommend adapalene for acne and Cosrx BHA for clogged pores. Some also report smoother texture, while experiences vary: adapalene can leave skin feeling oilier or drier, and BHA may suit best with limited use.

What works

Adapalene helped clear acne and reduce rosacea pustules.
Cosrx BHA made a real difference for clogged pores.
Adapalene and retinal were reported to improve pore appearance.

Watch out for

Adapalene made some combination skin feel unusually oily.
Nightly Differin use left dry-leaning combination skin feeling dry.
Some users could tolerate BHA only twice weekly.

The full ranking

Cicaplast Gel B5 Skin Protectant
La Roche-Posay1 mention
Oily or combo users reach for the gel for barrier revitalization; dry skin gets the balm.
“For skin barrier revitalization, I cannot recommend enough the Cicaplast B5 series (balm if you have dry skin, gel if you have oily/combo skin).”
— Reddit, r/SkincareAddiction
from $17
10% Azelaic Acid Treatment
Good Molecules1 mention
Rosacea redness leads the conversation, with a combo-sensitive commenter reporting luck from an azelaic acid cleanser.
“I have great luck with Good Molecules Azelaic Acid Soothing Cleanser”
— Reddit, r/Rosacea
from $11
Effaclar Duo (+)
La Roche-Posay1 mention
Cheeks and chin get the acne-focused step, while Cicaplast goes on the dry, irritated T-zone.
“for a while i’d also use the Effacler Duo as a spot treatment, with some effectiveness but only on my very ‘acne-ish’ acne on my cheeks.”
— Reddit, r/SkincareAddiction
Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant
Paula's Choice1 mention
Clearer complexions are what one fan credits its 2% BHA with maintaining.
“I like the 2% and I always credit it for my clear skin.”
— Reddit, r/30PlusSkinCare
from $37
Retinal 0.2% Emulsion
The Ordinary1 mention
Pore appearance leads the retinal discussion, while a dry-leaning combo user describes layering hydrating toner and serum.
“My pores look the best though when I’ve used a retinal serum (I use The Ordinary)”
— Reddit, r/koreanskincare
from $14
Lactic Acid 10% + HA
The Ordinary1 mention
Acne and pore reduction are the reported draw, with one user noting a tiny initial burn.
“it definitely seems to help with acne and reducing pores.”
— Reddit, r/SkincareAddiction
from $9
Salicylic Acid 2% Solution
The Ordinary1 mention
New bumps appear just once every three months for one combination-skin user.
“i have combination skin and i didnt see like new bumps only 1 every 3 months sthing like this.”
— Reddit, r/tretinoin
from $6