Fungal acne safe moisturizer can be difficult to find if you’re dealing with fungal acne (also known as Malassezia). But don’t worry, we’ve done all the hard work for you and picked few product recommendations that can used as the best fungal acne-safe moisturizers.
We will talk about what ingredients to look for and what to avoid in your moisturizer in this article.
Here is our product list in case you want to jump right away to your pick
- What to avoid in a moisturizer
- What to look for in a moisturizer
- OUR TOP PICKS
- La Roche-Posay Toleriane Sensitive Fluide Protective Moisturizer
- The Body Shop Mattifying Lotion Tea Tree
- La Theorie Moisturizer
- e.l.f. SuperHydrate Gel Moisturiser
- Cetaphil Deep Hydration Skin Restoring Water Gel
- Purito Oat-in Calming Gel Cream
- KraveBeauty Oat So Simple Water Cream
- Peach & Lily Glass Skin Water-Gel Moisturizer
- Is Cetaphil Moisturizer Fungal Acne Safe
First we need to understand what is fungal acne and what causes fungal acne.
Fungal acne is caused by a microorganism called yeast (aka Malassezia folliculitis). This microorganism is normally present on our skin as part of our skin’s natural microbiome and causes fungal acne when it grows more than it needs to be. Understanding the root cause of your acne is crucial.
Fungal acne looks more like small uniform bumps in similar size that can be itchy but not necessarily, and tends to appear more in areas like forehead, back and chest.
Selecting the right moisturizer is important.
What to avoid in a moisturizer
Following are the ingredients to avoid in a moisturizer as they tend to trap moisture and worsen fungal acne.
- Oils ( such as Olive oil, coconut oil , fatty acid)
- Avoid occlusive (including Vaseline)
- Heavy loaded moisturizers and creams
Tip : It is best practice to keep your skin dry and clean. Maintain a good hygiene. Do wash away sweat right after exercising
Should you use salicylic acid ?
While salicylic acid is not antifungal, it tends to strip away oil from the skin, unclog pores, and keep the skin dry (which is good for reducing yeast growth). However, my advice is not to overuse it.
You can use salicylic acid every third day/night in the form of a cleanser to get a squeaky-clean feel once in a while. It is good for keeping excess oil at bay while dealing with fungal acne.
What to look for in a moisturizer
I recommend choosing a moisturizer that is lightweight, non-comedogenic, oil-free, and contains ingredients that prevent fungal acne.
Ingredients like glycerin, hyaluronic acid , aloe vera , squalane (a non-comedogenic oil that hydrates skin without feeding Malassezia yeast) are our go-to in a moisturizer as they hydrate without clogging pores.
The key is to steer clear of occlusive and instead use humectants to moisturize our skin.
Humectants draw moisture from the air and into the skin without creating thick barriers like occlusives.
OUR TOP PICKS
La Roche-Posay Toleriane Sensitive Fluide Protective Moisturizer
La Roche Posay Toleriane Sensitive Fluide moisturizer is formulated for those with combination to oily, sensitive skin. It is lightweight, non-comedogenic, and oil-free, with a minimal ingredient list made to avoid skin irritation.
The key hydrating ingredient in La Roche Posay is glycerin (a humectant), which can be used twice daily. The moisturizer feels light and non-greasy, offering a comfortable texture that doesn’t weigh down the skin.
The addition of thermal spring water to the ingredient list is something unique, it contains selenium —a natural antioxidant and anti-inflammatory agent that helps soothe redness often associated with fungal acne.
If you are looking for a moisturizer that is lightweight, hydrating, and oil-free to keep your skin replenished, this could be the perfect choice for you.
Suitable for: All skin types
Best for: Oily, Combination, and Sensitive Skin
Texture: Light fluid consistency
What it does: Moisturizes/Hydrates
Conscious Beauty: Minimal ingredient list
The Body Shop Mattifying Lotion Tea Tree
This may come as a surprise to some readers, probably because it is an oil, but tea tree oil has strong antifungal and anti-inflammatory properties, making it our organic ingredient of choice to fight fungal acne breakouts.
The Body Shop Tea Tree Mattifying Lotion is a lightweight daytime moisturizer with pure organic tea tree oil. It’s 100% vegan and will not clog your pores. It contains our favorite humectant, glycerin, to moisturize the skin.
Also, tea tree regulates oil production, and with any type of acne, it is a best practice to keep our oils in check.
The only drawback for some might be is its light tea tree scent. Personally, I find the scent quite pleasant—it reminds me of a soothing botanical herb, gently cleansing and calming my skin.
Also, it is pretty strong and can dry out the skin while fighting acne so it is best practice to use a pea-sized amount all over your face or use it every other day along with an extra layer of moisturizer.
Best for: Oily, Combination, and Sensitive Skin
Texture: Lightweight
What it does: Oil and blemish control, Moisturizes
Conscious Beauty: Vegan formula
La Theorie Moisturizer
La Theorie moisturizer is specially formulated for troubled skin with fungal acne. This product is free of fatty acids often found in skincare products and is suitable for those with sensitive and oily skin.
It offers a microbiome management technology, keeping the skin’s natural microbiome balanced.
Active ingredients in this gel moisturizer are squalane and panthenol, providing enough hydration to the skin while avoiding harmful, acne-causing ingredients such as fatty acids.
Squalane is good for acne-prone skin as it hydrates without feeding fungal acne. It’s not a fatty acid or oil that feeds the yeast.
Squalane oil is non-comedogenic and is safe to use in fungal acne.
Best for: Oily acne-troubled skin
Texture: Lightweight gel-lotion
What it does: Hydrates and balances skin microbiome
e.l.f. SuperHydrate Gel Moisturiser
Gel moisturizers are usually lightweight and have a hydrating base that quickly absorbs into the skin. This one has glycerin in it, which makes it a good gel moisturizer that can be safely used in fungal acne.
Other than it’s moisturizing properties, two fantastic ingredients in this moisturizer are niacinamide (Vitamin B3) and Centella Asiatica extract. While niacinamide is a good friend to an acne-prone skin by keeping sebum production in check, Centella extract in this product help sooth irritation often seen in acne.
So if you are someone looking for a light texture gel moisturizer with some additional acne fighting benefits, this is the product for you.
Best for: All skin types
Texture: Lightweight gel
What it does: Moisturizes, Hydrates
Cetaphil Deep Hydration Skin Restoring Water Gel
Cetaphil deep moisturizer is fungal acne-safe with a lightweight water gel formula containing hyaluronic acid and polyglutamic acid.
For those of you who do not know, polyglutamic acid is gaining popularity for its impressive hydrating properties, locking in moisture four to five times more than HA. Combined with HA in this formulation, it provides instant and long-lasting hydration due to its slow-release technology.
Both ingredients are non-comedogenic and won’t clog the pores , making it a perfect choice for acne-prone skin.
Suitable for: All skin types
Texture: Water-based gel
What it does: Intense hydration
Purito Oat-in Calming Gel Cream
Oat-based products are gentle, natural plant-based hydrators known for their ability to sooth and hydrate irritated skin.
Purito Oat-in claiming gel is a lightweight gel-cream formulated with Avena Sativa (Oat) Seed water (77%) and two strong humectants —beta-glucan and panthenol (provitamin B5).
This natural, safe-to-use moisturizer is suitable for those dealing with fungal acne. It has both antioxidant and hydrating properties.
It has a slight thickness to it that absorbs right into the skin on application without feeling heavy
Suitable for: Sensitive skin type
Texture: Lightweight gel cream
What it does: Moisturizes, Hydrates
Conscious Beauty: Vegan, Cruelty-free
KraveBeauty Oat So Simple Water Cream
Krave Beauty never ceases to amaze with their ‘less is more’ approach. Another oat-based product with the hydrating benefits of oats.
This simple moisturizer contains fewer than 10 ingredients and leaves your skin feeling calm and plump. If you love clean beauty, you’ll support that Oat So Simple is PETA-certified, meaning it’s vegan and free of any animal-derived ingredients.
I personally like minimalist packaging and the clean white, light texture of the cream.
Suitable for: All skin types
Best for: Sensitive Skin
Texture: Lightweight water-like
What it does: Moisturizes/Hydrates
Conscious Beauty: Minimal ingredient list, clean beauty
Peach & Lily Glass Skin Water-Gel Moisturizer
If you are a fan of hyaluronic acid for getting a skin moisture treat, I would recommend Peach & Lilly. The active ingredient in this clean, non-toxic beauty product is hyaluronic acid.
What makes it so good as a moisturizer for fungal acne is its prebiotic and probiotic complex delivery. These are ingredients known to enhance and balance the skin’s microbiome (good bacteria and fungi naturally living on our skin). A balanced microbiome prevents overgrowth, which is the case in fungal acne.
Suitable for: All skin types
Best for: Oily, Combination, and acne-prone skin
Texture: Water-based gel
What it does: Hydrates and calms irritated skin
Conscious Beauty: Vegan, Cruelty-free
Is Cetaphil Moisturizer Fungal Acne Safe
While Cetaphil is a trusted brand for many skin types, some of its formulations (except the one mentioned in our list) may not be ideal for those dealing with fungal acne. Ingredients like Cetearyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate, Cetyl Alcohol, and Macadamia Oil are commonly used in their moisturizers for emollient properties. But these ingredients can potentially feed Malassezia and may worsen the fungal acne.
Its important to go for products that avoid fatty alcohols, esters, and plant oils that Malassezia thrives on. Instead, look for lightweight, fungal acne safe moisturizers with non-comedogenic ingredients like glycerin, hyaluronic acid, or squalane.
