I've been trying to battle my acne actively since 2018.
My usual port of call is purchasing whatever products are currently being pushed on Reddit or Youtube for my specific skin type and geographic locale.
They don't work. They don't work for seemingly obfusucated reasons (primarily money).
The truth is that there's only one primary source of acne: Sebum.
Sebum is the oily substance on your skin and too much of it causes acne by clogging pores with dead skin/debris. Accutane is used in extreme cases to downregulate sebum production in the long-term; it's becoming more common as we chase higher beauty standards, despite potential side effects.
Sebum production is stimulated by IGF-1, which is stimulated by testosterone and is why increased hormonal production in cases such as puberty and steroid usage leads to acne.
The goal is to regulate sebum production so that skin's pores don't clog, as well as eliminate any debris that may exacerbate the issue.
Dairy and sugar consumption directly impact IGF-1 production. Sugar consumption causes the body to produce insulin, which stimulates the production of IGF-1 and, in turn, stimulates sebum production. Sugar has an added effect of impacting collagen and leaving the skin worse off.
Water may contain physical contaminants that can clog your skin. Hard water is one such case, where additional minerals are added to the water supply to make it safe to drink, usually found in cities due to the re-use of waste water for consumption.
These physical minerals clog the skin's pores terribly, and the only solution is to filter the water before using it to clean your skin. You can independently test your water supply for contaminant levels at home for under $10 within minutes.
Air quality can impact acne by introducing more physical debris to the skin.
Lack of humidity or physical debris such as PM2.5 can cause nasal passageways to become blocked, potentially leading to mouth breathing during sleep. In this case you may drool in your sleep and cause further acne around the mouth area.
Washing and moisturizing your skin more regularly in these environments may help. Filtering the air in your home, particularly in bedrooms, may also be useful.
Being physically active and sweating can be problematic as it can irritate the skin and cause dead skin to be trapped in sweat and sebum. These conditions are also a breeding ground for bacteria.
Wearing loose-fitting clothes when exercising and using an antibacterial body wash is ideal for those with an active lifestyle.
There are plenty of products that can help regulate sebum production. I would implore you to do your own research as any product can have side effects; retinols are one such product type for reducing long-term sebum production.
I would avoid blowing money on brands promoting hero products. For any active ingredient, I would seek out pharmacy-grade options to obtain a reputable high quality product for a reasonable price instead of something marked up with obscure ingredients added.