Objective To explore the effect of cosmetic nursing intervention on patients with acne vulgaris. Methods A total of 78 patients with acne vulgaris who were treated in the dermatology department of our hospital from January 2023 to January 2024 were selected and divided into control group and observation group by random number table method, with 39 patients in each group. The control group was treated with routine nursing, and the observation group was treated with cosmetic nursing on this basis. The clinical efficacy, tolerance and pain degree, psychological status, nursing satisfaction and quality of life were compared between the two groups. Results The total effective rate of treatment in the observation group was 94.87%, which was higher than 71.79% in the control group (P <0.05). The tolerance rate of the observation group was higher than that of the control group, and the pain score was lower than that of the control group (P <0.05). The scores of anxiety and depression in the two groups after intervention were lower than those before intervention, and those in the observation group were lower than those in the control group (P <0.05). The nursing satisfaction of the observation group was 92.31%, which was higher than 71.79% of the control group (P <0.05). The quality of life score of the observation group was higher than that of the control group (P <0.05). Conclusion The application of cosmetic nursing in patients with acne vulgaris is effective. It can not only improve the clinical efficacy, but also reduce the pain in the treatment process, improve the tolerance rat, the negative emotions, the satisfaction of nursing, and the quality of life.