Dr. Dennis Gross DRx Blemish Solutions Clarifying Mask for dry skin
Colloidal Sulfur
Retinol
Licorice Root Extract
Zinc Oxide
Willow Bark ExtractCaution
- CautionDry Skin Fit
- HighEffectiveness
- RiskySafety
A poor match for dry skin; the cleansing masks alongside fit it better.
- Journal of Evidence-based Medicine, 2020
- Revista de Investigacion Clinica; Organo Del Hospital de Enfermedades de la Nutricion, 2004
This fit is calculated for the concerns frequently associated with dry skin: flakiness, tightness, dehydration, fine lines, and wrinkles. For scores and recommendations based on your full skin profile, including your 12D face scan results and any goals or preferences you have, please use the Lovi app.
Page built Nov 8, 2026How the Fit score works
Lovi Assistant explains
- Offers moderate exfoliation for your dry or flaky skin due to the presence of sulfur and willow bark extract, which can be drying and strip natural oils. This formulation is unsuitable for dry skin as kaolin and sulfur are not emollient or humectant.
- The mask provides excellent pore cleansing by absorbing excess oil and impurities with sulfur and kaolin, but this functionality is not aligned with your skin's needs.
How to apply
- Use this cleansing mask PM as part of your weekly routine, starting 1x/week and increasing slowly if needed. Always follow with a rich moisturizer to prevent dryness.
- Apply the cleansing mask after using your cleanser and enzyme powder, but before your hydrating toner and moisturizer. This ensures the mask works effectively on your dry skin.
- Smooth an even layer of the cleansing mask over your face while avoiding any rubbing. Let it sit for the recommended time before gently rinsing it off.
- Apply the cleansing mask to clean, dry skin for the best comfort. Since your skin is dry, this method helps prevent any potential irritation.
- Avoid the sensitive eye area during application. Do a patch test before your first use to ensure your skin tolerates the product well.
People Say
★4.6Overall rating based on 100+ reviewsBased on limited data, users with acne-prone and oily skin report that this sulfur-based mask effectively calms redness, reduces cystic flare-ups, and minimizes pores without over-drying the skin. While many appreciate its versatility as both an overnight spot treatment and a mattifying primer under makeup, some users experienced pilling or difficulty with the thick texture.
Highlights
Reduces acne Often Mentioned
- “Calms cystic flare-ups”
- “clears hormonal acne”
- “diminishes inflammation”
Versatile application Often Mentioned
- “Works as overnight mask”
- “spot treatment”
- “makeup primer”
Minimizes pores Sometimes Noted
- “Pores appear smaller”
- “smooths skin texture”
- “mattifies oily zones”
Non-drying formula Sometimes Noted
- “Leaves skin soft”
- “balances oil”
- “does not strip moisture”
Texture and pilling Sometimes Noted
- “Pills under makeup”
- “hard to spread”
- “thick consistency”
Adverse reactions Rarely Noted
- “Caused breakouts”
- “irritated sensitive skin”
- “did not work for everyone”
Application difficulty Rarely Noted
- “Dries too fast”
- “difficult to layer”
- “requires quick application”
Packaging issues Rarely Noted
- “Pump malfunctions”
- “hard to get product out”
- “requires unscrewing top”
Sources: lovi.care, dermstore.com, lookfantastic.com, lovelyskin.com, sephora.sg, and more
Questions and answers
Why does Lovi advise caution with Dr. Dennis Gross Clarifying Mask for dry skin?
This cleansing mask is a poor match because ingredients like sulfur, willow bark, and kaolin absorb oil and exfoliate, which can dry out and strip natural oils from dry skin. A cleansing mask for dry skin needs gentle, hydrating, and soothing ingredients that provide moisture without any risk of irritation or stripping.
Which ingredients make this mask a poor fit for dry skin?
Sulfur and willow bark extract make this mask a poor fit because they can dry out your skin and strip its natural oils, and the formula lacks the rich moisturizing ingredients that dry skin needs.
What does Retinol do for dry skin?
Retinol is a poor fit for dry skin because it frequently causes scaling, stinging, and dryness. To care for dry skin properly, a product needs gentle, hydrating ingredients like ceramides, glycerin, and hyaluronic acid to lock in moisture and keep the skin barrier calm and smooth.
The British Journal of Dermatology, 2019Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, 2023
Where does this mask go in a skincare routine for dry skin?
This cleansing mask is a poor match for dry skin because its ingredients absorb oil and clear pores without adding moisture, which can dry out your skin. Dry skin needs a nourishing mask that adds moisture and hydration instead of clearing excess oil.
Can I use this mask with benzoyl peroxide, and in what order?
It is best to avoid using this mask with benzoyl peroxide on dry skin, as the combination of ingredients like sulfur, willow bark, and kaolin strips natural oils and can cause excessive dryness and irritation. Dry skin needs a nourishing mask that contains rich, hydrating ingredients to restore moisture and protect the skin barrier instead.
How often should I use this mask?
This mask is a poor match for dry skin because sulfur and willow bark extract can dry it out and strip natural oils. This type of skin needs a nourishing mask with ingredients that deeply hydrate and soothe.
Can this mask clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for dry skin?
This mask is unlikely to clog pores or cause breakouts because it uses sulfur and clay to absorb oil and impurities, though it is not a good fit for dry skin. Dry skin needs gentle, hydrating ingredients like glycerin and soothing plant oils instead of oil-absorbing clays and drying exfoliants.
Is this mask fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
It has no drying alcohol and contains fragrance (farnesol). Cetearyl alcohol is a fatty alcohol, which soften the skin.
What the research says
Azelaic acid was probably less effective than benzoyl peroxide in acne treatment response, while showing little or no difference compared to tretinoin, and adverse events were mild and transient across evaluated topical treatments.
Journal of Evidence-based Medicine, 2020Topical application of precipitated sulphur 2-8% petrolatum achieved a 95% clinical and ectoparasitological cure rate in 40 ambulatory scabies patients without relevant adverse effects.
Revista de Investigacion Clinica; Organo Del Hospital de Enfermedades de la Nutricion, 2004Topical 10% benzoyl peroxide and 2%-5% sulfur cream achieved "good" to "excellent" results with no undesirable side effects in 113 consecutive patients with acne.
Canadian Medical Association Journal, 1966Topical 0.4% retinol significantly increased epidermal thickness, dermal vascularity, and extracellular matrix production by stimulating keratinocyte proliferation, endothelial cell proliferation, and fibroblast activation in naturally aged human skin compared to vehicle.
International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2017Topical bakuchiol 0.5% applied twice daily compared with retinol 0.5% applied daily significantly decreased wrinkle surface area and hyperpigmentation with no statistical difference between the compounds in 44 patients over 12 weeks, while retinol users reported more facial skin scaling and stinging.
The British Journal of Dermatology, 2019Silicone particles encapsulating retinol increased its half-life by 9-fold and yielded 12-23% lower skin irritation in human subjects compared to Microsponge particles while maintaining biological activity.
Journal of Controlled Release, 2018Combining 755 nm alexandrite laser with topical licorice gel significantly reduces terminal hair counts compared to alexandrite laser with placebo in women with idiopathic hirsutism.
Evidence-based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, 2015Licochalcone A activated Nrf2 signaling, elevated cytoprotective enzymes, increased the reduced-to-oxidized glutathione ratio, and decreased reactive oxygen species in human fibroblasts and neutrophils, while a LicA-rich licorice extract lowered UVA-induced oxidative processes in vivo.
Experimental Dermatology, 2015Bioactive glycyrrhizic acid and oxymatrine ionic liquid self-assembled nanomicelles significantly promoted the transdermal permeation, subcutaneous retention, and anti-photoaging efficacy of palmitoyl pentapeptide-4 in cellular and animal models compared to unformulated peptide.
Advanced Science, 2025Topical 0.5% hyaluronic-ZnO nanogel applied twice daily reduced inflammatory-lesion counts by 58% at week four in human subjects compared to baseline without causing erythema.
Biomedicines, 2025Nels cream achieved a similar reduction in inflammatory and noninflammatory lesion counts compared to 5% benzoyl peroxide in acne vulgaris patients, but caused significantly fewer side-effects such as peeling and dryness.
Clinical and Experimental Dermatology, 2000Topically applied coated and uncoated zinc oxide nanoparticles under flexing and massage are retained in the stratum corneum with no significant penetration into the viable epidermis and no cellular toxicity in human skin.
Nanomedicine, 2016A botanical face cleanser with hops and willow bark extract continuously reduced skin sebum levels without reactive seborrhea after treatment in 21 healthy volunteers compared to a sodium laureth sulfate cleanser, with neither cleanser causing skin irritation.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2019Bioactive lipid nanocarriers co-loaded with willow bark or ivy leaf extracts and UV-filters provided pronounced UVA photoprotection up to an SPF-equivalent value of 13 and a maximum in vivo skin hydration effect of 97% when prepared with pomegranate oil.
Nanomaterials, 2022A topical serum containing 0.5% salicin applied twice daily reduced visible signs of skin aging, including wrinkles and tactile roughness, in 30 female subjects over 12 weeks compared to baseline.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2010
Ingredients
Sulfur, Water, Kaolin, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glycerin, Polysorbate 20, Butylene Glycol, Acacia Senegal Gum, Zinc Oxide, Bentonite, Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil, Farnesol, Opuntia Tuna Stem Extract Flower, Willow Bark Extract, Bisabolol, Retinol, Phenylethyl Resorcinol, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract Licorice Root Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Tocopheryl Acetate, Glycine Soja Oil Soybean Oil, Sodium Pca, Ethylhexylglycerin, Allantoin, Rosmarinus Officinalis Oil Leaf Rosemary Oil Leaf, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Benzoate, Potassium Sorbate
Behind this fit score
Lovi calculates every fit score from the full ingredient list with brand-independent rules our dermatologists and cosmetic chemists build and review, and personalizes every pick with AI trained on the real results of millions of users. Lovi trains its fit score models on a proprietary dataset built from more than 10,000 expert-labeled products and more than 100,000 simulated examples, following an internally consistent methodology presented at Cosmoprof, AMWC, and Skin of Color Update.
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Co-founder, Medical Director
Cosmetic chemist, cosmetologist, aesthetic products developer
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Co-founder, CEO and CTO
PhD in computer science, 3x US patent holder, ex-Google, ex-Yandex
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Dr. Sofía Perea Pérez, MD, MSc
Medical Board
Aesthetic medicine practitioner, MSc in Longevity and Anti-Aging Medicine
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Medical Board
Specialist dermatologist, MBBS, MD, IFAAD
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Medical Board
Cosmetic chemist, SCS, IFSCC member
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Medical Board, Medical Advisor
Dermatology MD
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Elina Nazarenko, MD
Medical Board
Dermatology and diagnostic consultant
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Victoria Derkova, MS
Medical Board
Cosmetic chemist, cosmetic development technologist
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