ZO Skin Health Complexion Clearing Masque for acne-prone skin
Sulfur
Kaolin
Bentonite
Glycerin
Caprylyl GlycolAverage
- AverageCombination Skin Fit
- AverageEffectiveness
- HighSafety
Works for acne-prone skin; other cleansing masks fit it better.
This fit is calculated for the concerns frequently associated with acne-prone skin: breakouts, blackheads, and post-acne marks. 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 suitability for your combination skin, as sulfur and kaolin work to decongest pores and absorb excess oil, which can help with blemishes and breakouts. Glycerin provides some hydration, but may not be sufficient for drier areas of combination skin.
- The formula is safe for your acne-prone skin, with no harsh or prohibited ingredients that could cause irritation.
- The product's primary function is pore cleansing, which aligns with your goal of addressing acne and breakouts.
How to apply
- Use this cleansing mask during your PM weekly routine. Start 1x/week and increase if your skin tolerates it well.
- Apply this cleansing mask after using your pre-cleanser and cleanser , and before your hydrating toner.
- Spread an even layer of the cleansing mask over your face , avoiding any rubbing to protect your skin.
- Apply the cleansing mask to clean and dry skin to help clear up your blemishes effectively.
- Avoid the eye area and do a patch test before your first use.
People Say
★4.9Overall rating based on 100+ reviewsBased on limited data, this product is highly effective for acne-prone and oily skin, with users frequently noting its ability to clear breakouts and act as a spot treatment. It is also praised for absorbing excess oil and pores without over-drying the skin. A moderate number of users mention a strong, lingering sulfur smell, and a low number report potential for dryness with overuse or issues with the scent lingering on towels.
Highlights
Clears acne breakouts Mostly Mentioned
- “There's always at least a 50% reduction in size and takes redness away!”
- “I swear a zit is nearly gone the next morning.”
- “My daughter's skin is 90% more clear.”
- “In the morning they are nearly dried out and done!”
Effective spot treatment Often Mentioned
- “I use this as a spot treatment.”
- “Most magical mask/spot treatment ever.”
- “Love this mask for makeup prep and spot treatment!”
- “I use it mostly as a spot treatment for pimples overnight.”
Doesn't over-dry Sometimes Noted
- “Leaves my skin feeling very clean without being super dry.”
- “Hydrates the skin to combat dryness.”
- “Leaves your complexion looking fresh and balanced.”
- “Without stripping the skin.”
Reduces oil/pores Sometimes Noted
- “Very affective to reduce oil and make my pore smaller.”
- “Absorbs excess oil that can lead to future breakouts.”
- “Helps unclog congested pores, reduce surface oil.”
- “Helps absorb oil and creates a thicker product consistency.”
Strong sulfur smell Sometimes Noted
- “I can't get over the sulfur smell it was AWFUL.”
- “Leaves an awful smell of rotten eggs/sulfur.”
- “Some mention mixed feelings about breakouts and the smell.”
- “I only used it once and plan to never use it again because of the smell.”
Lingers on towels Rarely Noted
- “Leaves an awful smell of rotten eggs/sulfur on your towels if wipe it off with that.”
- “So glad I rinsed it off in the shower and didn't use a towel.”
- “Awful smell of rotten eggs/sulfur on your towels.”
Potential for dryness Rarely Noted
- “It can dry the skin so I would not recommend it to be used too often.”
- “If you overuse it, it might dry your skin.”
- “If bothersome dryness or peeling occurs, reduce application.”
Sources: lovi.care, zoskinhealth.com, skinclique.com, myfacedr.com, antiagingvancouver.com, bskinenvie.ca, and more
Questions and answers
How well does ZO Complexion Clearing Masque work for acne-prone skin?
ZO Skin Health Complexion Clearing Masque works moderately well for your acne-prone skin, as sulfur and kaolin help clear pores and absorb excess oil for breakouts. This mask needs high-quality acne-fighting ingredients like salicylic acid and zinc oxide, along with balanced hydrating agents, to better treat blemishes while caring for both oily and dry areas.
Which ingredients make this mask a good fit for acne-prone skin?
Sulfur, kaolin, and bentonite make this mask a good fit for acne-prone skin by clearing out pores and soaking up extra oil. To work even better for this skin type, a product of this kind needs powerful blemish-fighting ingredients like salicylic acid, zinc oxide, or niacinamide, alongside hydrating agents to keep dry areas balanced.
What does Sulfur do for acne-prone skin?
Sulfur helps clear up acne-prone skin by reducing blemishes and calming irritation, with uncommon side effects mostly limited to mild skin dryness. It is a well-established choice for breakouts because it treats spots effectively while keeping your skin calm and smooth.
Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, 2004Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, 1988
What does Kaolin Clay do for acne-prone skin?
Kaolin clay helps absorb excess oil and calms redness in acne-prone skin with a strong safety profile. Using a clay mask twice a week may improve acne and skin evenness while keeping dryness under control.
Skin Research and Technology, 2023Archives of Dermatological Research, 2024
Where does this mask go in a skincare routine for acne-prone skin?
This mask goes in your weekly routine after a makeup remover, cleanser, and enzyme powder, and before a hydrating toner, treatment, and moisturizer. Products of this type for acne-prone skin need ingredients like sulfur and kaolin to clear pores and absorb excess oil, along with enough hydration to keep drier areas comfortable.
Can I use this mask with retinol, and in what order?
You can use this mask in your weekly routine, keeping it on separate days or times from your retinol to avoid irritation. Because sulfur and kaolin help absorb excess oil and clear pores, this type of product works best when paired with extra hydration and soothing ingredients to keep your skin balanced.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2025Cutaneous and Ocular Toxicology, 2009
How often should I use this mask?
Use this cleansing mask once a week as part of your weekly routine, as it helps clear pores and absorb excess oil without harsh irritation. Products of this type for acne-prone skin need ingredients like sulfur and kaolin to clear breakouts while keeping skin balanced.
Can this mask clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for acne-prone skin?
This mask is unlikely to clog pores or cause breakouts because its ingredients focus on clearing out pores and soaking up extra oil. To work best for acne-prone skin, a product of this type needs ingredients like sulfur and kaolin to clear blemishes alongside soothing hydrators to keep dry areas comfortable.
Is this mask fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
It has no drying alcohol and contains fragrance (benzyl alcohol).
What the research says
A single application of a moisturizing fluid containing hyaluronic acid 1%, glycerin 5%, and Centella asiatica stem cells extract significantly increased skin hydration by 29% and reduced transepidermal water loss at 24 hours compared to baseline and an untreated control site in twenty healthy women.
Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017A bentonite-based facial mask with Alcea sulphurea extract combined with oral azithromycin significantly reduced total lesion count and acne severity index while enhancing patient satisfaction in patients with moderate acne compared to placebo plus azithromycin over 8 weeks.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2025A preservative system containing 1,2-hexanediol and caprylyl glycol showed no delayed Type IV dermal sensitivity reactions in 200 subjects when tested as a 15% mixture in carbomer gel and in a cosmetic formulation.
Cutaneous and Ocular Toxicology, 2009Topical sulfur alone or in combination demonstrates efficacy and rare mild adverse events in treating various dermatological disorders.
Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, 2004Azelaic 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, 1966Vectorization of high molecular weight hyaluronic acid with clay enabled its penetration into deeper skin layers and led to a significant clinical reduction in fine lines in the crow's feet area compared to placebo after 28 days.
Skin Research and Technology, 2024Twice-weekly use of a clay mask over 4 weeks in 75 adults with oily or combination skin improved acne-related outcomes, sebum content, skin evenness, hydration, and reduced dryness and irritation.
Skin Research and Technology, 2023Clay jojoba oil facial masks reduced total skin lesions by a mean of 54% after 6 weeks in 133 participants with acne-prone, lesioned skin and mild acne compared to baseline.
Forschende Komplementarmedizin, 2012Quaternized carboxymethyl chitosan/organic montmorillonite nanocomposite demonstrated superior moisture-adsorption and retention compared to hyaluronic acid, good UV-protection ability, negligible dermal irritation, and prominent moisture-retention efficacy on human stratum corneum when formulated into a cosmetic cream.
Carbohydrate Polymers, 2017A novel water-in-oil emulsion with a lecithin-modified bentonite prevented epidermal degradation and inflammatory protein secretion induced by urban dust and cedar pollen more effectively than a conventional water-in-oil emulsion in a reconstructed human epidermis model.
International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2020Bentonite nanoparticles and honey co-administration improved skin wound healing in BALB/c mice by reducing inflammatory cell infiltration and increasing fibroblastosis, new epithelium thickness, granulation area, and collagen density compared to the untreated control group.
The International Journal of Lower Extremity Wounds, 2025The emollient V0034CR significantly reduced TEWL compared to vehicle and vehicle plus glycerol, and significantly increased corneometry scores compared to vehicle and vehicle plus petrolatum in healthy volunteers with dry skin, demonstrating combined barrier function improvement from petrolatum and hydration improvement from glycerol.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2020Ten days of treatment with a cream containing 20% glycerin significantly increased skin hydration measured by corneometer values in 17 healthy volunteers compared to a placebo cream, but showed no influence on transepidermal water loss or skin sensitivity to an irritating surfactant.
International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2001Niacinamide/glycerin body moisturizers provided better rapid and prolonged improvement of cosmetic xerosis through functional improvement of stratum corneum barrier function compared to no treatment and conventional moisturizers in female subjects.
Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, 2012
Why other cleansing masks fit acne-prone skin better
A 30% supramolecular salicylic acid peel improved the global acne grading score and skin barrier indicators, decreased cutaneous microbiome richness and evenness along with Staphylococcus proportion, reduced inflammatory cytokines, and increased caveolin-1 expression in 28 patients with moderate-to-severe acne vulgaris.
Dermatology and Therapy, 2023A moisturizer containing licochalcone A, 1,2-decanediol, L-carnitine, and salicylic acid significantly reduced noninflammatory, inflammatory, and total acne lesion counts compared to a vehicle control in Thai patients during a 12-week maintenance phase.
BioMed Research International, 2020Treatment with 45% mandelic acid peel showed nearly equal overall efficacy as 30% salicylic acid peel in patients with mild-to-moderate facial acne vulgaris, but with fewer adverse effects.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2020
Ingredients
Water, Bentonite, Benzyl Alcohol, Caprylyl Glycol, Chlorphenesin, Ethylene Brassylate, Glycerin, Kaolin, Phenoxyethanol, Propylene Glycol, Silica, Sulfur, Talc, Tetrasodium Edta, Ultramarines
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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