Dr. Dennis Gross Clarifying Colloidal Sulfur Mask for skin with dark spots
Colloidal Sulfur
Zinc Oxide
Licorice Root Extract
Retinol
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf JuiceHigh
- HighNormal Skin Fit
- HighEffectiveness
- ExcellentSafety
A great choice for skin with dark spots; a few cleansing masks fit it even better.
This fit is calculated for the concerns frequently associated with dark spots: hyperpigmentation, sun spots, and uneven skin tone. 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 excellent pore cleansing for your normal skin, as colloidal sulfur and zinc oxide absorb excess oil and impurities, while Phenylethyl Resorcinol and Retinol target your pigmentation and acne concerns by promoting cell turnover.
- The formula is highly suitable for normal skin, with glycerin and sodium PCA providing humectant action to maintain hydration.
- The product is safe for your normal skin, featuring soothing ingredients like Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice and Bisabolol with no harsh components.
How to apply
- Use this cleansing mask once a week to start, and increase frequency only if your skin feels fine.
- Apply the cleansing mask in your weekly routine after the cleanser and enzyme powder, but before the hydrating toner.
- Spread an even layer over your face while carefully avoiding the delicate eye area.
- Apply the cleansing mask to clean and dry skin for the best and most comfortable results.
- Always do a patch test before your first use and avoid combining it with strong acids.
People Say
★4.4Overall rating based on 100+ reviewsBased on limited data, users frequently report that this mask effectively calms inflammation, reduces redness, and shrinks active breakouts, often with overnight improvements, making it particularly beneficial for acne-prone and oily skin. A notable drawback is the strong sulfur scent, and some users express frustration with the pump packaging.
Highlights
Rapid acne reduction Mostly Mentioned
- “pimples dramatically reduced”
- “stops spots in tracks”
- “calms aggravated acne”
- “zaps zits fast”
Soothes redness Often Mentioned
- “calmed the redness”
- “minimizes inflammation”
- “skin less angry”
- “takes away redness”
Unpleasant sulfur scent Often Mentioned
- “smells like rotten eggs”
- “stinks”
- “smell is strong”
- “scent lingers”
Non-drying formula Sometimes Noted
- “doesn't dry out skin”
- “skin feels soft”
- “not tight”
- “moisturizing for clay”
Pore and oil control Sometimes Noted
- “pores vanished”
- “absorbs excess oil”
- “blackheads minimized”
- “skin less oily”
Versatile use Sometimes Noted
- “overnight spot treatment”
- “great under makeup”
- “use as primer”
- “leave on overnight”
Faulty pump packaging Sometimes Noted
- “pump is terrible”
- “hard to get out”
- “had to unscrew top”
- “pump stopped working”
High price point Rarely Noted
- “pricey for size”
- “expensive”
- “wish it was cheaper”
- “costly investment”
Potential irritation Rarely Noted
- “broke me out”
- “caused peeling”
- “eyes watered”
- “too strong”
Texture issues Rarely Noted
- “pills up”
- “hard to spread”
- “thick consistency”
- “crumbles if rubbed”
Sources: lovi.care, dermstore.com, lookfantastic.com, lovelyskin.com, influenster.com, cultbeauty.co.uk, and more
Questions and answers
What makes Dr. Dennis Gross Clarifying Colloidal Sulfur Mask a great fit for skin with dark spots?
This mask is a great fit because it features ingredients like retinol and phenylethyl resorcinol that help target dark spots by encouraging cell turnover. It also uses colloidal sulfur and zinc oxide to clear out pores, while glycerin maintains your skin's moisture.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2021The British Journal of Dermatology, 2019
Which ingredients make this mask a good fit for skin with dark spots?
Phenylethyl Resorcinol and Retinol make this mask a great fit for skin with dark spots because they target pigmentation by helping cell turnover. Glycerin and sodium PCA also help keep your skin hydrated.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2021The British Journal of Dermatology, 2019
What does Sulfur do for skin with dark spots?
Sulfur is unlikely to help fade dark spots on its own, but certain sulfur compounds may improve skin pigmentation and dark patches. To effectively address dark spots, this skin type needs ingredients that target discoloration and even out skin tone.
What does Zinc Oxide do for skin with dark spots?
Zinc oxide helps improve dark spots, melasma, and age spots when used regularly in skin preparations. Clinical studies show that preparations containing zinc oxide can successfully reduce unwanted skin darkening and even out skin tone while remaining very gentle and non-irritating.
Where does this mask go in a skincare routine for skin with dark spots?
This cleansing mask fits into a weekly routine for skin with dark spots as an extra weekly step after cleansing and enzyme powder. It helps clear away oil and impurities while targeting dark spots.
Can I use this mask with glycolic acid, and in what order?
It is best not to use this mask at the same time as glycolic acid, as combining exfoliating ingredients may easily cause redness, dryness, or stinging. You can safely use them on alternate days or in separate routines to keep your skin smooth and calm.
How often should I use this mask?
This mask is a great fit for your skin with dark spots and can be used regularly in your weekly routine. It helps clear pores and target dark spots while keeping your skin calm and hydrated.
Can this mask clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for skin with dark spots?
This mask is a great fit because colloidal sulfur and zinc oxide absorb excess oil and impurities, while retinol helps promote cell turnover to target dark spots and keep pores clear. Glycerin and sodium PCA maintain hydration without heavy oils, making it unlikely to clog pores.
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
Nano-microneedle-assisted phenylethyl resorcinol significantly reduced the melanin index in infraorbital dark circles compared to baseline and topical-only treatment in 20 female participants without serious adverse effects.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2021Topical 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, 2019A 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, 2017Azelaic 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 0.5% 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, 2016Combining 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 0.4% 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, 2017Silicone 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, 2018Topical stabilized retinol treatment induced HAS gene expression and increased hyaluronic acid production in human skin in vitro, ex vivo, and in vivo compared to vehicle.
Archives of Dermatological Research, 2017A cream combining propolis, tea tree oil, and Aloe vera reduced erythema scars, acne severity index, and total lesion count better than erythromycin cream in sixty patients with mild to moderate acne vulgaris compared to placebo.
Clinical Pharmacology, 2018Topical aloe vera gel significantly accelerated split-thickness skin graft donor-site healing compared to placebo in 12 patients, but showed no significant difference in pain relief.
Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, 2018Topical application of Aloe vera cream reduced postoperative pain at rest and during defecation, accelerated wound healing at two weeks, and decreased analgesic requirements in patients after open hemorrhoidectomy compared to placebo.
Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, 2010
Ingredients
Water, Kaolin, Colloidal Sulfur, Glyceryl Stearate, Glycerin, Peg-100 Stearate, Butylene Glycol, Cetearyl Alcohol, Acacia Senegal Gum, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Zinc Oxide, Bentonite, Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil, Opuntia Vulgaris Extract, Willow Bark Extract, Bisabolol, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract Licorice Root Extract, Farnesol, Rosamarinus Officinalis Oil Leaf Rosemary Oil Leaf, Phenylethyl Resorcinol, Retinol, Tocopheryl Acetate Vitamin E, Sodium Pca, Ethylhexylglycerin, Allantoin, Bht, Phenoxyethanol
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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Dr. Sofía Perea Pérez, MD, MSc
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Specialist dermatologist, MBBS, MD, IFAAD
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Elina Nazarenko, MD
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Victoria Derkova, MS
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