Dr. Dennis Gross DRx Blemish Solutions Clarifying Mask for mature skin
Colloidal Sulfur
Retinol
Licorice Root Extract
Zinc Oxide
Willow Bark ExtractAverage
- AverageNormal Skin Fit
- AverageEffectiveness
- HighSafety
Works for mature skin; other cleansing masks fit it better.
This fit is calculated for the concerns frequently associated with mature skin: fine lines, wrinkles, and loss of firmness. 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 normal skin, as sulfur and kaolin provide mild exfoliation and oil absorption, but it lacks sufficient humectants and emollients for optimal hydration and barrier support.
- While ingredients like glycerin and aloe leaf juice offer general hydration and soothing benefits, they are not primarily targeted to address your concerns with wrinkles and fine lines.
- The product is safe for your normal skin due to the absence of harsh ingredients and the inclusion of soothing components like aloe leaf juice and bisabolol.
How to apply
- Use this cleansing mask PM as part of your weekly routine, starting once a week and increasing slowly if needed.
- Apply this cleansing mask after using your cleanser and enzyme powder, but before your toner and moisturizer.
- Smooth an even layer of the cleansing mask over your face, making sure to gently avoid rubbing .
- Apply the cleansing mask to clean and completely dry skin to help target your fine lines effectively.
- Be sure to avoid the sensitive eye area and do a patch test before your first use.
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
How well does Dr. Dennis Gross Clarifying Mask work for mature skin?
This mask works moderately well for mature skin, offering gentle oil control and mild exfoliation, but it lacks enough hydrating and smoothing ingredients for optimal care. A product of this type needs rich hydrating and exfoliating agents to keep mature skin plump and smooth.
Which ingredients make this mask a good fit for mature skin?
Retinol and licorice root extract help address fine lines and wrinkles on mature skin. A product of this type needs more rich moisturizing ingredients and barrier-supporting agents to properly care for this skin.
What does Sulfur do for mature skin?
Sulfur helps calm acne-prone skin and supports overall clarity with rare mild side effects. To properly care for mature skin, a product of this type needs added moisture-locking ingredients and gentle hydrators to prevent dryness.
What does Retinol do for mature skin?
Retinol helps smooth out fine lines and wrinkles while improving overall skin thickness and firmness over time. It may also cause temporary dryness, scaling, or stinging as your skin gets used to it.
Archives of Dermatology, 2007The British Journal of Dermatology, 2019
Where does this mask go in a skincare routine for mature skin?
This cleansing mask works best as a weekly treatment for mature skin, though this skin type needs extra hydrating ingredients and barrier support like glycerin and rich emollients for optimal care.
Can I use this mask with benzoyl peroxide, and in what order?
You can use this mask in your routine, but avoid using it at the same time as benzoyl peroxide to prevent excessive dryness and irritation. Instead, apply the mask on a separate day or time, and always follow up with a nourishing moisturizer to keep your skin smooth and protected.
How often should I use this mask?
This mask works for mature skin, though other products fit it better because it lacks sufficient hydrators and smoothing ingredients to target fine lines. To care for mature skin properly, a product of this type needs rich hydrators and barrier-supporting ingredients like ceramides, hyaluronic acid, and nourishing plant oils.
Can this mask clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for mature skin?
This mask is unlikely to clog pores or cause breakouts for mature skin, as it contains clay and sulfur to absorb excess oil and keep skin clear. However, because it lacks rich hydrators and barrier-protecting ingredients, mature skin needs formulas packed with nourishing oils, ceramides, and hydrating humectants to stay smooth and soft.
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
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, 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 0.4% 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
Why other cleansing masks fit mature skin better
Topical palmitoyl pentapeptide (pal-KTTKS) provided significant improvement versus placebo control in the reduction of wrinkles and fine lines in Caucasian female subjects.
International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2005Profhilo treatment led to significant improvements in superficial skin hydration and transepidermal water loss over time in Chinese females, while demonstrating good product tolerability.
Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, 2026
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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