Peter Thomas Roth Therapeutic Sulfur Mask for oily acne-prone skin
Sulfur
Kaolin Clay
Bentonite Clay
Soothing AloeAverage
- AverageOily Skin Fit
- AverageEffectiveness
- Low RiskSafety
Works for oily acne-prone skin; other cleansing masks fit it better.
This fit is calculated for the concerns frequently associated with oily acne-prone skin: shine, breakouts, blemishes, and enlarged pores. 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 oily skin, as sulfur and zinc oxide provide excellent pore cleansing and anti-inflammatory action beneficial for acne-prone skin.
- Glycerin and Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice offer hydration and soothing effects that are supportive but not primary for your main concerns of acne, blemishes, and breakouts.
- The product is generally safe for your oily skin, though the inclusion of sulfur and fragrance carries a slight risk of irritation.
How to apply
- Use your cleansing mask PM as part of your weekly routine. Start 1×/week and increase carefully if your oily skin tolerates it well.
- Apply this step after your enzyme powder and before your hydrating toner. Follow the standard weekly order to keep your skin balanced.
- Spread an even layer of the cleansing mask across your face while avoiding the eye area. Let it sit for the recommended time without rubbing .
- Apply the mask on clean and dry skin for the best purifying effect on your breakouts. Clean skin allows the formula to target blemishes directly.
- Always do a patch test before your first use to check for sensitivity. Avoid combining this mask with strong acids or retinoids in the same routine .
People Say
★4.7Overall rating based on 200+ reviewsThis mask is highly praised for its ability to rapidly clear cystic and hormonal acne, absorb excess oil, and reduce redness. While users consistently report significant improvements in skin clarity and texture, many caution that the product can be quite drying and has a potent, lingering sulfur scent.
Highlights
Effective acne treatment Mostly Mentioned
- “cleared up my cystic acne”
- “sucks the gunk out”
- “best sulfur acne mask I've ever used”
- “prevented future breakouts”
Unpleasant smell Mostly Mentioned
- “smells horrific”
- “smell did get pretty bad”
- “towels will smell like sulfur”
- “rotten egg smell”
Oil and pore control Often Mentioned
- “great for oilier skin”
- “decreases oiliness”
- “pores look cleaner”
- “absorbs excess oil”
Drying and irritating Often Mentioned
- “can be drying”
- “irritates eyes”
- “caused peeling”
- “burning sensation”
Fast acting Sometimes Noted
- “visible results overnight”
- “dries pimples quickly”
- “works as intended fast”
- “great spot treatment”
Good value Sometimes Noted
- “container lasts forever”
- “a little dab does the job”
- “worth the investment”
- “lasts about 2 years”
Smooth application Sometimes Noted
- “goes on smoothly”
- “silky texture”
- “washes off quickly”
- “nice cooling sensation”
High price point Sometimes Noted
- “taken aback by the price”
- “bit pricey”
- “wish it was cheaper”
Packaging concerns Rarely Noted
- “wish it came in sustainable packaging”
- “jar packaging”
- “prefer tube”
Sensitizing Rarely Noted
- “feels a little tingly”
- “burning sensation”
- “too strong for daily use”
- “irritating on large areas”
Sources: lovi.care, dermstore.com, lovelyskin.com, influenster.com, walmart.com, skinsort.com, and more
Questions and answers
How well does Peter Thomas Roth Therapeutic Sulfur Mask work for oily acne-prone skin?
This mask offers moderate suitability for oily and acne-prone skin, as sulfur and zinc oxide help clean pores and calm breakouts. While it is generally safe, the sulfur and fragrance carry a slight risk of irritation. A product for this skin type needs effective ingredients like salicylic acid that directly target acne and blemishes without any risk of irritation while controlling excess oil.
Which ingredients make this mask a good fit for oily acne-prone skin?
Sulfur and zinc oxide make this mask a fit by providing pore cleansing and anti-inflammatory action for oily, acne-prone skin, while glycerin and aloe offer supportive soothing and hydration. A cleansing mask for this skin needs effective ingredients like salicylic acid that directly target acne and blemishes without irritation, combined with purifying clays to manage oiliness and promote a clear complexion.
What does Sulfur do for oily acne-prone skin?
Sulfur is a helpful treatment for oily, acne-prone skin because it targets blemishes and excess oil with a low likelihood of irritation. This ingredient helps clear breakouts while remaining gentle on your skin.
Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, 2004Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, 1988
What does Kaolin Clay do for oily acne-prone skin?
Kaolin Clay helps oily and acne-prone skin by absorbing excess oil, clearing out pores, and keeping skin feeling smooth and calm. Using it regularly helps improve skin evenness and hydration while keeping dryness and irritation unlikely.
Where does this mask go in a skincare routine for oily acne-prone skin?
This cleansing mask fits into a weekly routine as a step after cleansing and enzyme powder, followed by a hydrating toner, treatment, and moisturizer. Oily acne-prone skin often needs products with purifying clays, soothing aloe, and deep-cleansing ingredients like sulfur and zinc oxide to effectively target breakouts and keep pores clear.
Can I use this mask with retinol, and in what order?
You can use this mask in your weekly routine, but it is best to avoid using it on the same nights as your retinol to reduce the risk of irritation. Because this mask contains sulfur, it can dry out your skin, so a product of this type needs soothing ingredients like aloe and hydrating ingredients like glycerin to keep your skin calm and comfortable.
How often should I use this mask?
This cleansing mask works well as a weekly step in your routine for oily acne-prone skin. To care for this skin type best, a product of this type needs powerful pore-cleansing and soothing ingredients like sulfur, kaolin clay, bentonite clay, and aloe to keep pores clear and calm breakouts.
Can this mask clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for oily acne-prone skin?
This mask is generally safe for your oily skin, though sulfur and fragrance carry a slight risk of irritation. A product of this type for this skin needs strong pore-clearing ingredients like salicylic acid and soothing agents to calm breakouts without causing dryness.
Is this mask fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
It has no drying alcohol and contains fragrance (parfum).
What the research says
Biomimetic hyaluronic acid-stabilized zinc oxide nanoparticles selectively inhibited C. acnes, outperformed erythromycin in preclinical acne models, and safely reduced acne lesions and redness in a clinical trial.
Journal of Controlled Release, 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, 2025A 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, 2017Topical 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, 2025A 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
Sulfur, Water, Bentonite, Kaolin, Propylene Glycol, Talc, Glycerin, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Zinc Oxide, Polysorbate 20, Titanium Dioxide Ci 77891, Carbomer, Parfum, Sodium Hydroxide, Diazolidinyl Urea, Methylparaben, Propylparaben
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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PhD in computer science, 3x US patent holder, ex-Google, ex-Yandex
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Dr. Sofía Perea Pérez, MD, MSc
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Specialist dermatologist, MBBS, MD, IFAAD
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Medical Board, Medical Advisor
Dermatology MD
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Elina Nazarenko, MD
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Dermatology and diagnostic consultant
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Victoria Derkova, MS
Medical Board
Cosmetic chemist, cosmetic development technologist
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