If you deal with acne, you’ll know that there are dozens upon dozens of products out there that claim to help calm and tame your breakouts once and for all. But what about sulfur acne treatments?We know, we know—sulfur conjures up images of smelly, over-boiled eggs, but it’s actually an incredibly effective treatment for pimples and acne. Ahead, we spoke to board-certified dermatologist Dr. Arielle Kauvar, to get all the details on how sulfur treatments can help you tame your acne once and for all. Keep scrolling to read more!
How Do Sulfur Acne Treatments Work?
“Sulfur is keratolytic, which means it works by softening and thinning the epidermis to prevent clogged pores,” explains Arielle Kauvar, MD, of New York Laser & Skincare. “It also reduces the growth of the Propionibacterium acnes bacteria and the blockage of pores.” Translation: Oily and acne-prone skin types, take note because sulfur might be the zit-fighting and oil-zapping ingredient you’ve been searching for.
While Kauvar explains that sulfur alone is less effective than more common ingredients like salicylic acid or benzoyl peroxide, it’s typically combined with impressive co-hosts (like resorcinol and sodium sulfacetamide) that pack products with a powerful punch.1
Do Sulfur Acne Treatments Smell?
If even glancing at the word sulfur has you already sensing the smell of rotten eggs, don’t worry—most sulfur cleansers and acne treatments are loaded with masking odors that overbear the scent. Still, Kauvar does suggest incorporating a sulfur face wash or treatments into your evening skin care routine, in order to minimize any lingering scents.
Our Favorite Sulfur Acne Treaments
Sunday Riley Saturn Sulfur Acne Treatment Mask
Sunday Riley’s acne mask is chock-full of wonder-working ingredients: 10% sulfur meant to clear and treat zits, niacinamide meant to brighten, and zinc PCA meant to minimize excess oil. The mask (which should be left on clean skin for 20 to 30 minutes) is topped off with soothing tea tree and manuka oils, which promise to leave skin smooth and soft.
KEY INGREDIENTS Niacinamide, also known as nicotinamide, helps restore cellular energy, repair damaged DNA, and reduce the immunosuppressive effects of sun-induced UV rays. The ingredient has been proven to prevent the transfer of pigment within the skin, which can help reduce brown spots
Honest Get Clarity Foaming Acne Cleanser
This foaming face wash sweeps away dirt and grime without stripping the skin, thanks to a mix of ingredients such as colloidal sulfur and alpha hydroxy acids that come from natural sources, like apples.
Veracity Blemish Calming Cleanser
This daily cleanser is powerful, active, and gentle enough for daily use—even on sensitive skin. It utilizes sulfur and other ingredients to help deeply cleanse the dermis of unwanted bacteria, decongesting pores and rebalancing sebum levels in the process.
Rodan + Fields Unblemish Refining Acne Face Wash
This cleanser (step one in Rodan + Field’s Unblemish collection) nourishes skin and clears blemishes with a powerful roster of healing ingredients like salicylic acid and colloidal sulfur. Best of all, it can be used day and night, and is safe for everyday use.
Clearogen Sulfur Acne Lotion
After cleansing and toning, smooth two pumps of Clearogen’s Sulfur Acne Lotion across the face to try to fight breakouts and minimize redness (thanks to a cocktail of salicylic acid, rosemary extract, and aloe).
Murad Clarifying Acne Mask
“The clay absorbs oil and impurities while the salicylic acid unclogs pores,” explains Kauvar, noting that the formula is also infused with licorice, which helps combat dark spots
Kate Somerville EradiKate Daily Foaming Cleanser
This foaming cleanser is loaded with 3% sulfur and promises to help clear and prevent breakouts. Kate Somerville also included honey, rice bran, and oat extracts meant to calm, soothe, and reduce excess sebum.
KEY INGREDIENTS Honey is a natural antibacterial ingredient, and is also a humectant, which works to lock in moisture on the skin.
Dr. Dennis Gross Clarifying Colloidal Sulfur Mask
Colloidal sulfur and kaolin pack Dr. Dennis Gross’s mask with an acne-fighting, skin-smoothing punch. Smear the product across your face for a 10-minute mask, or spot-treat pores and zits that need extra attention.
Dermadoctor Ain’t Misbehavin’ Intensive 10% Sulfur Acne Mask & Emergency Spot Treatment
The 10% sulfur gives Dermadoctor’s mask and spot treatment heavy-duty cleansing powers. Combined with witch hazel (which cleanses skin)5 and soothing-botanicals, Dermadoctor’s mask can sit on skin for 15 minutes up to three times per week.
Indie Lee Banish Lotion
While Indie Lee’s colloidal sulfur zaps excess oil, salicylic acid works to minimize pores. Mineral clay (which gives this overnight spot treatment its Millennial Pink color), strips skin of impurities, so even the most persistent of zits won’t stick around.
Peter Thomas Roth Therapeutic Sulfur Masque
The best part about Peter Thomas Roth’s sulfur mask is that it’s not limited to your face—the highly concentrated product can treat breakouts on your chest and back, too. “[This mask] contains kaolin, which absorbs oil,” explains Kauvar. The formula, she notes, smells like clay, rather than sulfur.
Epionce Purifying Spot Gel
Dab a bit of this powerful gel on a blemish and watch it begin to shrink overnight thanks to ingredients like sulfur and resorcinol monoacetate, which work in conjunction to penetrate pores and help keep new acne from forming.
Control Corrective Sulfur Calming Mask
This mask helps to calm problem skin, cooling tender skin on contact. It also does double-duty as an overnight spot treatment, helping to absorb excess oil.
HydroPeptide Bambusa Blackhead Banisher Pore Perfecting Nose Mask
These nose strips utilize sulfur and a range of other ingredients to help literally draw impurities from the skin. Even though their aim is to clarify, they don’t dry the skin, instead nourishing while removing blackheads, oil, and dirt.
ilike organic skin care Sulphuric Whipped Moisturizer
This whipped moisturizer promotes even, toned, clear skin, utilizing sulfur to help remove impurities while refreshing with peppermint oil. With continued use, these ingredients can help purify the skin without being overly harsh.
Dermalogica Clear Start Blackhead Clearing Fizz Mask
This fizzy mask draws out all the bad stuff while protecting skin in the process. Unlike many sulfur masks, this one isn’t drying. But it still targets blackheads to clear out pores.