Review: Sunday Riley Sulfur Acne Treatment Mask (Heals Blemishes Overnight?)

When I tried Sunday Riley’s Sulfur Acne Treatment Mask (first as a trial sized product) I was initially a bit scared. First, that it would smell poorly, and second, for whatever reason, that it would be very drying.

With mixed results with the brand in the past, but reading that the Sulfur Acne Treatment Mask was better for acne-prone and sensitive skin, I was much more willing to give it a shot as a spot treatment and t-zone treatment.

Designed to heal blemishes, pores, acne, and oiliness, when used as an overnight remedy, you simply apply it, let it dry on the skin, and remove in the morning.

It’s also specifically designed to prevent new blemishes from forming, unlike most topical treatments found on the market which only target existing marks.

So does Sunday Riley’s Sulfur Acne Treatment Mask work at healing acne, minimizing pore size and preventing new breakouts gently and effectively?

We gave it a shot first so you wouldn’t have to.

Review: Sunday Riley Sulfur Acne Treatment Mask

Sunday Riley’s Sulfur Acne Treatment Mask is a 2oz treatment solution designed to treat blocked and congested skin, different forms of acne (inflammatory, hormonal, and rosacea), redness, oily skin, and the appearance of large pores, especially around the cheeks and t-zone areas.

Made with potent and active ingredients, mainly sulfur (10%), it helps in preventing new acne from forming while zapping pimples as an overnight treatment, whether you apply it to larger areas of the face or to smaller spots in need of treatment.

Some users even swear by the Sulfur Mask in its ability to treat cystic acne, although we always recommend checking with a doctor first especially if you use forms of prescription creams or pills for skin conditions.

My first fear in using this as an overnight spot treatment for blemishes was the smell, but surprisingly, it was not that bad at all (some users disagreed with this, but not many), I felt it was quite mild. While it doesn’t smell like fresh rose petals, it certainly doesn’t have any type of overpowering sulfur scent that bothers you after applying it.

It it is definitely only a night treatment- as it comes out in a green color and is quite visible on your face! When I woke up, the spots were gone, and there was no redness, rashes, or irritation at all.

My second fear was it drying out my already dry skin (as with most acne treatment masks).

So I tried it out as an overnight t-zone treatment for pore control and to see if it would work for eliminating any oil, blackheads, blemishes, and clarify the area, using a modest amount.

When I woke up and gently removed it with a warm towel, my skin looked much more clarified, detoxified, and the blemish/blackhead situation was much improved. In terms of any dryness, there was no peeling and with the use of a regular cleanser and moisturizer, there was no stripping or tightening feelings at all.

Having used treatments like this in the past, I’ve definitely experienced less benefits (if any) and tons of dryness following use.

With that said, for those using larger amounts of the Sulfur Acne Treatment Mask on larger portions of the face, you may experience some dryness after using it, but I haven’t read any user feedback about peeling, dry patches, tightness, or more serious drying effects that can’t be fixed with the use of a gentle cream afterwards.

Overall, this is definitely the top acne mask I have tried with multiple benefits and you can also use it as a preventative treatment, unlike a lot of competitors that only come with one-time-use benefits for certain types of acne, and often do not even work.

Sunday Riley Sulfur Acne Treatment Mask Ingredients

Sunday Riley’s Sulfur Treatment Mask is made with strong anti-acne and redness control ingredients designed to treat several different types of acne at once and kill new breakouts from forming, while helping prevent excess oil from forming and extra shine. While sulfur can be a very active and strong ingredient that some can be allergic to (so spot testing is recommended), I found with sensitive skin, all of these ingredients not only worked at killing blemishes overnight, they were not triggering to sensitive skin and did not cause irritation.

With that in mind, here is a look at some key ingredients in Sunday Riley’s Sulfur Mask formulation and some main skincare benefits with regular use:

Sulfur 10%

• Dries up and clears up acne marks when applied directly to marks
• Prevents new blemishes and blackheads from forming by killing bacteria that leads to it and detoxifying the skin
• Treats multiple forms of acne at the same time: hormonal breakouts, acne rosacea, and inflammatory acne

Niacinamide 4%

• Reduces appearance of acne on the skin
• Heals and reduces rosacea-related surface redness
• Detoxifies, heals, and improves the appearance of congested skin (helps unclog pores and the t-zone area including blackheads, whiteheads, and dirt, oil, and debris)

Zinc PCA 1%

• Absorbs excess oil and shine for a more matte finish to the skin
• Perfect for combination and oily skin types seeking shine control and balance without drying or stripping out the skin

Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate

• Reduces the appearance of redness on the skin related to all types of acne ( hormonal breakouts, acne rosacea, and inflammatory acne)

Sunday Riley Sulfur Acne Treatment Mask Pros & Cons

Overall, Sunday Riley’s Sulfur Acne Treatment Mask is by far the best acne spot treatment product I have tried, and while pricey, it works much better than any other over the counter product or competitor I have tried, in treating several forms of acne at once while preventing new breakouts- and treating the redness that can form as a result.

Here are some main pros and cons to bear in mind prior to purchase with Sunday Riley’s Sulfur Acne Treatment Mask:

Pros

• The Sulfur Acne Treatment Mask actually does not have a harsh or poor smell to it despite reading through the ingredient list
• Safe and suitable for all skin types, designed for acne-prone skin (and safe for all different forms of acne unless you are using specific prescriptive medications under the care of a doctor- one of the only treatments available that works at fighting multiple forms of acne at once)
• Extremely gentle on the skin and not at all irritation, kills blemishes overnight and helps prevent new ones from forming (unlike many topical spot treatments on the market)
• The Sulfur Mask doesn’t dry out or strip the skin, or leave you feeling any pulling or tightness after use
• For those with oily or acne prone skin, helps with oil control and can be used on larger portions of the face if desired (however with dry skin, this did not leave me feeling dried out or tight, especially after using a serum and moisturizer afterwards)
• Helps to soothe surface redness caused by acne and irritation before and after breakouts
• The Sulfur Acne Treatment Mask is made without the use of any parabens (which can cause further breakouts), sulfates, mineral oils, or harsh chemical binding agents that can irritate your skin further
• Cruelty-free company: Sunday Riley does not test any of their products on any animals, use any animal products in their formulations, or during any manufacturing processes
• When used on the T-zone area, helps to minimize the appearance of pores, reduce any blemishes, acne, blackheads, and dirt/oil and debris from the area (extremely clarifying and detoxifying)
• Customers have said that this even works on more advanced forms of cystic acne (it’s important again to consult your doctor if you are taking any prescription acne medications before using or starting a new treatment to be safe)
• Product shelf-life: even with regular use, the Sulfur Treatment Mask lasts months (6-8+, and it’s important to keep it as clean as possible during that time), as minimal product is needed and it is not an everyday product, adding to value
• Does not leave any product or residue on pillowcases, linens or sheets after use in the morning

Cons

• Some users felt the smell was extremely strong and unpleasant (if you are using this on larger portions of your face or in higher amounts this may be true, but I found it extremely tolerable, especially as a spot treatment)
• Price point: while this is definitely the best of the best in terms of acne treatment products and a luxury item, the price point is hefty, I felt it was worth it due to it treating several forms of acne, acting as much more than a simple spot treatment (preventing new breakouts, redness, and oil control), and how long it lasted, and the ingredients used in the formula are high quality and potent

Sunday Riley’s Money-Back Guarantee Policy

If you have very sensitive skin (or price barriers are a concern) or have not used Sunday Riley products in the past, the return and exchange policy in this case may be a highly important factor for you.

The manufacturer, Sunday Riley, has a strong return and exchange policy that honors full refunds upon dissatisfaction or allergy, and this policy favors the consumer, both new and returning.

If you are dissatisfied with the use of Sunday Riley’s Sulfur Acne Treatment Mask, or if it does not work for your skin to provide suitable anti-redness, oil and pore control, anti-acne, and soothing benefits, or you experience any product allergy or reaction to the formulation, you may elect to return it at any time.

In this case, you will receive a full refund equal to the entire purchase price of the item, if purchased via Amazon.

In this case, the formulation of the Sulfur Treatment Mask was gentle enough to use even with very sensitive and acne-prone skin and did not cause any irritation or breakouts, but due to any personal sensitivity concerns this policy may help your fears, as individual allergies are highly variable. But this product is designed with the most sensitive skin in mind.

*It’s important to always spot test prior to using new products, especially if you fit into this category (sensitive/acne-prone).*

Sunday Riley Sulfur Acne Treatment Mask: Worth It?

We felt that Sunday Riley’s Sulfur Acne Treatment Mask was a worth it winner, while pricey, because of its active ingredients that actually work in treating multiple forms of acne and the redness surrounding it, even in cases of moderate-severe acne, and t-zone control for over-oil production and pore size reduction.

Not only does the product itself last for quite some time and work extremely effectively in zapping blemishes overnight, it standouts as a product that also fights new blemishes from forming (unlike a lot of acne treatment masks or spot treatments sold).

You can use it on patches of your face for breakouts, only on the t-zone for breakouts and pores, or even on one or a few small spots and wake up to clear and detoxified skin without having to worry about feeling dried out or any stripping on the skin.

In terms of being worth it, if you are dealing with only a few small breakouts or in need of a spot treatment for very minimal acne marks, you can probably find a better deal that will work just as effectively.

However, if you are looking for an acne treatment mask and deal with blemishes on a regular basis (or are dealing with one of many different forms of acne issues) and want to prevent new ones from forming, in addition to oil and shine control and preventing the appearance of large looking pores, Sunday Riley’s Sulfur Acne Treatment Mask is definitely a recommended splurge that can really make a difference in the appearance of your skin.

5/5 and highly recommended for those in need of instant relief for chronic blemishes. This is definitely an overnight lifesaver.