Ingredient decoder

Sulfur: is it comedogenic? What it does in skincare

INCI name: Sulfur

Acne verdict Acne helper

Helps acne-prone skin

  • Comedogenic0 / 5
  • Irritancy0 / 5

What it does

Old-school acne active that dries pimples and unclogs pores.

  • Anti-acne
  • Antidandruff
  • Antiseborrhoeic
  • Antistatic
  • Hair conditioning
  • Skin conditioning

Sulfur in plain English

Sulfur has been used for acne for a long time. It helps dry out excess oil, loosens dead skin and has mild antibacterial effects, which makes it common in spot treatments and masks. US over-the-counter acne products use it at 3 to 10 percent. It can be drying and has a noticeable smell.

Is sulfur bad for acne?

No. Sulfur is on the helpful side for acne-prone skin and is not known to clog pores. Our checker groups it with the anti-acne ingredients.

Clean routine and still breaking out? The cause may be internal. See what is driving it

Also called

  • Sulfur
  • Sulphur
  • Precipitated sulfur
  • Colloidal sulfur

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Frequently asked questions

Is sulfur comedogenic?

Sulfur scored 0 out of 5 for comedogenicity in Fulton's 1989 rabbit-ear study, where 0 means no clogging and 5 means severe. That is a low rating. The test used the raw ingredient, so a finished product may behave differently.

What does sulfur do in skincare?

In short: old-school acne active that dries pimples and unclogs pores. In formulas it is used for antidandruff, antiseborrhoeic, antistatic, hair conditioning and skin conditioning.

What else is sulfur called on ingredient labels?

On ingredient lists, sulfur can also appear as Sulphur, Precipitated sulfur or Colloidal sulfur.

Sources