Proactiv Plus Skin Purifying Mask Review – Beautiful With Brains

Final Up to date on November 2, 2025 by Giorgia Guazzarotti

Look, we’ve all had these mornings the place you look within the mirror and your face is simply pissed off at you. Clogged pores in all places, oily as hell, and people annoying little bumps that refuse to go away it doesn’t matter what you do. It’s exhausting. And after making an attempt what seems like each product ever made, you’re in all probability questioning if a sulfur masks is gonna be the factor that lastly works or simply one other waste of cash accumulating mud underneath your sink. So I’m doing this Proactiv Plus Pores and skin Purifying Masks assessment to interrupt down what’s truly on this factor, the way it works in your pores and skin (the actual science, not the advertising BS), and whether or not it’s price shopping for or not.

Key Substances in Proactiv Plus Pores and skin Purifying Masks: What Makes It Work?

SULFUR

Sulfur’s the star right here at 6%, which is a fairly strong quantity. Yeah, it could actually scent kinda gross (like rotten eggs if we’re being sincere), however there’s a legit purpose dermatologists have been obsessive about this ingredient perpetually. Right here’s what sulfur does: it’s antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, and antifungal all on the similar time. When it hits your pores and skin, enzymes convert it into hydrogen sulfide, which kills the micro organism that causes pimples whereas drying out extra oil and stopping your pores from clogging up.

t’s additionally keratolytic, which principally means it helps your lifeless pores and skin cells shed the best way they’re alleged to as an alternative of piling up and blocking your pores. Studies show it can shrink breakouts and reduce redness in literally one day, and it’s manner gentler than benzoyl peroxide, so in case your pores and skin freaks out simply, this would possibly truly give you the results you want.

However actual discuss, there are downsides. It will probably dry your pores and skin out when you go overboard, and the excessive pH means an excessive amount of use can truly harm your pores and skin barrier. Because of this I like to recommend it ONLY as a spot therapy. Some formulation scent unhealthy, and when firms add perfume to cowl it up, that perfume could make your breakouts worse.

​Associated: Everything You Need To Know About Sulfur In Skincare

The Relaxation Of The System & Substances

• Butylene Glycol: So this pulls moisture into your pores and skin and makes the entire thing really feel clean whenever you’re slapping it in your face. It’s principally there to maintain every part blended properly and cease your pores and skin from turning into the Sahara whereas the sulfur’s doing its job.
• Ceteareth-20: This stops all of the oil and water components from divorcing one another within the tube. It additionally helps the masks truly wash off as an alternative of simply sitting there in your face like a cussed movie you may’t eliminate.
• Cetearyl Alcohol: Okay don’t freak whenever you see alcohol as a result of that is the nice form, the fatty form that truly moisturizes. It makes the masks creamy as an alternative of some runny mess that slides off your face.
• Chromium Hydroxide Inexperienced: Actually simply inexperienced dye to make you’re feeling such as you’re at a spa. Does zero issues to your precise pores and skin, pure vibes solely.
• Cymbopogon Schoenanthus Extract: That is lemongrass, smells recent, kills some micro organism. Truthfully it’s simply right here for backup, not doing something main. It could trigger irritations in some folks.
• Ethoxydiglycol: Makes it simpler for the sulfur to truly get into your pores and skin as an alternative of simply sitting on high doing nothing. Additionally retains all of the components from separating into bizarre layers.
• Perfume: They threw this in to cowl up the rotten egg scent from sulfur. Which, okay high quality, however perfume pisses off lots of people’s pores and skin so when you’re delicate this is perhaps an issue.
• Geranium Maculatum Extract: It has anti-inflammatory properties.
• Glycereth-26: Holds onto moisture so that you don’t really feel like your face is gonna crack after utilizing this. Balances out the drying state of affairs from the sulfur and clay.
• Hydrated Silica: Just about fancy sand that soaks up oil and gently scrubs off lifeless pores and skin. Not harsh about it although, simply evenly buffing issues away.
• Kaolin: Mild white clay that digs into your pores and yanks out the filth and oil with out wrecking your pores and skin. Absorbs the greasy stuff with out taking away the oil your pores and skin truly must operate. Tremendous gentle so even delicate pores and skin can often deal with it.
• Linoleic Acid: Omega-6 that retains your pores and skin barrier wholesome and weirdly sufficient helps management oil although it’s an oil itself. Your pores and skin wants this, particularly when you’re oily (yeah that sounds backwards nevertheless it’s true).
• Linolenic Acid: Omega-3 that works with the linoleic acid to maintain your barrier robust and calm irritation down. Principally harm management whereas every part else is working.
• Magnesium Aluminum Silicate: Makes the masks thick and in addition soaks up oil. Simply serving to the opposite clay components do their factor.
• Melaleuca Alternifolia (Tea Tree) Leaf Oil: Tea tree oil, kills micro organism, reduces redness. Basic pimples ingredient that smells tremendous natural and kinda medicinal actually.
• Paraffin: Wax that makes it creamy and stops moisture from escaping when you’ve acquired the masks on. Some folks don’t like petroleum stuff so simply so you already know.
• Phenoxyethanol: Stops micro organism and mould from rising within the tube. Each skincare product wants a preservative or it’ll go unhealthy, that is simply doing that job.
• Sodium Lauroyl Sarcosinate: Mild cleanser that helps you truly wash this off with out feeling such as you scrubbed your face uncooked. Comprised of an amino acid so it’s fairly gentle.
• Titanium Dioxide: White pigment that makes the masks look pale and clear. Identical stuff in sunscreen, has some soothing properties however actually it’s largely right here to look fairly.
• Tocopheryl Acetate: Vitamin E that protects your pores and skin from getting broken and helps it heal up. Additionally retains moisture by which issues when sulfur’s making an attempt to dry you out.
• Water: The bottom. Each liquid skincare product is usually water. Nothing thrilling taking place right here.
• Zinc Oxide: Sunscreen ingredient that additionally calms down redness and fights micro organism a bit. Groups up with the sulfur to maintain pimples in verify and cease your face from wanting indignant.

Texture

It’s creamy and form of lotion-y, not tremendous thick such as you’d anticipate from a clay masks. Spreads on straightforward with out dragging your pores and skin round. As soon as it’s chilling in your face it begins drying and you may really feel it tightening up. Dries down matte however doesn’t flip right into a loopy cracky state of affairs.

Perfume

It smells like sulfur. They tried to cowl it up with perfume and tea tree oil however you may nonetheless scent that mineral-y, kinda medicinal vibe. Not gonna lie, it’s not nice nevertheless it’s additionally not horrible sufficient to make you gag. Simply don’t anticipate it to scent like roses. Plus, perfume can irritate delicate pores and skin (and acne-prone pores and skin is delicate).

How To Use It

The directions say to make use of it as a masks: wash your face, go away it a bit damp if you need. Squeeze a tiny quantity out and slap it on wherever you escape – brow, nostril, chin, wherever. Go away it for like 10 minutes, possibly 15 max however don’t push it otherwise you’ll dry your self out. Rinse with heat water. I do NOT advocate this. Sulfur is harsh and there’s no must unfold it onto wholesome areas of your pores and skin. Use it as a spot remedies on pimples solely. 

Packaging

Is available in a tube. Fairly fundamental, does the job. It’s squeezable and hygienic because you’re not dipping your fingers right into a jar.

Efficiency & Private Opinion

The sulfur actually does work on breakouts. When used as a spot therapy in a single day, pimples are noticeably smaller and fewer crimson by morning. It absorbs oil effectively and does assist forestall new breakouts from forming when used persistently. The kaolin clay helps pull out impurities with out being overly harsh. The system additionally appears to have modified over time, turning into thinner and extra runny than the unique thick clay consistency. The masks may be drying, particularly when you overuse it or have naturally dry pores and skin. And washing it off takes a little bit of effort – it doesn’t simply rinse away immediately (another reason to make use of it as a spot therapy solely!). The perfume they added to masks the sulfur scent may be irritating for delicate pores and skin, which is form of ironic since sulfur itself is meant to be gentler than benzoyl peroxide.

What I Like About Proactiv Plus Pores and skin Purifying Masks

• Sulfur truly shrinks pimples, particularly in a single day
• Soaks up oil like no one’s enterprise
• Can use it a number of occasions every week with out destroying your face
• Works as each a masks and spot therapy
• See outcomes fairly quick, like subsequent day

What I DON’T Like About Proactiv Plus Pores and skin Purifying Masks

• Smells like sulfur even with the added perfume
• Dries your pores and skin out when you overdo it
• System’s thinner and extra watery than it ought to be
• Added perfume can irritate delicate pores and skin
• Takes effort to clean off utterly

Who Ought to Use This?

• Works for gentle to average pimples – whiteheads, blackheads, random pimples right here and there. 
• Good when you’ve acquired oily pores and skin or mixture pores and skin that breaks out. 
• Additionally strong if benzoyl peroxide makes your face freak out since sulfur’s much less harsh.
• Don’t trouble when you’ve acquired severe cystic pimples as a result of 6% sulfur isn’t gonna lower it. 
• Additionally skip it in case your pores and skin’s tremendous dry or delicate until you’re solely spot treating. 
• And if perfume pisses off your pores and skin otherwise you hate sulfur smells, save your cash.

Does Proactiv Plus Pores and skin Purifying Masks Stay Up To Its Claims?

Value & Availability

$40 at Proactiv

The Verdict: Ought to You Purchase It?

Actual discuss: It’s an okay sulfur masks that does the job, nevertheless it’s not one of the best bang to your buck or the strongest system on the market. If it’s on sale otherwise you’re a Proactiv loyalist, go forward. In any other case search for a ten% sulfur masks with out added perfume.