Sulfur powder for skin care

Sulfur powder is my new favorite skin care ingredient. For so long I had actually overlooked all of its wonderful benefits and never once tried to add it to my cosmetic products. Finally I ended up ordering it along with several new ingredients I was curious about. And wow 2 months later I am still impressed with what it does to my skin. 

Sulfur is actually a very old skin care product. Even back in the ancient roman period people would soak in sulfur hot springs to treat skin problems, such as dermatitis, warts and acne.

Today sulfur is found in many over the counter as well as prescription acne medicine. In can be found in the form of face washes, ointments and creams, face masks, face soaps and others. Why is sulfur so effective at dealing with acne? First of all it dries up excess oil and exfoliates dead surface skin cells. Additionally it has antibacterial properties which help kill bacteria and prevent the from spreading. Even though sulfur dries up excess oil, it does not lead to excessive dryness like other anti-acne products. 

There are many DIY sulfur products that can be made at home. So far I have tried both a simple face mask and a face cream containing sulfur. Both have really impressed me with what they do to my skin when I am having skin 'issues'. 

The face mask can be easily done by mixing 1 tbsp of sulfur powder with enough water to make a thick paste. Then add a few drops of jojoba oil and apply to face. This mask should be washed off after about 10-15 minutes. The smell of sulfur powder takes a bit getting used to, but as I am a chemist its definitely not a scent I cannot handle. Especially if it helps my skin!

An easy sulfur night cream can be made my simply adding powdered sulfur to your regular face cream. Just mix enough so that it is about 10% of the volume. 

If you ave really problematic skin you can make a higher percentage sulfur cream and apply it just to the breakout spots on your skin. I like to mix a regular face cream 1 : 1 with sulfur for this. You should wash it off after keeping it on your face a while. 

If you would like to try using sulfur powder in you DIY products you should be aware that some people are allergic to sulfur. Therefore best first try a small amount and see if you have no side effects. You can google the symptoms of sulfur allergy before hand so you know what to keep a look out for.