Kate Somerville EradiKate 3% Sulfur Daily Foaming Cleanser Review

BeautyBrief™

Brand

Kate Somerville

Product

EradiKate 3% Sulfur Daily Foaming Cleanser

Claims check

If you want a sulfur acne wash, the 3% active supports acne treatment, but a small product study and optional mask use do not establish long-term superiority.

Shopper fit

  • Combination
  • Oily
  • Acne-Prone

Formula flags

  • Fragrance
  • Added color
  • OTC acne medication: 3% sulfur

Shopper preferences

  • Cruelty-Free
  • Dermatologist-Tested

Key ingredients

Sulfur 3%Provides the labeled 3% sulfur acne-treatment active.
Sodium Cocoyl IsethionateHelps create the creamy foaming cleansing system.
Glycereth-18Helps soften the after-feel around the medicated base.
Avena Sativa (Oat) Kernel ExtractAdds an oat-derived conditioning ingredient to the medicated formula.
Oligopeptide-10Adds formula interest, but its amount is not disclosed and the cleanser is rinsed off quickly.

Price tier

$$$ Premium

Value check

At the Premium tier, you pay for a creamy 3% sulfur cleanser and its supporting ingredients, not a uniquely effective acne active.

Where to buy

We may earn a commission through these links at no additional cost to you. This does not affect our BeautyBrief.

Bottom line

If your skin is oily or acne-prone, EradiKate provides a 3% sulfur treatment in a creamy wash. Fragrance and longer mask contact require tolerance, while honey-derived ingredients exclude a vegan preference. At the Premium tier, choose it for formula feel rather than assuming it outperforms less costly sulfur cleansers.

What is Shopper Fit?

Shopper Fit shows who The Beauty Briefing finds the product is reasonably suited for after reviewing the complete formula or product design, product format, expected performance, directions, tolerability, usability, and available evidence.

Depending on the product category, Shopper Fit may reflect factors such as skin type, hair or scalp characteristics, product needs, routine compatibility, sensitivity, experience level, or practical use considerations.

Shopper Fit is BB's editorial product-fit assessment, not a copy of the brand's marketing. It is not a diagnosis, a guarantee of results or tolerance, or a claim that the product is suitable for everyone.

What are Shopper Preferences?

Shopper Preferences are product attributes The Beauty Briefing has enough evidence to treat as established for the exact product. A brand statement, badge, or retailer claim alone is not enough.

Vegan
BB found sufficient documentation to verify the vegan claim within the documented product scope.
Cruelty-Free
BB found sufficient documentation to verify the cruelty-free claim within the scope of the evidence reviewed.
Non-Comedogenic
BB found sufficient product-specific evidence or documentation to support the non-comedogenic claim. A brand claim by itself does not qualify.
Dermatologist-Tested
BB verified documentation showing the exact product was tested with dermatologist involvement. This does not mean dermatologist-recommended.
Ophthalmologist-Tested
BB verified documentation showing the exact product was tested with ophthalmologist involvement.
Hypoallergenic
BB found sufficient product-specific evidence or documentation to support the hypoallergenic claim. It does not guarantee that no shopper will react.
None Found
BB did not find sufficient evidence to verify any of the controlled Shopper Preferences for the exact product.

Brand marketing tells BB what to investigate. BeautyBrief tells the shopper what BB has established.

What are Formula Flags?

Formula Flags identify characteristics of a product's formula that materially affect shopper fit, tolerability, routine compatibility, or use. A flag does not mean an ingredient is bad or that the product is unsafe. It highlights something worth knowing before you buy.

Fragrance
Added fragrance or parfum that materially affects shopper fit or tolerability.
Essential oils
Essential oils that are relevant to fragrance exposure, sensitivity, or use.
Drying alcohols
Volatile alcohols at a level that materially affects feel, dryness, or tolerability.
Retinoids
Retinoid actives that affect routine compatibility, tolerability, or use.
Exfoliating acids
Exfoliating acids such as AHAs, BHAs, or PHAs at a functionally relevant level.
Comedogenic concerns
Formula characteristics that warrant additional consideration for breakout-prone shoppers.
Sulfates
Sulfate cleansing agents that materially affect cleansing strength, skin or hair feel, or shopper fit.
Silicones
Silicones that materially affect texture, finish, or shopper fit.
Added color
Added colorants that materially affect the finished formula or shopper use.
Other
Another formula characteristic materially affects shopper fit or use.
None identified
No defined Formula Flags materially affect shopper fit or use.

Formula Flags are informational. They are not a list of ingredients everyone should avoid.

If you want a sulfur acne cleanser with a creamier, more comfort-focused base, Kate Somerville EradiKate 3% Sulfur Daily Foaming Cleanser gives you 3% sulfur at the Premium tier. The treatment role is legitimate; the harder question is whether the formula feel and brand experience justify paying more for a rinse-off sulfur wash.

Beauty Briefing Verdict 2026 09 21T134902.466

What it claims

Kate Somerville describes EradiKate as a clinical-strength acne cleanser that targets blackheads, pimples, sebaceous filaments, excess oil, and new breakouts without overdrying your skin. The current U.S. page directs you to massage the cleanser over wet skin for 30 seconds before rinsing and also suggests a two-to-three-minute T-zone mask for sebaceous filaments.[1]

The brand reports that 100% of participants showed immediate and one-week improvements in shine, visible pores, oil control, and clarity, while 90% agreed blackheads and congestion improved after one week. Kate Somerville identifies this as an independent clinical study of 30 participants, but the public page does not provide the full protocol, comparator, or longer follow-up needed to judge how durable or clinically meaningful those changes are.[1]

The same official page identifies the cleanser as dermatologist-tested, and PETA currently lists Kate Somerville as cruelty-free.[2]

Claims vs. formula

Your acne-treatment active is sulfur at 3%. That gives this cleanser a real OTC acne-treatment role for oily, blemish-prone skin, blackheads, and sebaceous filaments rather than relying on cosmetic acne language alone.

Sodium cocoyl isethionate and coco-glucoside provide the cleansing, while fatty alcohols, Glycereth-18 derivatives, and glycerin help the whipped formula feel less bare than a stripped-down medicated wash.

Honey, rice bran, oat, boswellia, and oligopeptide-10 add more supporting ingredients. Their amounts are not disclosed, and the standard contact time is only 30 seconds, so they are best understood as formula-supporting extras rather than proof that the cleanser delivers treatment effects beyond its sulfur active.

The optional two-to-three-minute mask changes the contact time and may increase the sulfur exposure on your T-zone. That can be useful if you specifically want the mask step, but it can also increase dryness if your skin is already sensitive or treatment-stressed.

The formula contains fragrance, linalool, and added color. Those ingredients narrow fit if you are fragrance-sensitive or reactive, but the central treatment tradeoff remains sulfur-related dryness and the Premium price tier.

Ingredients that matter

Sulfur at 3% is the disclosed acne-treatment active. Sodium cocoyl isethionate and coco-glucoside create the whipped cleansing base, with glycereth-18 and cetearyl alcohol contributing a creamier feel. These ingredients cannot eliminate irritation from a medicated acne routine.

The formula also includes oat kernel extract, honey, rice bran extract and oligopeptide-10. These are conditioning ingredients, not separate proof of durable pore clearing after a 30-second rinse. Kate Somerville reports results from an independent 30-participant study, which offers finished-product evidence with limited study size and public detail.

Natural yellow sulfur mineral rock on a light background.

Sulfur

Sulfur is a regulated OTC acne active with keratolytic and antimicrobial activity. Modern sulfur-only comparative evidence is limited, and higher strength is not automatically better.

Read the IngredientBrief
Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate

Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate

Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate is a well-established cleansing surfactant often used in syndet bars and gentle washes. Comparative testing supports a relatively mild profile, but the complete surfactant system determines real-world…

Read the IngredientBrief
Close-up of glycerin dropper and test tube with glycerin.

Glycerin

If your skin feels dry or tight, glycerin helps your skin hold moisture. You don't need a high percentage or a separate serum when your moisturizer already works well.

Read the IngredientBrief
Fragrance

Fragrance

Fragrance is a scent blend added mainly for sensory appeal. Many shoppers tolerate it well, while specific fragrance materials can trigger irritation or allergic contact dermatitis in susceptible people.

Read the IngredientBrief

Safety and regulatory context

The U.S. product page discloses sulfur 3% as an active ingredient and recommends 30-second cleansing, with an optional two-to-three-minute T-zone mask.[1] The longer mask step is an option, not proof of better results for every user if skin is already dry or irritated.

The formula lists fragrance, linalool, color additives and honey-derived extract. It is not vegan because of the honey, while aromatic ingredients affect fit for fragrance-sensitive skin. A 30-participant product study does not remove the need to consider tolerability or compare less expensive sulfur treatments.

What to expect in the short term

You get a creamy foam with noticeable oil-removing power. If your skin is combination, oily, or acne-prone, the supporting humectants and fatty ingredients make the wash feel more polished than a bare sulfur cleanser, but sulfur can still leave your skin dry or tight.

What to expect over time

Consistent sulfur use can support an acne routine when sulfur is a good match for your skin. The one-week study is useful short-term evidence, but the public information does not establish that this cleanser prevents breakouts better over the long term than less expensive sulfur options.

At the Premium tier, you are mainly paying for a more comfort-focused sulfur-cleansing base, formula extras, and brand experience. The 3% sulfur active itself is not unique to a Premium product.

Who it fits

This makes the most sense if your skin is combination, oily, or acne-prone, you specifically want sulfur, and you prefer a creamy medicated cleanser over a more basic treatment wash.

If your skin is dry, sensitive, peeling, fragrance-reactive, or heavily treated, a simpler cleanser or a more targeted leave-on acne step may be easier to fit into your routine.

Compare before you buy

Choose EradiKate when you specifically want sulfur and value the creamier, more comfort-focused cleansing base enough to accept the Premium tier.

Final Assessment

If your skin is oily or acne-prone and you want a creamy sulfur cleanser, EradiKate provides a labeled 3% acne-treatment active alongside conditioning ingredients. Its small study and optional mask direction do not establish long-term superiority, while fragrance and honey affect shopper fit. At the Premium tier, its value is the specific cleanser texture rather than a uniquely effective sulfur ingredient.

Last reviewed: October 2026

Sources

  1. Kate Somerville. EradiKate 3% Sulfur Daily Foaming Cleanser. Official U.S. page, accessed October 14, 2026; 3% active, formula, use directions and small clinical study.

    Return to citation.

  2. PETA. Kate Somerville cruelty-free company listing. Animal-testing policy listing.

    Return to citation.

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