Sa
Salicylic Acid
Salicylic AcidExfoliant
Oil-soluble beta hydroxy acid. Penetrates pores and clears clogs — go-to for blackheads and oily skin.
What it does
Salicylic acid is lipid-soluble, so it dissolves the sebum + dead-cell mix that plugs pores. Effective for comedonal acne, blackheads, and oily skin. OTC products top out at 2%; medical peels go higher.
The evidence, graded
expert consensusRetinol and a BHA — salicylic acid, or its ester betaine salicylate — can be layered for some users without issue, but the combination raises dryness and barrier risk. Start with alternate nights and merge only if tolerated.Mukherjee 2006 · Clinical Interventions in Aging ↗
expert consensusAHAs and BHAs can be combined safely in well-formulated products. The 'never mix them' rule is overstated — the real concern is total acid load on the skin barrier, not the chemistry of mixing them.Kornhauser 2010 · Clinical and Cosmetic Investigative Dermatology ↗
expert consensusTopical salicylic acid at 2% or below is generally considered safe in pregnancy when used on small areas. Higher concentrations, large-area or under-occlusion use, and oral salicylates should be avoided.Bozzo 2011 · Canadian Family Physician ↗
Graded per the methodology: strong · moderate · emerging · expert consensus. A weak source on a strong claim gets the weaker label.
Also known as
bha, capryloyl salicylic acid
Pairs worth knowing
This page is public and indexed on purpose (unlike profiles and drops, which are unlisted) — it’s the citation behind shared ingredient cards, and it should be findable.
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