I want I had recognized about salicylic acid once I had been a teen. Again then, I spent hours irritating scrubbing my face and drying out pimples with toothpaste (I learn in a magazine it labored 🙄 ) after which puzzled why my pores and skin seemed like a large number.
Salicylic acid is the skincare hero each girl (and man) with oily pores and skin wants. It kicks pimples off your face. Soothes the redness. Brightens your complexion. What are its superpowers? How can it do all this – and with out irritating pores and skin like so many different pimples therapies do? Right here’s every part it is advisable find out about salicylic acid for greasy and acne-prone pores and skin:
What Is Salicylic Acid?
Salicylic acid is the one member of the Beta Hydroxy Acid household utilized in skincare merchandise. For that reason, it’s typically referred to as BHA, too. Salicylic acid is of course discovered within the bark of the willow tree, however the sort utilized in your lotions and potions is normally made in a lab. Nothing incorrect with that. It retains the prices down with out hurting your pores and skin.
Struggling to place collectively a skincare routine that banishes shine, pimples, and blackheads? Obtain your FREE “Greatest Skincare Routine For Oily Pores and skin” cheatsheet to get began (it options product suggestions + proper utility order):
Salicylic Acid Advantages
Salicylic acid is a multitasker. Right here’s every part it does in your pores and skin:
1. Salicylic Acid Exfoliates Pores and skin
Salicylic acid is a strong, if light, exfoliant. Like all sorts of chemical exfoliants, it really works by dissolving the “glue” that holds pores and skin cells collectively. Dermatologist Ellen Murmur explains: “It works by growing the quantity of moisture within the pores and skin and dissolving the substance that causes the pores and skin cells to stay collectively. This makes it simpler to shed the pores and skin cells.”
Wish to know what occurs if you exfoliate the floor of your pores and skin? As previous, broken useless cells go away technique to new, brighter ones, your complexion feels softer to the contact. Mild higher displays onto your pores and skin, making you glow. And even your wrinkles look smaller. Common exfoliation is a fast technique to look youthful and more healthy.
Plus, if you take away useless cells out of your pores and skin, they’ll’t get caught in your pores and trigger clogs that result in pimples. When you have oily or acne-prone pores and skin, utilizing salicylic acid as a part of your routine helps to maintain breakouts at bay.
2. Salicylic Acid Treats Pimples
I do know all of you need to use glycolic acid as a result of it’s an anti-aging celebrity, however if in case you have oily pores and skin, salicylic acid is the higher possibility. Earlier than I inform you why, right here’s a reminder of how pimples varieties.
When your pores and skin produces an excessive amount of oil, the surplus will get caught in your pores, the place it mixes with useless pores and skin cells and different particles. This combination will get caught within the pores, inflicting clogs that result in blackheads, whiteheads, and (if the combination will get infected with micro organism) pimples.
So what makes salicylic acid higher than glycolic acid to deal with pimples? Salicylic acid is oil soluble. Whereas glycolic acid (and all its AHAs siblings) solely exfoliates the floor of your pores and skin, salicylic acid is ready to get by your pores and skin’s lipid barrier and into your pores. As soon as in there, salicylic acid rapidly removes all of the crap, like extra sebum and useless cells, which are clogging them earlier than they erupt in pimples.
Its capability to exfoliate the pores from inside additionally makes it a professional at each stopping and treating blackheads (and whiteheads). Whereas pore strips solely take away the black tip of the blackheads, salicylic acid additionally removes their tail too. Should you don’t do away with that, it’s solely a matter of time earlier than the blackheads pop up onto your face once more.
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3. Salicylic Acid Reduces Pore Dimension
Dangerous information first: the scale of your pores is genetically decided. You possibly can’t make it smaller.
Excellent news: clogs in your pores stretch your pores, so they give the impression of being larger to the bare eye. Take away these clogs and your pores return to their pure measurement.
This can be a job for salicylic acid. The one exfoliant that will get deep into your pores, it may well take away all of the clogs which are stretching your pores. Within the course of, it removes pimples and blackheads, too. Good day, clear pores and skin! Goodbye pore craters!
4. Salicylic Acid Has Anti-Inflammatory Properties
Salicylic acid belongs to the identical household has aspirin, so it has anti-inflammatory properties. This implies it may well scale back the redness that all the time tags together with pimple, relax infected pimples, and soothe harassed and irritated pores and skin. This makes it ideally suited for acne-prone and delicate pores and skin sorts.
Associated: 9 Methods To Soothe Irritated Pores and skin
5. Salicylic Acid Has Anti-Bacterial Properties
Salicylic acid additionally has antibacterial properties that weaken P. Acnes, the micro organism that causes pimples. It’s simply not so good as killing it as benzoyl peroxide. I wouldn’t depend on salicylic acid alone to make your pimples disappear, nevertheless it ought to undoubtedly be a part of your anti-acne toolkit. Each little bit helps.
Associated: Salicylic Acid VS Benzoyl Peroxide: Which One Ought to You Use?
6. Salicylic Acid Treats Hyperpigmentation
Hyperpigmentation is a elaborate manner for darkish spots. Any darkish spots, from melasma to the darker discolourations pimples generally go away behind after they heal. Any exfoliant can lighten darkish spots by eradicating the uppermost (most broken!) layers of pores and skin and exposing these extra even-toned layers beneath.
By itself, Salicylic Acid isn’t one of the best at treating hyperpigmentation. If you wish to fade away darkish spots, I wouldn’t suggest it as your first plan of action. However that doesn’t imply it’s not up for the job. In keeping with a research revealed within the Journal of medication in dermatology, exhibits that the mixture of 0.5% ellagic acid and 0.1% salicylic acid produces related outcomes to 4% hydroquinone, the gold commonplace for treating hyperpigmentation.
It’s additionally extra appropriate for folks of color. Whereas Glycolic acid, an exfoliant that belongs to the AHAs household, is more practical at fading away hyperpigmentation, it may additionally trigger erythema and worsen darkish spots in some circumstances. Salicylic acid is safer for darker pores and skin tones.
What Pores and skin Situations Can Salicylic Acid Deal with?
Listed here are all of the pores and skin situations Salicylic Acid can deal with:
- Pimples (together with blackheads and whiteheads)
- Calluses
- Dandruff
- Massive pores
- Psoriasis
- Solar harm
- Warts
Should you’re experiencing any of them, salicylic acid is a treasured ally in your skincare routine.
How To Use It
I like to recommend utilizing Salicylic Acid each different night time, proper after cleaning. The nearer to your pores and skin you utilize it, the higher outcomes you’ll get. After which word how your pores and skin reacts to it. “The secret’s to take heed to your pores and skin,” dermatologist Adarsh Vijay Mudgil recommends. “If it’s getting irritated, you’ll must take a day or two off and maybe be a bit extra vigilant with moisturizing.”
Can You Use Salicylic Acid As A Spot Remedy?
Sure, you possibly can. However Salicylic Acid is such an exquisite exfoliant, why wouldn’t you need to use it throughout your face? When you have pimples pimples, you possibly can use Salicylic acid throughout your face each different nights. On the nights in between, you possibly can apply it as a spot remedy. This fashion, you do away with the pimples sooner with out irritating the remainder of your face.
Can You Use Salicylic Acid Each day?
Except prescribed by a dermatologist, utilizing salicylic acid each day is simply too drying and worsening for pores and skin. The exception? Salicylic acid cleansers. They’re light sufficient for use ONCE a day. The catch? Salicylic acid works rather a lot higher when left on the pores and skin for a number of hours. In a cleanser, it simply finally ends up down the drain along with grime. I like to recommend you utilize a salicylic acid cleanser solely if in case you have delicate pores and skin that may’t tolerate the acid in your pores and skin for a number of hours.
Who Ought to Use Salicylic Acid?
All pores and skin sorts can use salicylic acid. However, because it’s the ONLY exfoliant that may unclog pores, it’s ideally suited for greasy and acne-prone pores and skin (together with dry AND acne-prone pores and skin). When you have pimples, blackheads, whiteheads, clogged pores, a propensity to pimples, or oily pores and skin, you want Salicylic Acid. No different exfoliant will work as nicely for you. Interval.
Who Shouldn’t Use Salicylic Acid?
Salicylic acid is superior, nevertheless it’s NOT for everybody. You shouldn’t use it if:
- You don’t have pimples or oily pores and skin: Glycolic or Lactic acid could also be higher exfoliating choices for you.
- You need to fade away darkish spots: Whereas salicylic acid can assist fade away darkish spots, it does so very slowly. Should you don’t have pimples and fading darkish spots is your major concern, go together with Glycolic acid as an alternative.
- Are on sure medicines: It could actually intrude with sure medicine, like blood thinners.
- Are pregnant or breastfeeding: Taken orally in low doses may cause beginning defects. Small doses ( <2% ) utilized topically to the pores and skin are secure for mum and child, however simply to be on the secure facet, keep away from salicylic acid peels.
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How Typically Ought to You Use It?
The perfect frequency is each different night time. It offers sufficient exfoliation to deal with and stop blackheads, whiteheads, and pimples with out irritating pores and skin. In case your pimples may be very extreme and your pores and skin very oily, you might get away with utilizing salicylic acid daily and even twice a day, morning and night time. However I solely suggest this in extreme circumstances till the pimples has healed. To maintain pores and skin clear after that, each different night time is greater than sufficient. As a rule, if you happen to’re experiencing dryness, irritation, and redness, reduce utilization.
What Ought to You NOT Use It With?
Though you possibly can use salicylic acid with different exfoliants, it’s NOT a good suggestion to take action. An excessive amount of exfoliation irritates pores and skin and dries it out. The one exception? Should you use a product, like Drunk Elephant T.L.C. Glycolic Evening Serum, formulated with a combination totally different exfoliating acids. They’re designed to provide the correct quantity of exfoliation you want – and rather a lot safer to make use of than you mixing a number of bottles or utilizing a distinct exfoliant daily. This additionally means you shouldn’t use salicylic acid with scrubs, konjac sponges, sonic cleansers and anything that might exfoliate pores and skin.
It’s additionally not a good suggestion to make use of salicylic acid similtaneously retinoids. This mix is simply too harsh. As a substitute, alternate them. Use salicylic acid one night time and retinol or tretinoin the subsequent. You’ll get one of the best of each world with out irritating your pores and skin.
How A lot Salicylic Acid Do You Want?
You know the way I all the time say that if you happen to solely add a sprinkle of an ingredient in a cream or lotion, it’s not gonna do a lot for you? Salicylic acid is the exception to the rule. It really works nicely even at 1 or 2% concentrations. In reality, right here within the EU, you possibly can’t use greater than 2%.
Acids are superior, however if you happen to abuse them, they’ll wreak some severe havoc in your pores and skin. And you recognize human nature. When one thing is nice, you need to use a ton of it to get higher outcomes after which marvel why your pores and skin appears like a large number. Should you can’t use greater than 2%, you possibly can get pleasure from its advantages with none nasty uncomfortable side effects.
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Is Salicylic Acid pH Dependant?
Among the greatest skincare actives, together with Glycolic acid and Vitamin C, are pH dependant. What does this imply? Easy. They work solely at a sure, normally low, pH. If it’s too excessive, you might simply as nicely splash water in your pores and skin.
Hearsay has it, salicylic acid is pH dependant too. If it’s greater than 4, it received’t work. That is NOT true! Research present that it’s an efficient exfoliant even with the next pH. That is nice information for delicate pores and skin. Low pH = greater probability of irritation. By preserving the pH at a skin-friendly degree, you get the advantages of exfoliation with out the irritation.
Salicylic Acid VS Benzoyl Peroxide: Which One Is Proper For You?
Like Salicylic Acid, Benzoyl Peroxide is a well-liked pimples remedy. So which one do you have to use?
Benzoyl Peroxide works in another way. Whereas it has a light peeling motion, it principally works by killing P.Pimples, the micro organism that causes pimples. The very best half? The micro organism doesn’t develop immune to it. However, it’s a lot harsher on the pores and skin and causes dryness and irritation.
In keeping with a assessment in Medical Therapeutics, “Comparative research of salicylic acid have proven it to be superior to benzoyl peroxide in lowering the overall variety of pimples lesions,” and it’s gentler on the pores and skin as well. FYI, that is true even in terms of cleansers. A salicylic acid face wash works higher at treating pimples than one with benzoyl peroxide, based on a research revealed in Medical Therapeutics.
I like to recommend you begin with Salicylic Acid and, if you’d like serving to hand, use Benzoyl Peroxide as spot remedy solely.
Salicylic Acid VS Glycolic Acid: Which One Is Proper For You?
Glycolic acid is a part of the Alpha Hydroxy Acids (AHAs) exfoliating household. Like Salicylic Acid, it dissolves the “glue” that holds pores and skin cells collectively, to allow them to slough off and reveal the brighter pores and skin beneath. However Glycolic acid doesn’t get inside your pores, so it may well’t do something in your pimples.
As a substitute, glycolic acid has two totally different superpowers: it hydrates pores and skin and fades away darkish spots. When you have dry pores and skin otherwise you’re extra involved about fading away darkish spots than eliminating the off blackhead, glycolic acid is for you. However if in case you have any sort of pimples, doesn’t matter what your pores and skin sort is, salicylic acid will you provide the greatest outcomes.
Aspect Results Of Salicylic Acid
Though Salicylic acid is gentler than different exfoliants (*cough* Glycolic Acid *cough*), it may well nonetheless dry out and irritate pores and skin if you happen to use an excessive amount of. Overexfoliation is rarely good. Useless cells are there for a motive. To guard the newer pores and skin beneath that’s not totally developed and able to come to the floor but. A bit exfoliation brightens pores and skin. An excessive amount of exposes uncooked pores and skin – it’s ugly and painful.
Like all exfoliants, Salicylic Acid also can improve pores and skin sensitivity to the solar. For that reason, it’s greatest to make use of it at night time, when the solar isn’t round.
Lastly, Salicylic Acid might trigger purging. A purge is totally different from a breakout. A breakout occurs if you use substances that clog pores and provide you with pimples. Take away the offender and you’ve got clear pores and skin once more. A purge occurs when your pores and skin is already clogged beneath the floor. On this case, exfoliation brings all that crap, within the type of pimples and blackheads, to the floor sooner, so it may be cleared up.
Should you’re experiencing a breakout after utilizing salicylic acid, it’s regular. Salicylic acid isn’t supplying you with extra pimples. It’s clearing each layer of your pores and skin, so you possibly can take away all of the gunk in a single go and luxuriate in lovely pores and skin afterwards. Relying on how clogged your pores and skin is, it may well take as much as 6 weeks to finish the purging course of.
What Are The Greatest Merchandise With Salicylic Acid?
Decide one product. In case your moisturizer has salicylic acid, you don’t want a separate exfoliant. Should you exfoliate with salicylic acid, you don’t want it to be in your toner, too. You get the purpose. Now that’s out of the way in which, listed here are my fave skincare merchandise with salicylic acid:
- Drunk Elephant T.L.C. Framboos Glycolic Evening Serum ($90.00): Don’t let the title idiot you. This exfoliant has each salicylic acid to unclog pores and glycolic acid to fade away the darkish spots pimples generally go away behind. Accessible at Cult Magnificence, Sephora and SpaceNK.
- Paula’s Selection Pores and skin Perfecting 2% BHA Liquid ($29.00): The cult exfoliant from the model, it unlclogs pores and treats blackheads and pimples. The feel’s just a little sticky, however if you happen to can take that, this is likely one of the greatest salicylic acid exfoliants on the market. Accessible at Cult Magnificence, Dermstore, Internet-A-Porter, Paula’s Selection, Sephora, and SpaceNK.
- The Inkey Listing Beta Hydroxy Acid (£9.99): A easy, no-frills salicylic acid exfoliant for folks on a price range. Accessible at Cult Magnificence and Sephora.
The Backside Line
When you have oily, combo or acne-prone pores and skin, it is advisable add salicylic acid to your skincare arsenal now. It’ll vanish blackheads, fade darkish spots, banish pimples and soothe your pores and skin. What extra may you ask for?
About Gio
Hello, I am Gio. I am a no-nonsense, tell-it-like-it-is pores and skin coach and author on a mission that will help you obtain your greatest pores and skin day ever – daily. I bust skincare myths and debunk advertising and marketing jargon that will help you determine what’s well worth the splurge and what’s greatest left on the shelf – utilizing science, not hype. I additionally supply skincare consultations that will help you create one of the best skincare routine in your distinctive wants.
