What is Salicylic Acid, and How Does it Work?

There are ample skincare ingredients at your fingertips – but for those with blemish-prone or oily skin, salicylic acid-based products can be a transformative addition.

But what does salicylic acid do?

Salicylic acid is renowned for its exfoliating prowess, but, with such potent effects, it’s important to introduce this ingredient with care.

To get you familiar with how to use salicylic acid, we’ll be unpacking everything from the benefits of salicylic acid for skin, our top application techniques, and which beloved Kiehl’s formulas can help improve your skin’s texture and clarity.

What is salicylic acid?

Salicylic acid is a chemical exfoliant belonging to the beta hydroxy acid (BHA) family. While naturally present in plants like willow tree and meadowsweet, today, salicylic acid is typically synthesised in a lab.

Being a BHA, salicylic acid is lipid-soluble, meaning it has the ability to dissolve in oil rather than water – the opposite of an alpha hydroxy acid (AHA).

Salicylic acid can take many forms in skincare: notably in cleansers, scrubs, toners, and serums. However, you may also find it formulated in brightening or anti-blemish moisturisers.

How does salicylic work?

Salicylic acid works by loosening the bonds that hold dead skin cells together on the skin surface. And, thanks to its status as a BHA, salicylic acid penetrates deep into your hair follicles and pores. Salicylic acid products are able to dry out excess sebum and dead skin cells – which is big news for clogged pores. By sloughing dead skin cells and encouraging skin cell turnover, salicylic acid helps reveal smoother, brighter, clearer skin over time.

5 salicylic acid benefits for skin

By accelerating the skin’s natural renewal process, salicylic acid can target a number of individual skin concerns. Below are five key salicylic acid benefits:

• Penetrating deep into the skin to unclog pores, which makes it one of the best ingredients to target blemishes and reduce the recurrence of breakouts (especially blackheads and whiteheads).
• Regulating sebum production – which also adds to blemishes.
• Helping manage post-blemish hyperpigmentation after breakouts.
• Dissolving dead skin cells, helping to brighten and unify skin tone.
• Refining the appearance of enlarged pores and improving skin texture overall.

How to use salicylic acid in skincare

Products enriched with this potent ingredient can take many different forms. Which means it’s possible to find a salicylic acid product that works for you and your skin.

Below, we’ll guide you through how to use salicylic acid: either as a cleanser, exfoliating serum, spot treatment, or liquid pimple patch.

As an exfoliating cleanser

Using a salicylic acid-based cleanser can be particularly effective for oily and blemish-prone skin since it works by purifying the complexion. We suggest our Gently Effective Blemish-Treating Facial Cleansing Paste – a 3-in-1 non-drying charcoal paste infused with the benefits of salicylic acid, as well as the detoxifying properties of kaolin clay. Developed to dry out your pimples, not your skin, this formula also contains glycerin and cica centella to maintain comfort and support your skin moisture barrier.

For oily and normal skin types, you can also try our Rare Earth Deep Pore Daily Cleanser. Formulated with Amazonian white clay and aloe barbadensis, its non-drying foaming formula softens and exfoliates without dehydrating your skin.

You can use either cleanser twice daily, but we recommend following with a hydrating moisturiser like the Ultra Facial Oil-Free Gel Cream to ensure your skin stays balanced. This non-comedogenic moisturiser is ideal for oily, blemish-prone skin since it won’t clog pores.

As a targeted serum

Skin discolouration – specifically post-blemish marks – is a common byproduct of prolonged breakouts. However, one of the great benefits of salicylic acid for skin is its ‘resurfacing’ abilities to help brighten and even skin tone.

Clearly Corrective™ Dark Spot Solution is formulated with salicylic acid alongside antioxidants vitamin C and peony extract. Regular use can diminish the appearance of discoloration and boost radiance.

In terms of your skincare routine order, targeted dark spot correctors can be used morning and night – after cleansing, but before moisturising.

As a spot treatment

One of the most well-known salicylic acid products is spot treatments, which are used to reduce the appearance of existing blemishes.

With Kiehl’s, you can deliver salicylic acid benefits to your skin via the Expertly Clear Blemish-Targeting & Preventing Lotion. This lightweight, non-greasy formula is blended with salicylic acid to target current blemishes and post-blemish marks, niacinamide and glycerin to preserve hydration, and postbiotic lactobacillus ferment to rebalance the skin microbiome.

Simply use a thin layer over the affected areas to apply as the final step in your salicylic acid skincare routine.

As a liquid pimple patch

Overcoming blemish-prone skin can be difficult, especially when external stressors exacerbate your breakouts. However, pimple patches can complement your salicylic acid skincare routine by protecting existing blemishes from outside bacteria.

But what does salicylic acid do in pimple patch form? The answer lies in our unique liquid patch formula – the Truly Targeted Blemish Solution. Developed with ‘liquid patch’ technology, this solution creates a breathable seal over pimples, while salicylic acid penetrates beneath the skin surface to diminish oil and unclog pores. The formula also helps fade the appearance of post-blemish marks.

5 tips for using salicylic acid

When you are building your salicylic acid skincare routine, there are some final key points to keep in mind:

• Salicylic acid can be quite drying on the skin – so be sure to keep the skin nourished with supportive ingredients like hyaluronic acid and niacinamide to ensure your skin stays hydrated and balanced.
• BHAs will make your skin more photosensitive – stringent SPF application is a must for your morning skincare routine.
• Avoid the use of potent ingredients – retinol, for example – alongside salicylic acid. This is often far too harsh for the skin.
• Generally, we would also recommend that you adhere to one chemical exfoliant and avoid mixing BHAs and AHAs. However, there are exceptions, like with our Clearly Corrective™ Daily Re-Texturizing Triple Acid Peel – which is formulated with specific concentrations and a gentle PHA to maintain skin comfort.

Along with salicylic acid’s benefits in skincare, there are a couple of drawbacks – like dryness. However, you can easily supplement lost moisture with the right product. Next, discover how to find the best moisturiser for your skin type.