Even for a seasoned skincare addict, the cosmetics aisles can be a battlefield. There are, quite literally, hundreds of products to choose from, all of which promise to make you look like Gigi Hadid.
One way to determine whether a serum/moisturiser/cleanser will suit you, is to look at the ingredient list. Seeing as we’ve already determined what vitamin C and hyaluronic acid can do for your skin, we thought we’d take a deep dive into the world of salicylic acid.
What is salycylic acid?
In short, salicylic acid is a beta hydroxy acid (BHA), closely related to aspirin and lactic acid.
What does salycylic acid do?
According to Dr Joseph Hkeik, from All Saints Skin Clinics in Sydney, “Salicylic acid is a really good exfoliant.” Not only that, salicylic acid also cleans the shit out of your pores, drawing out all of the built-up gunk below the surface.
Who should use salycylic acid?
If you have acne, salicylic acid-based products are your new MVP. While most skin-types could benefit from a good exfoliation two to three times a week, salicylic acid is particularly useful for acne prone skin. “It’s a very good product for people who have acne because it exfoliates the top layer much more than anything else,” Dr Hkeik explains.
However, if your skin errs on the sensitive side, it’s best to introduce salicylic acid with caution. That’s not to say you should avoid it altogether. “People who have sensitive or reactive skin need to be careful,” says Dr Hkeik. “They can use it but as long as its baby steps.”
Salycylic acid for skin: How do I use it?
Mostly, salicylic acid is used in creams and cleansers, as part of an at-home skincare routine. Usually, salicylic acid should be one of the last on the list of the ingredients, as you only need a relatively small amount to see results. “When we put it in a cream it’s a small percentage,” Dr Hkeik explains. “So we can get the exfoliation process happening for oily skin.”
From: Elle Australia
All the reasons why your skin is breaking out
Is your skin breaking out more frequently than usual? We got an expert to decode why that might be…
[Gallery id=”348″]
