Salicylic Acid
What is Salicylic Acid?
Salicylic acid belongs to Beta Hydroxy Acid (BHA) group. It is an organic compound that is a colorless, bitter-tasting solid that is a precursor to and a metabolite of aspirin. It is also a plant hormone.
How does it work?
It works by helping the skin shed dead cells from the top layer of the skin while also reducing redness and swelling. Salicylic acid unclogs pores that if left unattended might be infected resulting in acne breakouts. All of these result in a quick recovery from pimples and acne breakouts.
Benefits of Salicylic Acid in skincare routine.
Salicylic acid is great for treating acne and acne-related concerns like whiteheads and blackheads. As a chemical exfoliator of the Beta Hydroxy Acid group (BHA), it penetrates the skin to tackle issues without causing redness on the skin. It’s used in the treatment of acne because it unclogs pores and removes dead skin. Clogged pores are the culprit in acne development.
It also has antimicrobial properties, meaning it kills bacteria that cause acne. Salicylic acid fights inflammation on the skin, that means reduced redness and swelling.
Salicylic acid reduces the production of sebum. With the use of salicylic acid, skin becomes less oily which results in less clogged pores and also less acne breakouts.
With consistent use, it reduces hyperpigmentation by slowly exfoliating the skin. This leaves clear and smooth skin after use.
How is Salicylic Acid incorporated in skincare routine?
Salicylic acid is found in a range of skincare products from cleansers to moisturizers, toners, and shower gels among many others. It is safe to say that it can benefit the whole body when used externally.
Salicylic acid is great in cleansers as it exfoliates the skin without drying it. Like Ynelav’s SA Foaming Cleanser is formulated to gently cleanse and exfoliate the skin without stripping off the skin barrier. BHA in shower gels treats body acne and other roughness that may be on the skin.
You can use BHA exfoliating liquids on rough skin and also as an aftershave to prevent razor bumps.
Who should use Salicylic Acid?
Everyone can benefit from salicylic acid in their skincare. People with acne-prone and oily skin need to use salicylic acid on their skin often to keep these conditions at bay. And this is not only limited to the face. Rough skin, body acne, shaving bumps, and hyperpigmentation are all conditions that benefit from BHA in a skincare routine.
How often should one use salicylic acid?
Salicylic acid can be used every day without a problem. But as with every new product, a patch test is advised. Put a small amount of product on a selected area of the place intended for use and wait for 24 hours to see if there is a reaction to the product. If there isn’t, add it to your skincare routine while adhering to the directions of the product.
