Salicylic Acid
molecular structure · PubChem
AKA: 2-Hydroxybenzoic acid, 69-72-7, O-hydroxybenzoic acid, 2-Carboxyphenol, O-Carboxyphenol, Retarder W, Rutranex, Salonil, Keralyt
Synthetic
Rx Active
Preservative
Skin Conditioner
Hair Care
Chemical Exfoliant
Acid
Not Clean
Salicylic acid is a monohydroxybenzoic acid that is benzoic acid with a hydroxy group at the ortho position. It is obtained from the bark of the white willow and wintergreen leaves. It has a role as an antiinfective agent, an antifungal agent, a plant hormone, a keratolytic drug, an EC 1.11.1.11 (L-ascorbate peroxidase) inhibitor, a plant metabolite and an algal metabolite. It is a conjugate acid of a salicylate.
Solubility 2240
Formula
C7H6O3
Mol. Weight
138.12
CAS #
69-72-7
Form
Liquid
State
Salicylic acid is an odorless white to light tan solid. Sinks and mixes slowly with water. (USCG, 1999)
Pairs Well With
Functions
Anti-Seborrheic
Hair Conditioning
A catch-all term for ingredients that improve how skin looks and feels — softer, smoother, more supple. The workhorse behind most moisturizers.
Keratolytic
A pharmaceutical-grade active. These are the heavy hitters — often prescription-strength or regulated for potency.
Preservative
Keeps your product from growing bacteria, mold, or yeast. Without these, that jar of cream becomes a petri dish in about a week.
Skin Conditioning
A catch-all term for ingredients that improve how skin looks and feels — softer, smoother, more supple. The workhorse behind most moisturizers.
Unclogs pores
Supports cell turnover
Controls excess oil
Fights acne
Causing bacteria
EWG
7
CIR
Safe as used
Pregnancy
—
Restricted By
CIR Safety Findings
Not an Irritant
ewg-7
medical-approval
all-shades-safe
Concentration Guide
2.0%
0%3%
Reg. Limit
FDA OTC limit (Acne): 2%. 21 CFR 333.310 | EU/SCCS limit: 0.5% in cosmetic products. Opinion: SCCS/1646/22
Use Caution With
Regulatory Agencies
🧂Conflict of interest.
Skin Types
●all-skin-types
The paper trail
🔬Peer-reviewed1 paper →
⚖️Regulatory1 listing →
🛡️Safety-assessed2 reviews →
Counts, not a verdict. A listing isn't a study. The trail, you decide.
Verified Jun 2026 · 🧪 = conflict
Data: PubChem · CosIng · EWG · CIR