What is Salicylic Acid and Its Benefits

What are the benefits of salicylic acid in skincare products and what kinds of effects can you expect to see after using them for several weeks?

This article will guide you on how to use salicylic acid products correctly, how often you should be applying them, and the benefits of combining it with PITERA™. We’ll also give you some precautions to take if you have them in your skincare arsenal.

How to Use Salicylic Acid Correctly?

Salicylic acid helps to shed dead skin from the face. For this reason, it’s mostly used by people who struggle with acne on their faces. Salicylic acid is one of the most practical ways to treat acne, especially for teenagers who often experience oily skin.

Salicylic acid for oily face conditions will significantly control oiliness without drying out your skin in an unhealthy way. But is salicylic acid safe for people who already have dry skin? Yes, but it should be used more sparingly if you struggle with dry skin already. So, what does salicylic acid face wash for skin treatments do? It doesn’t necessarily dry out your skin severely, but it does control excess oiliness.

Exfoliation Properties and Effects of Salicylic Acid

Salicylic acid serum is a powerful exfoliator by its very nature. This means that on a micro level, it scrubs off dead skin cells from the skin’s surface and allows you to wash away the bacteria that perpetuates acne on your facial skin.

Topical salicylic acid, (meaning that it is used on the external parts of your skin) has many beneficial exfoliation properties. These properties effectively scour your skin in a gentle way and remove dead surface skin cells when you wash the solution away.

SK-II’s purifying products and cleansing products contain alpha hydroxy acid. This is a water-soluble component that not only assists the inherent salicylic acid to scrub away dead skin, but also unclogs blocked pores and encourages the skin to regenerate.

Putting your facial skin through this kind of routine on a daily basis gives your skin a generally healthier tone and texture. Your pores will be cleansed and your skin cells can regenerate faster.

What Percentage to Use

When you look at the label of a salicylic acid for face product, you will notice that the percentage of this ingredient is displayed on the container. But it’s always important to use it in conjunction with a good skin care routine so that you aren’t overdoing it.

If your skin type is more on the dry side, perhaps rather opt for a lower percentage (like 1%) salicylic acid product. Simply check the skincare ingredients on the label and purchase the one that is best for you. Also use it sparingly if you have already got dry skin.

People who have bad acne are typically suffering from overly oily skin. For this reason, using 2% salicylic acid products may be better, and you can safely apply these two to three times per day. Some products contain even higher percentages (up to 10%), but these are not necessarily better at treating acne. Generally, applying aa 2% salicylic acid product regularly can be powerful enough to see results.

What Does Salicylic Acid Do for the Skin?

Besides the treatment of acne, salicylic acid for face treatments also has other benefits for your skin. These include:

The unclogging of clogged pores
The releasing and washing away of dead surface skin cells
The general exfoliation of your skin
The revitalisation of your facial skin

How Does Salicylic Acid Work on Acne?

There are many comprehensive ways salicylic acid can help get rid of acne. First of all, it unclogs the pores that are filled with blockages and washes these away. This allows your pores to breathe easier and can help eventually reduce the swelling of the acne-resulted inflammation. Here are some other skin-loving ways it does so.

General exfoliation

Skincare products that contain salicylic acid will always accomplish a healthy exfoliation of the skin, washing away dead skin cells and making your skin more vibrant and healthier.

Reduction of skin oil

Salicylic acid products work hard to control oiliness on the face, making it a powerful cleanser.

Salicylic Acid Works Best on Blackheads and Whiteheads

It’s worth mentioning how effective salicylic acid is on blackheads and whiteheads. In fact, this is exactly what these products have been designed to combat. Mild breakouts of whiteheads or blackheads mean your pores are getting clogged, and salicylic acid is the main component that will unblock these pores. Impurities in the skin will be washed away, and these unsightly pimples will begin to reduce.

Products like SK-II PITERA™ Facial Treatment Clear Lotion and PITERA™ Facial Treatment Cleanser are mild on the skin as opposed to other acne-fighting treatments. Many products designed to combat blackheads and whiteheads contain benzoyl peroxide, which can have an adverse effect on the skin (itchiness, irritation, redness, etc.) Read the label and make sure you’re giving your skin a healthy treatment with salicylic acid products.

Who Should Use It?

SK-II salicylic acid should be used by adults who want healthier skin, but mostly this product is purchased for the treatment of two main skin issues.

Skin Conditions: Acne

Equip your medicine cabinet with SK-II acne lotion if you struggle with bad acne. As we’ve already seen, this product is one of the best ways to eradicate or at least reduce acne in adults and teenagers.

Oily Skin

The SK-II PITERA™ Facial Treatment Clear Lotion and/or SK-II PITERA™ Facial Treatment Cleanser contain salicylic acid can also be used by adults or teens who struggle with excessively oily skin. These products don’t dry out skin, but they do control and wash away excess sebum. Remember, there’s a difference between oily skin and moisturized skin. This product moisturizes without drying out, while effectively washing away oiliness that can cause other skin problems.

PITERA™ Facial Treatment Essence

Address visible signs of aging and skin damage in just one step.

PITERA™ Facial Treatment Clear Lotion

A hydrating toner filled with AHAs to exfoliate and condition skin.

Possible Side Effects on Dry Skin

That being said, it is possible that overusing this product can have an adverse effect on skin that is naturally very dry. Use a lower salicylic percentage option if you’re worried about drying out your skin, and perhaps only apply it once a day in such cases.

SK-II Products with Salicylic Acid

Let’s take a closer look at the two products we’ve mentioned throughout this article:

SK-II PITERA™ Facial Treatment Cleanser

SK-II PITERA™ Facial Treatment Cleanser refines skin texture while feeling gently on the skin (90% of people agreed). Upon application, this cleanser creates a satisfying foaming effect, and leaves the skin feeling softer and silkier.

Benefits

One of the signature ingredients in SK-II PITERA™ Facial Treatment Cleanser is White Willow Extract, which treats the effects of dryness on your skin, giving it more vibrancy, and a softer texture.

SK-II PITERA™ Facial Treatment Clear Lotion

PITERA™ Facial Treatment Clear Lotion not only removes dead skin cells on the surface of your skin but also cleans away impurities that have built up while you’ve been sleeping. It’s a great product to use in the morning and will cleanse and hydrate your skin for the day.

Benefits

This toner removes dead surface skin cells, hydrates skin, unclogs pores, controls excess oiliness, and washes away facial skin impurities.

Final Thoughts

Whether you’re a teenager struggling with acne, blackheads, or whiteheads; or just an adult who wants to control skin oiliness, PITERA™ Facial Treatment Clear Lotion and SK-II PITERA™ Facial Treatment Cleanser are two products worth trying. Results will be visible within weeks of using either of them, and adding both to your skincare routine will certainly improve the texture, tone, and hygiene of your facial skin.