PanOxyl Spray and the 1970s Brand Behind It

I wanted to start with the history, because the panoxyl spray is a new product from a brand that is not new at all. Crown Laboratories places PanOxyl's introduction in the 1970s, and PanOxyl itself says it has been a dermatologist-recommended brand for over 50 years. These days it is made by Crown Laboratories, a Tennessee company, which is also behind the 2024 packaging refresh.

That refresh matters here, because the Body Spray arrived with it. The big thing about the spray is the format. It has a 360-degree nozzle, so you can reach spots like the lower back without twisting yourself into a pretzel. The FDA drug label lists the active ingredient as 2% salicylic acid, and the directions say to start with one application daily and reduce if dryness or peeling occurs. I would take that direction seriously. The label says it is made for body breakouts, and that is as far as I will go with the claims.

The rest of this grid is the brand's wash side. There is a 4% Benzoyl Peroxide Creamy Wash for face and body, a 10% Benzoyl Peroxide Foaming Wash, and a Gel Wash for the face with salicylic acid. Benzoyl peroxide can dry skin and can bleach towels and fabrics, so use a white towel or let skin dry first. The PM Overnight Spot Patches and Daytime Invisible Patches with Salicylic Acid are the small, targeted formats, one for sleeping and one meant to be less visible by day.

Salicylic acid is not one brand's property, and a few other labels make body sprays and washes in the same spirit. I would line them up by texture.

Differin's body spray and FIRST AID BEAUTY's body mist both list 2% salicylic acid, so they are the closest comparisons to the PanOxyl spray: a spray bottle you point at your back or chest, with a light feel. For a body wash with more fun in it, Sol de Janeiro's Bom Dia Bright Clarifying AHA BHA Body Wash combines two kinds of exfoliating acid in a wash that smells like a vacation. Naturium's The Perfector Salicylic Acid Body Wash is the plain, no-nonsense version, and Neutrogena's Body Clear wash is the one most people grew up seeing in the shower. BYOMA's body wash completes the set, in a straightforward body wash format.

The AAD says salicylic acid opens clogged pores and exfoliates the skin, which is why it can leave skin feeling smoother, and also why it can feel drying. The AAD's back guide also tells people to cleanse gently, since hard scrubbing makes things worse. So I leave the loofah out of it and use my hands or a soft cloth.

Pick one product in this category, not three. A spray and a wash from different brands, used on the same day, is a lot of acid for one patch of skin. If you want to try more than one, alternate days.

Exfoliating acids do not only live in sprays. A body lotion or serum is the gentler way to get the same kind of smoother-feeling skin, and it is the part of the routine I look forward to.

The Ordinary's Salicylic Acid 0.5% Body Serum is a light serum for a mild start. Paula's Choice makes the Weightless Body Treatment 2% BHA, the closest in strength to the sprays above, in a lotion that feels like nothing. Glow Recipe's Watermelon Glow AHA Pink Dream Body Cream is the pretty one, with a pink color and a soft feel. Naturium's The Smoother Glycolic Acid Body Lotion is for rough patches on arms and legs, and AmLactin's Daily Moisturizing Body Lotion is the plain, no-frills one in the group. Topicals' Slather Exfoliating Body Serum is the silky one that I use on my arms.

Always check the label for how often to use these. Exfoliating acids can make skin more sensitive to the sun, so I apply body sunscreen on any skin that is going to be uncovered.

What I would skip: stacking a salicylic spray, a benzoyl peroxide wash and an acid lotion on the same day, and sleeping on colored sheets after benzoyl peroxide. Skip scrubbing, too. If skin stings, peels or looks angry, take a break and use a plain moisturizer. Breakouts that hurt or will not settle are a job for a dermatologist.

A body routine should be boring. Gentle cleanser, one active at a time, a plain moisturizer, and sunscreen on skin that shows.

Try a new product in a small area first, and add it for a week before judging it. Follow the label for how often to use it, and cut back at the first sign of dryness. Keep the benzoyl peroxide products away from towels and clothes you love.

Everything here is about helping skin feel smoother and more comfortable, and that is the only goal I would set. Any concern that persists is worth taking to a professional.

One last habit: pick an evening, put the new product on after a shower, and note how skin feels the next morning. Tightness or a rough feel means too much, too soon. Smooth and calm means you can stay where you are, and there is no prize for adding more.