A salicylic acid cleanser uses a beta hydroxy acid that gets into pores, the same compound chemists first traced to willow bark. Here are BHA washes, acid gels and foams for oily and breakout-prone skin, and how to use them without drying out.
Salicylic Acid Cleanser, From Willow Bark to Your Sink
Salicylic acid has a long backstory. Hippocrates described willow bark, the natural source of salicin, as a remedy around 400 BC; chemists isolated salicin in 1828; and in 1897 Felix Hoffmann at Bayer modified salicylic acid into the compound that became aspirin. In skincare it is the beta hydroxy acid that dissolves in oil, which is why a salicylic acid cleanser is the classic pick for oily, breakout-prone skin and blackheads. Dr. Howard Murad, a dermatologist and pharmacist, built his brand from acid formulas he compounded for patients, and his clarifying gel uses two forms of salicylic acid. The Inkey List's version is the plain, ingredient-first option from the brand that explains every ingredient on its labels. Tata Harper, who trained as an industrial engineer in Colombia, makes her BHA cleanser in small batches on her farm in Vermont, and Skinfix combines 2 percent BHA with azelaic acid and niacinamide. Start every other day, and if you are pregnant or have persistent acne, see a dermatologist before adding acids.
Acid gels and washes
Jane Wurwand founded Dermalogica in 1986 after starting a training institute for skin therapists, and the Acne Clearing wash is a foaming cleanser for breakouts. Kiehl's began as a single East Village pharmacy in 1851, and its Blue Herbal Acne Cleanser Treatment is a foaming wash with salicylic acid. Sunday Riley formulates her own products, and Breakout Breakup is a gel made to be kind to the skin's microbiome. Dr. Dennis Gross, a dermatologist and former skin cancer researcher, blended several acids at lower strength for his Alpha Beta peel, and the daily cleansing gel brings that idea to a wash. Leave any of these on for 30 to 60 seconds before rinsing so the acid has time to work.
Foams and exfoliators, and the skip
Yepoda was started in Berlin by a couple who brought skincare home from family visits in South Korea, and The Bubble Double pairs salicylic acid with pomegranate. Innisfree, named for the Yeats poem, makes a volcanic BHA foam that absorbs oil. Peace Out's founder Enrico Frezza started with hydrocolloid dots for his own breakouts, and the cream cleanser is the gentlest here. Murad's AHA/BHA cleanser polishes dry, dull skin. What I would skip is using an acid cleanser alongside a strong retinoid and an acid toner. Stacking actives is the quickest way to a red, flaky barrier. One acid step a day is enough.
Using it well
Massage onto damp skin, leave it for up to a minute, then rinse. Follow with a plain moisturizer, and wear sunscreen in the morning. If your skin stings or peels, drop back to a few times a week. Give it four to six weeks before judging results. Keep picking to a minimum, since that often lasts longer than the breakout itself.
