How to Add a Salicylic Acid Serum to Your Skincare Routine?

Trying to figure out the order in which you should apply your skincare products can be more confusing than a Rubik’s Cube…different products, formulas, concentrations, ingredients, the list is literally endless! Don’t worry, I totally understand how difficult this can be, which is why today I’m going to show you the best ways to incorporate a salicylic acid serum into your daily routine.

How to Use Salicylic Acid in Your Skincare Routine?

Salicylic acid belongs to the beta-hydroxy acid (BHA) family and is the only truly known and commonly used BHA acid. This acid, extracted from willow bark, has a variety of antimicrobial properties, making it the best active ingredient to combat problematic and blemish-prone skin. Due to its large molecular size and oil solubility, it can penetrate deeper into the pores to help remove bacteria, product residue, dirt, and many other acne-causing impurities. For more information on salicylic acid, check out our guide to BHA skin care benefits on the blog.

You can incorporate salicylic acid into your daily routine with a variety of skincare products, such as face washes, serums, and scrubs. This will determine how you incorporate it into your daily routine. You should also consider your skin type to avoid unnecessary irritation or dryness, as salicylic acid is known for its effects and can be very drying to the skin and cause reactive symptoms in sensitive and dry skin.

As I mentioned earlier, there are many products that contain salicylic acid. Here are some examples and how they can help your skin and blemishes.

Face Wash

It is understood that using a face wash or cleanser is the best overall skin care method that can be used regularly every day. The main advantage of using a rinse-off wash is that even with a high acidity of 2%, the product does not stay on the skin for too long to cause severe dryness or skin reactions, but it cleanses the skin and unclogs impurities in the pores. A face wash or cleanser is the first and very important step in your daily routine. After cleaning the skin of makeup residue, using a salicylic acid-rich cleanser can help remove dead skin cells from the skin so that any treatment products that are applied afterwards can penetrate into the lower layers of the skin faster and see results faster.

Serum

When you use a serum, especially in your evening routine, you are giving the active ingredients the best time to work. Applying a salicylic acid serum at night, free from skin-damaging free radicals like pollution and UV rays, will fully treat any problem areas or complexions. If you have dry and sensitive skin, you should definitely avoid this product, as salicylic acid is too strong to use on your skin. However, if you suffer from some rashes, the next product I’m about to share with you may be able to help you, as long as you consult your doctor or dermatologist to make sure it’s safe for you to use on your skin.

Topical Spot Treatments

You’ll notice that these products come in small bottles, as only a minimal amount is needed to be applied topically to the area where the blemish or rash appears. The percentage of salicylic acid in these topical treatments is the highest you’ll find, so expect some dryness and flaking. To counteract this skin reaction, it’s best to follow up your topical spot treatment with a hydrating serum containing hyaluronic acid, which will help restore moisture.

Professional Peels

If you find yourself with severe cystic acne, a professional peel may be the solution. The salicylic acid content is medical grade and should only be used by trained professionals. The name “exfoliation” may sound scary, but it’s actually a methodical layering of ingredients to speed up skin cell turnover. It’s no secret that a buildup of dead skin cells can wreak havoc on problematic skin, often leading to pimples, blackheads, and whiteheads.

Here are some examples of using salicylic acid in your skincare routine. When first introducing this ingredient into your routine and onto your skin, it’s best to do a patch test to make sure it’s safe and won’t cause irritation.

When should you use salicylic acid in your daily routine?

That depends on the products you use that contain salicylic acid. When using a skincare routine, the easiest way to think about it is to determine the order in which you apply the products: from thin to thick. Here are examples of morning and evening skincare routines and the order in which you apply the products.

Morning Skincare Routine

Cleansing Products

Toner

Serum

Eye Cream

Spot Treatment

Moisturizer

Facial Oil

Sunscreen with SPF 30 or Higher

Evening Skincare Routine

Cleansing Products

Toner

Serum

Eye Cream

Spot Treatment

Moisturizer

Retinol

Facial Oil

These are some examples of a balanced skincare routine that includes the most effective amounts of products that benefit the skin and prevent skin problems, like breakouts, and premature signs of aging, like fine lines and wrinkles.

Should salicylic acid be used before or after moisturizer?

Generally speaking, the most effective skin products containing salicylic acid are serums, anti-blemish products, and cleansers, all of which are used before moisturizer. If you want to use salicylic acid to improve your overall skin tone, serums and cleansers will give you the fastest results and make a noticeable difference to your skin.

Can I use a salicylic acid serum every day?

If you use a cleanser with salicylic acid, you can use it every day because it is in a lower concentration and then rinse it off your skin so it doesn’t become irritated or dry. Combine it with products that contain moisturizing ingredients such as niacinamide and hyaluronic acid. Don’t forget the benefits of using vitamin C in your daily routine to give your skin a healthy, radiant glow.

When using salicylic acid, an important step in your daily routine is to use a sunscreen with SPF 30 or higher every day due to the skin’s increased sensitivity to UV radiation.

I hope this clarifies how you can incorporate salicylic acid serums into your skincare routine. With different products containing this BHA, you can find the best formula for your skin type. If you want to learn more about the benefits of AHA and BHA for skin, you can check out our guide on the Beauty Insiders blog.

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DQH Can I use salicylic acid first and then vitamin C? It’s easy to create a skincare routine, but knowing how to use it is another thing entirely. In most cases, if you’re not getting the desired skin results, it could be due to the layering of conflicting ingredients. So, is it possible that salicylic acid and vitamin C are such ingredients? Or are these active ingredients the duo that’s been missing from your skincare routine? If you want answers, stick around because today we are going to explain the benefits of salicylic acid and vitamin C and how they can be used in your daily life. What are the benefits of salicylic acid for skin? Salicylic acid is one of the most commonly used beta hydroxy acids and is favored by many people with oily, acne-prone skin. This acid is derived from willow bark, and unlike its water-soluble relatives (called alpha-hydroxy acids), salicylic acid is oil-soluble, which means it can penetrate deeper into the lower layers of the skin. Once it reaches the lower layers, it can help unclog pores of excess sebum, dirt, bacteria, debris, and impurities. This results in clearer skin tones and greater definition. Not only does salicylic acid benefit the underlying layers, but the outer surface of the skin benefits as well. When applied to the skin, salicylic acid removes the buildup of dead skin cells. This is accomplished by breaking the bonds that hold dead cells to the surface. Over time, this can cause the complexion to look dull and prone to acne, blackheads, and other blemishes. If you’d like to learn more about salicylic acid and how it can improve your skin, check out this dedicated blog post from a beauty insider. What are the benefits of vitamin C for skin? Vitamin C is considered one of the most powerful antioxidants, which means it is very effective at fighting free radicals and preventing them from causing further skin damage. Examples of free radicals include pollution, central heating, UV rays and harsh climate. They attack proteins, fats and cell membranes as soon as they come into contact with the skin, causing signs of premature aging such as fine lines and wrinkles as well as hyperpigmentation, flaky patches of skin and loss of elasticity. Many people usually prefer to use vitamin C in their morning routine as this ingredient gives the complexion a radiant glow. You’ll also find that vitamin C can target areas of hyperpigmentation, plumping the skin and reducing the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. The thing about vitamin C is that there are a lot of outdated studies going back to the 1950s that describe vitamin C as an unstable skin component. Thanks to improvements in modern technology, this is no longer the case as all products now contain a stable form of vitamin C. Visit The Beauty Insider to learn more about vitamin C. So please check out our blog post. Can I use salicylic acid first and then vitamin C? Yes, you absolutely can. In fact, it’s thought that using salicylic acid before using vitamin C ensures it penetrates faster and works faster. This is an efficient way to utilize two power sources, and the reason has to do with pH. For example, the skin’s natural pH is about 4.7, making it slightly acidic. Salicylic acid and vitamin C are also both acidic, and you’ll find that vitamin C is absorbed quickly into the skin. Therefore, using salicylic acid beforehand can increase the acidity of the skin and allow vitamin C to penetrate into the skin faster. While this is considered an effective way to combine two powerful ingredients, you need to be aware of your skin type and how it reacts to certain active ingredients. Even people with perfect, normal skin can experience skin sensitivity and irritation. Therefore, always consult a doctor or dermatologist before using any new products on your skin. It’s also important to follow skin application rules. In this case, you need to use the product correctly to ensure you get the best results for your skin. If you’re not sure what I mean, the basic rule for skin is to start with the thinnest consistency and work your way up to the thickest consistency. This prevents a barrier from forming on the surface, preventing other active ingredients from penetrating the skin. Can I use salicylic acid at night and vitamin C in the morning? Yes, absolutely, this is considered the most effective way to get returns without any adverse side effects. This is because there is enough time between applications to ensure that the skin’s pH levels return to balance. You’ll also find that Vitamin C is rich in antioxidants and is perfect for use in the morning to ensure your skin is protected and looking its healthiest. Due to the small size of salicylic acid molecules, it is an acid that is able to reach the deepest parts of the skin. While this is effective at keeping skin clear, it also increases the risk of irritation and photosensitivity. Therefore, many people prefer to use powerful BHAs in their evening routine without exposure to UV rays, pollution, or harsh weather. Warning: If you avoid using sunscreen every day, none of these ingredients will do what your skin needs. The combination of chemical peels and powerful ingredients increases the risk of further damage to the skin’s surface. Use SPF 50 every day to keep your skin protected and your lipid barrier healthy, even on cloudy days, keeping your skin in top condition.

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