Can you use salicylic acid with hyaluronic acid? The simple answer to this question: Yes, you absolutely can use salicylic acid with hyaluronic acid! But it’s the why that you’re curious about, right?

While putting acid on the face may sound like a harsh approach, acids can be very beneficial to a healthy skincare routine. And for those of you building a beauty brand, you’ll want to be able to explain to your customers why certain products can or cannot be used with others. So here’s the scoop!

Salicylic Acid

Salicylic acid is probably best known for its efficacy in treating acne-prone skin. Salicylic is part of the BHA group, known as beta hydroxy acids. BHAs, particularly salicylic acid, are good for the following:

• Unclogging pores

• Exfoliating dead skin cells

• Improve skin tone and textures (Source)

Salicylic acid is a gentle acid. It is naturally-occurring, and can be found in many fruits, vegetables, and willow bark. Most over-the-counter skin products only use about 2% salicylic acid in the product, which means a relatively benign amount (Source).

Since salicylic acid helps to exfoliate dead skin, it makes it a particularly useful substance to help moisturizers penetrate the skin more deeply. The way it cleans the skin comes from its ability to bind to oil and then dissolve it (Source).

Hyaluronic Acid

Our other product in question here, hyaluronic acid, is also a naturally-occurring substance. Our skin produces hyaluronic acid on its own, but less so as we age - which means it’s a perfect product for folks looking to reduce the effects of aging (Source).

Hyaluronic acid offers the following useful benefits:

• Hydrating the skin

• Adding volume

• Calming irritation (Source)

The hyaluronic acid molecule has a very short lifespan and needs to reproduce regularly. As aging occurs, hyaluronic acid is one of those important products to keep on hand to lessen the amount of work we expect our skin to do naturally (Source).

Hyaluronic acid is what we call a humectant, because it helps to attract and bind to moisture molecules which keep the skin feeling moisturized and hydrated. Some people mistake acids for something that can only strip something from the skin - but in HA’s case, it’s something added to the skin - bounce and moisture! (Source)

Pairing Hyaluronic Acid with Salicylic Acid

So now for our big question: Can you use salicylic acid with hyaluronic acid? Pairing hyaluronic acid with salicylic acid is safe, recommended, and common - especially if your goal is to increase hydration and unclog your pores. Here are some other combinations to try - and some to avoid!

DO pair salicylic acid with:

• Hyaluronic acid

• Niacinamide

DON’T pair salicylic acid with:

• Benzoyl peroxide

• Retinol

• Retinoids (such as adapalene)

The reason you’ll want to avoid combining salicylic acid with the above 3 options is because it can result in over-exfoliating and increased sun-sensitivity. However, if you absolutely insist on mixing those, you’ll want to pack on plenty of extra moisture and sunscreen (Source).

Let’s Chat!

At Genie Supply, we’re here to help you sort through all the dos and don’ts of skincare, including product combinations. Our chemists have the knowledge you’ll need to help you make decisions about your beauty line. 

If you have more questions about combining salicylic acid with hyaluronic acid in your cosmetic formualtions, please feel free to set up a quick consultation with us so that we can help you out!