Salicylic Acid 0.5% Body Serum

The Ordinary

Salicylic Acid 0.5% Body Serum

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About this product

The Ordinary Salicylic Acid 0.5% Body Serum is a misc. Our analysis of its 9 ingredients (7 low-risk) rates it Excellent (90/100). Based on its ingredients, it looks well-suited to oily / acne-prone skin.

Vegan-friendly Reef-safe

Summarised from our ingredient analysis — not brand marketing copy.

At a glance

Type
Misc
Ingredients
9
Low-risk
7
Fragrance
Fragrance-free
Origin
Canada

The evidence

Quick Product Notes

Paraben-Free Sulfate-Free Alcohol-Free Silicone-Free EU Allergen-Free Fungal Acne (Malassezia) Safe Minimal Ingredients

Notable Effects & Ingredients

No Notable Effects & Ingredients

Ingredients Related to Skin Types

Good   Bad — tap a skin type to see which ingredients · estimated from ingredient functions
Dry Skin 1/3
Good for dry skin
Glycerin
Caution for dry skin
Glycerin Salicylic Acid Cocamidopropyl Dimethylamine
Oily/Acne-Prone Skin 1/0
Good for oily/acne-prone skin
Salicylic Acid
Sensitive Skin 1/4
Good for sensitive skin
Glycerin
Caution for sensitive skin
Glycerin Salicylic Acid Citric Acid Phenoxyethanol

Ingredients list

9 total
Lower hazard (1) Higher hazard (4)
All9 Fragrance4 Skin Conditioning4 Preservative3 Hair Conditioning3 Solvent3 Denaturant2 Viscosity Decreasing Agent2 Masking2
EWG CIR Ingredient Name & Cosmetic Functions Notes
1
Water
(Solvent)
1
Propanediol
(Solvent, Viscosity Decreasing Agent, Viscosity Controlling)
1
Sarcosine
(Skin Conditioning)
4
B
Salicylic Acid
(Antiacne Agent, Antidandruff Agent, Corn/Callus/Wart Remover, Denaturant, Exfoliant, Fragrance, Hair Conditioning, Skin Conditioning, Keratolytic, Masking, Preservative)
Good for Oily Skin
Good for Oily Skin
Bad for Sensitive Skin
Bad for Sensitive Skin
2
A
Glycerin
(Denaturant, Fragrance, Hair Conditioning, Humectant, Oral Care Agent, Oral Health Care Drug, Skin Protecting, Viscosity Decreasing Agent, Perfuming, Solvent)
Good for Dry Skin
Good for Dry Skin
Fungal Acne
Fungal Acne Trigger
2
Cocamidopropyl Dimethylamine
(Antistatic Agent, Emulsifying, Hair Conditioning, Surfactant)
2
A
Citric Acid
(Chelating Agent, Fragrance, Ph Adjuster, Buffering Agent, Masking)
Bad for Sensitive Skin
Bad for Sensitive Skin
4
A
Phenoxyethanol
(Fragrance, Preservative)
Paraben
Paraben
2
A
Chlorphenesin
(Cosmetic Biocide, Antimicrobial, Preservative)

My Ingredient Notes

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Key ingredients

Sarcosine
Skin Conditioning
Salicylic Acid
Exfoliant, Skin Conditioning
Glycerin
Humectant, Skin Protecting

Benefits

Good for oily/acne-prone skin

Concerns

Contains paraben
Not fungal acne (malassezia) safe
May not suit dry skin
May not suit sensitive skin

Ingredients explained

Water
Solvent
Low-hazard ingredient.Read moreShow less
EWG 1 Solvent
Propanediol
Solvent, Viscosity decreasing agent
Low-hazard ingredient.Read moreShow less
EWG 1 SolventViscosity decreasing agentViscosity controlling
Sarcosine
Skin conditioning
Low-hazard ingredient.Read moreShow less
EWG 1 Skin conditioning
Cocamidopropyl Dimethylamine
Antistatic agent, Emulsifying
Low-hazard ingredient.Read moreShow less
EWG 2 Antistatic agentEmulsifyingHair conditioningSurfactant
Chlorphenesin
Cosmetic biocide, Antimicrobial
Low-hazard ingredient.Read moreShow less
EWG 2 CIR A Cosmetic biocideAntimicrobialPreservative
Salicylic Acid
Antiacne agent, Antidandruff agent
Skin irritation can occur at high concentrationRead moreShow less
EWG 4 CIR B Antiacne agentAntidandruff agentCorn/callus/wart removerDenaturantExfoliantFragranceHair conditioningSkin conditioningKeratolyticMaskingPreservative Good for Oily SkinBad for Sensitive Skin
Glycerin
Denaturant, Fragrance
Low-hazard ingredient.Read moreShow less
EWG 2 CIR A DenaturantFragranceHair conditioningHumectantOral care agentOral health care drugSkin protectingViscosity decreasing agentPerfumingSolvent Good for Dry SkinFungal-acne trigger
Citric Acid
Chelating agent, Fragrance
Skin irritation can occur at high concentrationRead moreShow less
EWG 2 CIR A Chelating agentFragrancePh adjusterBuffering agentMasking Bad for Sensitive Skin
Phenoxyethanol
Fragrance, Preservative
Low-to-moderate hazard.Read moreShow less
EWG 4 CIR A FragrancePreservative Paraben

How to use

How to use

  • 1 Evening, start slow: Best in the PM a few times a week to begin with; avoid layering with other strong actives the same night.
  • 2 Wear SPF the next day: Acids and retinoids increase sun sensitivity — daily sunscreen is a must while using this.

General guidance from this product's category and active ingredients — always follow the directions on the package.

Trust & honesty

Officially notified as a cosmetic in Malaysia (NPRA). Government registration record.

Pregnancy & breastfeeding

Contains ingredients some choose to avoid or double-check while pregnant or nursing.

Use with caution
BHA (salicylic) (Salicylic Acid)

Low-strength topical salicylic acid (BHA) is generally considered fine. Caution is usually reserved for high-strength leave-on products and salicylic peels.

This is general information, not medical advice. Pregnancy guidance varies and depends on concentration and your individual situation — always check with your doctor, midwife or pharmacist. How we flag this.

Effective levels — general guide

The concentrations these actives are typically effective at in research — not a measurement of this product.

BHA (salicylic) 0.5–2%

Salicylic acid is OTC-capped at 2%; 0.5–2% is the usual leave-on range. Much below that it acts more as a soothing agent than an exfoliant.

Salicylic Acid

INCI lists don't disclose amounts, and we don't claim to know this product's levels — these are the ranges these ingredients are usually effective at, so you can tell a real formula from "fairy-dusting" a marketed active. How we estimate this.

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