Salicylic acid is a great way to help combat chaotic skin issues. It helps to gently exfoliate and reveal our clearest, brightest skin! It’s also one of the most common ingredients in teenage skin care products, but it can work well for people of all ages. Here we have a serum recipe of moderate difficulty, but we love using the end result.
Our accompanying video shows you how to make the serum, but also how to work with Salicylic Acid in general. Let’s start with some info on this acid powder, and then follow along with Teeneke or jump to the instructions below.
What is Salicylic Acid and How Do I Use It?
Salicylic acid is a beta hydroxy acid, or BHA (you’ve likely heard of their cousins, the alpha hydroxy acids or AHAs), prepared by the carboxylation of sodium phenate, and has a long shelf life of stability, as long as it is kept in the necessary conditions. As an ingredient, its purchased in a white powder form. It’s important to note that it cannot be used in quantities above 2% for cosmetic formulas. Be sure to check the pH of your products after adding salicylic acid, as it will likely lower the pH. For most cosmetics products, pH should not be below 3.5.
Because the structure of salicylic acid makes it alcohol- and oil-soluble, it’s able to connect with the skin more efficiently than water-soluble products. As a result, you use a BHA like salicylic acid to go deeper into the pores to aimed at helping remove dead skin cells and built-up sebum.
Equipment You’ll Need
Stove top or hot plate
Stove top safe pot or beaker
Stick Blender
Scale
Difficulty Level: Moderate
Approximate yield: 1 Pound
Approximate cost per pound: $6.00
Suggested Packaging: 2oz airless pump
Suggested Retail Price: $35 – $45
Ingredients and Instructions for the Salicylic Acid Serum
Weight in Lbs. | Ingredients
1.Heat to 120F – 130F
0.81295 (81.295%) | Deionized Water
0.00066 (00.066%) | Sodium Bicarbonate
0.01000 (01.000%) | Sodium Citrate Anhydrous
2. Sprinkle in below ingredients while high shear mixing
0.00632 (00.632%) | Hyaluronic Acid Powder
3. Dissolve salicylic acid in alcohol, then high shear into above gel
0.15006 (15.006%) | Vodka or other high proof clear alcohol
0.02001 (02.001%) | Salicylic Acid Powder
4. Adjust pH to 3.5 – 4.0
Using baking soda for higher and citric acid to for lower pH. For more on pH–what it is and how to adjust it–check out this video.
