Encapsulated Salicylic Acid
Price range: $6.25 through $132.00 USD
INCI:Â Salicylic Acid, Sodium Polyacrylate
Encapsulated Salicylic Acid is a new, innovative technology that converts complexed materials into microcapsules that encapsulate water-insoluble compounds into an easy-to-use, water-soluble format that utilize polymers, medium chain fatty acids, and additives to enhance solubility, ensure stability, and preserve the integrity of otherwise challenging active ingredients.
This water-soluble form of salicylic acid can be easily incorporated into the water phase of skincare and haircare formulations while protecting its benefits, preventing crystallization, and eliminating the need for additional solvents.
The encapsulated format contains 50% salicylic acid (w/w), achieving solubility of 5g/100ml compared to the 0.2g/100ml of the raw form of salicylic acid. It helps moderate delivery, reduce irritation, and enhance suitability for sensitive or compromised skin.
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Cosmetic Benefits
- Supports exfoliation within the pore to help reduce congestion
- Helps minimize breakouts while respecting the skin barrier
- Enables alcohol-free and solvent-free acne formulations
- Improves formulation clarity, stability, and ease of processing
- Suitable for sensitive, reactive, or post-acne skin applications
- Beneficial for scalp treatments targeting Dandruff
Formulation Notes
Encapsulated Salicylic Acid is added to the formulation at room temperature (or up to 80°C if needed) using a simple paddle mixer or homogenizer, as needed.
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- Add directly to the water phase
- Dissolves easily with standard mixing; no alcohols, solvents, or high-shear processing required
- Forms clear, stable solutions with no crystallization
- Recommended formulation pH: 3.0–5.0
Usage Rate (as supplied):
- Typical range: 0.5% – 4.0%
- 0.5–1.0% → Mild clarifying or maintenance formulas
- 1.0–2.0% → Standard acne and blemish treatments
- 2.0–4.0% → Intensive or targeted applications
- Verify regional regulatory limits for salicylic acid (leave-on vs rinse-off products)
- Higher use levels benefit from barrier-supportive formulation design
Heat Stability:
- Heat stable under normal cosmetic processing
- Tolerates short-term heating up to 70–75 °C
- Heat is not required for solubilization
- Preferred addition during cool-down (≤40 °C) to preserve encapsulation integrity
- Avoid prolonged exposure above 80 °C or extended high-shear mixing at elevated temperatures
*Suitable for fully aqueous and emulsified systems
Function
Encapsulated Salicylic Acid delivers the recognized performance of salicylic acid while removing many of the formulation barriers that traditionally limit its use. The result is a more versatile, more tolerable, and more formulation-friendly active, well suited to modern acne care that prioritizes efficacy, skin comfort, and processing simplicity.
Salicylic acid is a beta-hydroxy acid (BHA) known for its exfoliating properties. It effectively removes dead skin cells, promotes smoother skin, and helps regulate oil production, demonstrating its multi-functional benefits for both skin and scalp. Salicylic acid is a commonly used active ingredient in skincare, haircare, and over-the-counter products, revered for its keratolytic, anti-inflammatory, and exfoliating properties that help soothe sensitive skin, reduce redness, and target acneic breakouts. In haircare, its usefulness is demonstrated in targeting conditions such as dandruff, seborrheic dermatitis, and psoriasis.
Despite the challenges of raw form Salicylic acid, it is still commonly incorporated into various topical products, including creams, lotions, gels, liquids, ointments, shampoos, wipes, pads, and patches.
Applications
- Hair Care formulations targeting dandruff
- Skin care formulations targeting oily, acne prone skin
- Clarifying toners and essences
- Lightweight emulsions and lotions
- Targeted blemish treatments
- Barrier-conscious acne care systems
- Exfoliating treatments with widespread market awareness of clinical results
- Hair Care & Skin Care formulations where clinical studies to support claims are required
Documents
INCI: Salicylic Acid, Sodium Polyacrylate
Use: 0.5% – 4.0%
Solubility: Soluble ~ Hydrophilic
pH: 3.0 – 5.0
Clinical Studies ~ Skincare
Skincare Study:
Anti-bacterial properties of against P. acnes was tested in-vitro by Disc Diffusion Assay.
The results show that a 4% water solution is more efficient than traditional hydroalcoholic formula of 2% free SA and Ampicillin 4μg/ml solution for inhibiting P.acnes growth.
When conducting the Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) test, the 4% water solution had nearly double the efficacy as the same amount of 2% raw form SA. At these levels, P. acnes growth was inhibited better than the solution with 2%Â raw form SA.
Clinical Studies ~ Haircare
Haircare Study:
4% Encapsulated Salicylic Acid was used in an Anti-Dandruff Serum demonstrating its use as a Scalp Reliever: The volunteers experienced a drastic reduction in dandruff particles as well as in the total area of dandruff, giving them an overall healthier scalp:
In less than a month of applying the treatment, users experienced 51.1% decrease in dandruff while the totalarea of dandruff particle decreased by 54.9%.
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