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SALICYLIC ACID
Score:
Data: Good
- Other Concerns
- Functions
- About the Chemical
- Synonyms
-
Enhanced skin absorption, Use restrictions (moderate), Multiple, additive exposure sources (low), and Irritation (skin, eyes, or lungs) (moderate)
Cancer 
Cancer: Ingredients linked to cancer in government, industry or academic studies or assessments.
Developmental & Reproductive Toxicity
Developmental and reproductive toxicity: Ingredients linked to developmental and reproductive toxicity, a broad class of health effects that range from infertility and reproductive organ cancers to birth defects and developmental delays in children.
Allergies & Immunotoxicity
Allergies and immunotoxicity: Ingredients linked to harm to the immune system, a class of health problems that manifest as allergic reactions or an impaired capacity to fight disease and repair damaged tissue in the body.
Products with this Ingredient
| shampoo | 104 products |
| facial cleanser | 94 products |
| facial moisturizer/treatment | 59 products |
| exfoliant/scrub | 51 products |
| mask | 48 products |
| serums & essences | 39 products |
| toners/astringents | 30 products |
| foundation | 27 products |
| hair color and bleaching | 23 products |
| body wash/cleanser | 18 products |
| hair treatment/serum | 15 products |
| moisturizer | 13 products |
| concealer | 11 products |
| facial powder | 9 products |
| conditioner | 9 products |
| antiperspirant/deodorant | 8 products |
| beach & sport sunscreen | 7 products |
| moisturizer with SPF | 7 products |
| foot moisturizer | 6 products |
| makeup primer | 6 products |
| after shave | 5 products |
| lip balm | 5 products |
| oil controller | 4 products |
| makeup remover | 4 products |
| CC cream | 4 products |
| 4 products | |
| body firming lotion | 4 products |
| bronzer/highlighter | 3 products |
| hair styling aide | 3 products |
| after sun product | 3 products |
| around-eye cream | 3 products |
| bar soap | 3 products |
| styling gel/lotion | 3 products |
| liquid hand soap | 3 products |
| anti-aging | 3 products |
| body powder | 3 products |
| shaving cream | 2 products |
| beard oil | 1 products |
| BB cream | 1 products |
| hair spray | 1 products |
| foot cleansing | 1 products |
| beard care | 1 products |
| damaged skin treatment | 1 products |
| setting powder/spray | 1 products |
| eye makeup remover | 1 products |
| nail polish | 1 products |
| foot odor control | 1 products |
| baby shampoo | 1 products |
| hand cream | 1 products |
| lip balm with SPF | 1 products |
| depilatory | 1 products |
Enhanced skin absorption
| Concern | Reference |
|---|---|
| Penetration enhancer | Cosmetic Ingredient Review Assessments |
Use restrictions
| Concern | Reference |
|---|---|
| Restricted in cosmetics (recommendations or requirements) - use, concentration, or manufacturing restrictions - Use is restricted in Canadian cosmetics | Canada - Prohibited and Restricted Cosmetics Ingredients |
| Restricted in cosmetics (recommendations or requirements) - use, concentration, or manufacturing restrictions - any | (EU) 2019/1966 |
| Restricted in cosmetics (recommendations or requirements) - use, concentration, or manufacturing restrictions - Japan - restricted for use in cosmetics (concentration limit) | Japan's Standards for Cosmetics |
| Determined safe for use in cosmetics, subject to concentration or use limitations - Safe for use in cosmetics with some qualifications | Cosmetic Ingredient Review Assessments |
Irritation (skin, eyes, or lungs)
| Concern | Reference |
|---|---|
| The SCCNFP reports salicylic acid is a skin irritant at higher concentrations. | OPINION OF THE SCIENTIFIC COMMITTEE ON COSMETIC PRODUCTS AND NON-FOOD PRODUCTS INTENDED FOR CONSUMERS CONCERNING SALICYLIC ACID adopted by the SCCNFP during the 20th plenary meeting of 4 June 2002 |
Multiple, additive exposure sources
| Concern | Reference |
|---|---|
| Used in food or as an additive with limited or no toxicity information available | FDA Everything Added to Food |
| Designated as safe for general or specific, limited use in food | FDA Food Additive Status |
Cancer
| Concern | Reference |
|---|---|
| Photoprotective - reduced the incidence of skin tumors in a large, 1-year cancer study | National Toxicology Program (NTP) 2007. Technical Report on the Photocarcinogenesis of Glycolic Acid and Salicylic Acid (CAS NOS. 79-14-1 and 69-72-7) in SKH-1 Mice. NTP TR 524. September 2007. http://ntp.niehs.nih.gov/files/524_web1.pdf |
Data gaps
| Concern | Reference |
|---|---|
| 32066 studies in PubMed science library may include information on the toxicity of this chemical | NLM PubMed |
Data Sources
- CIR (Cosmetic Ingredient Review). 2006. CIR Compendium, containing abstracts, discussions, and conclusions of CIR cosmetic ingredient safety assessments. Washington DC.
- Health Canada. 2007. List of Prohibited and Restricted Cosmetic Ingredients. Canada's Cosmetic Ingredient Hotlist. March 2007.
- (EU) 2019/1966
- Japan Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare. 2006. Standards for Cosmetics. Evaluation and Licensing Division. Pharmaceutical and Food Safety Bureau.
- OPINION OF THE SCIENTIFIC COMMITTEE ON COSMETIC PRODUCTS AND NON-FOOD PRODUCTS INTENDED FOR CONSUMERS CONCERNING SALICYLIC ACID adopted by the SCCNFP during the 20th plenary meeting of 4 June 2002
- FDA (U.S. Food and Drug Administration). 2008. EAFUS [Everything Added to Food]: A Food Additive Database. FDA Office of Food Safety and Applied Nutrition.
- FDA (U.S. Food and Drug Administration) 2006. Food Additive Status List. Downloaded from http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/%7Edms/opa-appa.html, Oct 16, 2006.
- National Toxicology Program (NTP) 2007. Technical Report on the Photocarcinogenesis of Glycolic Acid and Salicylic Acid (CAS NOS. 79-14-1 and 69-72-7) in SKH-1 Mice. NTP TR 524. September 2007. http://ntp.niehs.nih.gov/files/524_web1.pdf
- NLM (National Library of Medicine). 2012. PubMed online scientific bibliography data. http://www.pubmed.gov.
- Products with the EWG VERIFIED mark have met use restrictions and warnings based on EWG review of company data.
ABOUT THE SKIN DEEP® RATINGS
EWG provides information on personal care product ingredients from the published scientific literature, to supplement incomplete data available from companies and the government. The ratings below indicate the relative level of concern posed by exposure to the ingredients in this product - not the product itself - compared to other product formulations. The ratings reflect potential health hazards but do not account for the level of exposure or individual susceptibility, factors which determine actual health risks, if any. Learn more | Legal Disclaimer
ABOUT EWG VERIFIED™
Beyond providing Skin Deep® as an educational tool for consumers, EWG offers its EWG VERIFIED™ mark as a quick and easily identifiable way of conveying personal care products that meet EWG's strict health criteria. Before a company can use EWG VERIFIED™ on such products, the company must show that it fully discloses the products' ingredients on their labels or packaging, they do not contain EWG ingredients of concern, and are made with good manufacturing practices, among other criteria. Note that EWG receives licensing fees from all EWG VERIFIED™ member companies that help to support the important work we do. Learn more | Legal Disclaimer
