--- title: "Review: The Ordinary Salicylic Acid 2% Solution" description: Review of The Ordinary Salicylic Acid 2% Solution for acne-prone sensitive skin. image: https://www.glowgirl.net/hubfs/Glow%20Girl/jess-watters-503284-unsplash.jpg --- [ << Back to Blog ](https://www.glowgirl.net) [Products I Love](https://www.glowgirl.net/tag/products-i-love) [Adult Acne](https://www.glowgirl.net/tag/adult-acne) [Review](https://www.glowgirl.net/tag/review) # Review: The Ordinary Salicylic Acid 2% Solution ![Image of Rachel Sheldon](https://www.glowgirl.net/hs-fs/hubfs/Glow%20Girl/IMG_2756.jpg?height=60&name=IMG_2756.jpg) ###### Rachel Sheldon ###### Share [mailto:?subject=Check%20out%20https://www.glowgirl.net/the-ordinary-salicylic-acid-review%20&body=Check%20out%20https://www.glowgirl.net/the-ordinary-salicylic-acid-review&media=https://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/3823581/Glow%20Girl/jess-watters-503284-unsplash.jpg](mailto:?subject=Check%20out%20https://www.glowgirl.net/the-ordinary-salicylic-acid-review%20&body=Check%20out%20https://www.glowgirl.net/the-ordinary-salicylic-acid-review&media=https://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/3823581/Glow%20Girl/jess-watters-503284-unsplash.jpg) ![](https://www.glowgirl.net/hs-fs/hubfs/Glow%20Girl/jess-watters-503284-unsplash.jpg?height=420&name=jess-watters-503284-unsplash.jpg) About a month ago, I experienced one of the worst breakouts of my adult life. My skin had been relatively clear for a few months, minus a hormonal zit here and there, and I was starting to think about incorporating a retinol to treat acne scarring. It finally seemed like my skin had calmed down enough and I was ready to take the next step towards truly clear skin. Of course as soon as the thought entered my head, my acne came back with a vengeance.  It was probably a combination of stress, travel, and the temperamental weather in New England - whatever it was, it did a number on my skin. The entire bottom half of my face was broken out in painful cystic acne that just wouldn't go away, no matter what I did. After all my tried-and-true hacks failed me, I decided I needed to try something new. Enter The Ordinary Salicylic Acid 2% Solution.  ## The Stats  ### Product The Ordinary Salicylic Acid 2% Solution ![the ordinary salicylic acid ](https://www.glowgirl.net/hs-fs/hubfs/41fs2rGVBiL._SY355_.jpg?width=355&name=41fs2rGVBiL._SY355_.jpg) ### Price  $5.30/1oz ([Sephora](https://www.sephora.com/product/the-ordinary-deciem-salicylic-acid-2-solution-P427407)) ### Claims "A two percent salicylic acid treatment solution with witch hazel for blemish-prone skin." (via sephora.com) ## My Review ### Application This "solution" is more like a serum, with a thin, runny texture. A little goes a LONG way so I only use about 2 drops to cover my whole face, or just 1 drop on problem areas. When applied it has a slightly sticky texture, but it dries down quickly and I've had no problem applying makeup over it.  ### Packaging The Ordinary salicylic acid serum comes in the same glass dropper bottle that most The Ordinary products come in, which is simple, no-frills, and effective. It's also pretty good for travel. ### Results I was a little nervous to start using this product - I'd seen rave reviews of it online, but I'd also read that it can cause purging for up to 6 weeks, which I was *not* down for. I started off using just a drop directly on my breakouts at night, then worked up to using 2 drops twice a day all over my face. Immediately my skin started to purge, but I stuck it out and after about a week and a half, the purging ended and my breakouts started to magically disappear.  Beware dry skinned readers: This is definitely a drying product. Salicylic acid dries your skin from the inside, which is great for fixing blemishes quickly, but decidedly *not* great for dry skin. Since my skin is combination, to combat this I buffered the product with the[ Glossier Super Pure](https://www.glossier.com/products/super-pure) serum (budget dupe: [The Ordinary Niacinamide + Zinc Serum](https://www.sephora.com/product/the-ordinary-deciem-niacinamide-10-zinc-1-P427417)) and applied a moisturizer on top during the day and a facial oil on top at night. As a result, my skin hasn't felt dried out at all.  After 3 weeks of using this product regularly, I've noticed a significant improvement in my acne. The massive breakouts I was experiencing have gone away, and when new pimples pop up they disappear within a day. I'm still left with significant acne scarring, but that isn't what this product is meant to treat so I'm not upset about it. Once my acne has cleared up a bit more, I'll start tackling the scarring with glycolic acid and lactic acid products like the Drunk Elephant T.L.C. Framboos Glycolic Night Serum (my holy grail - [check out my review](https://www.glowgirl.net/review-drunk-elephant-framboos-glycolic-serum)).  ### Bottom line: Will repurchase For such a low price, you get a ton of product and a little goes a long way, so this little bottle will last me forever. When I do eventually run out, I will definitely be repurchasing it. Even though it can be a little drying, this 2% salicylic acid solution is much gentler and less drying than the 2.5% benzoyl peroxide spot treatment I had been using before, so I much prefer it.  Overall, The Ordinary Salicylic Acid 2% solution is a great option for people with acne-prone sensitive skin who are on a budget and don't want to pay big bucks for an effective acne treatment. Another holy grail product from The Ordinary added to my arsenal!   ### Leave a Comment ![Image of Rachel Sheldon](https://www.glowgirl.net/hs-fs/hubfs/Glow%20Girl/IMG_2756.jpg?height=150&name=IMG_2756.jpg) #### Rachel Sheldon Hi, I'm Rachel! 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