Cosmetic ingredient dictionary
Salicylic Acid in cosmetics: what it is and what it does
Salicylic Acid is a cosmetic ingredient that keeps the product from spoiling. The EU lists it as an allowed preservative, with a maximum amount. Open Beauty Facts finds it in 701 products, most often shampoos.
By Bravoora teamUpdated Sources checked 3 sourcesHow we check
What does Salicylic Acid do in a product?
In a cosmetic product, Salicylic Acid keeps the product from spoiling, keeps the skin in good condition and makes hair easier to comb, softer or shinier. The EU’s CosIng database lists these jobs for it: preservative, skin conditioning, hair conditioning, masking, antidandruff and keratolytic.
What other names and numbers does Salicylic Acid have?
- CAS number
- 69-72-7
- EC number
- 200-712-3
- CosIng reference
- 37595
Is Salicylic Acid restricted in the EU?
Yes, it has limits. The EU allows it only with limits or conditions of use, such as a maximum amount or a warning on the label (Annex III of Regulation 1223/2009, entry 98). The EU lists it as an allowed preservative, with a maximum amount (Annex V of Regulation 1223/2009, entry 3).
The annex entry sets the exact limits, the products it may be used in and any warning the label must carry.
Which products contain Salicylic Acid?
Open Beauty Facts finds Salicylic Acid in the ingredient lists of 701 of the 22,021 products it has a list for, most often shampoos, hair care and bath and shower.
Products with it, by country of sale: France 270 · Germany 62 · United States 60 · Australia 44.
Counted on 13 October 2026 from Open Beauty Facts, which volunteers fill from real packs: it shows where Salicylic Acid turns up, not how much of the market it is.
Bravoora reads this ingredient for everyone you shop for: an allergy or intolerance, a vegan or vegetarian diet, a calorie or protein goal, and the labels on supplements and skincare too. Build a profile · For dermatologists, dietitians and doctors
Sources
The job, the description and the EU annex entry are CosIng’s; the fragrance allergens are the EU Annex III names Bravoora’s label checker reads; the product counts are Open Beauty Facts’.
- European Commission: CosIng cosmetic ingredient database (functions, description, EU annex entry)
- Open Beauty Facts: product database, 77,506 products, read 13 October 2026, ODbL
- EU Regulation 1223/2009 on cosmetic products (the annexes)
Contains information from Open Beauty Facts, which is made available here under the Open Database License (ODbL). Read the licence · Download this dictionary’s data · How we check
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