What is "CAPRYLOYL SALICYLIC ACID" and what does it do?

Role: ASSETS

Family: SALICYL ACID derivative

Comedogenic index: 0

Capryloyl salicylic acid is a derivative (ester) of salicylic acid developed by L'Oréal. In chemical circles, it's known as 2-hydroxyl-5-octanoyl benzoic acid, but skincare consumers probably know it as lipohydroxy acid (LHA). The "lipo" part is oil-soluble, just like ordinary salicylic acid.

To date, studies have not shown that capryloyl salicylic acid is superior to salicylic acid; however, we do know that LHA has a larger molecular size and, with its fatty acid structure, has been shown to penetrate the skin more slowly than salicylic acid.
There is comparative research showing that capryloyl salicylic acid used with benzoyl peroxide and/or a topical antibiotic produced slightly better results than the use of benzoyl peroxide and topical antibiotic alone. While this is encouraging, if you're battling blemishes, regular salicylic acid should remain your exfoliant of choice.

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