Product record / Serums, Salicylic Acid (BHA)
SerumThe Ordinary Salicylic Acid 2% Solution, Exfoliating Serum for Acne
- $6.70
- retail price
- 2%
- salicylic
- $0.23
- per mL
- 3.7 ★
- 344 ratings
- Data source
- Concentration disclosed in product name The Ordinary discloses 2% salicylic acid in product name; INCI from Ulta product page.
- Best for
- Acne & breakouts
- How it feels
- Lightweight, fast-absorbing serum
- Value
- $6.70 for 30 mL · $0.23/mL
Bottom line The $7 BHA that generated a 400,000-person waitlist — budget-tier efficacy, but two product versions, a discontinuation controversy, and drying potential mean it requires more care than it first appears.
Editorial verdict / Social intelligence
The $7 BHA that generated a 400,000-person waitlist — budget-tier efficacy, but two product versions, a discontinuation controversy, and drying potential mean it requires more care than it first appears. 1
- Beauty benefit
- 2% salicylic acid (BHA) serum that exfoliates inside pores to target blemishes, blackheads, textural irregularities, and congestion — the stripped-down, no-extras budget BHA for acne-prone skin.
- Does it work
- Yes, for most users on a budget. Efficacy for blackheads and breakouts is broadly confirmed across editorial and community reviews. The key asterisk is the product's turbulent history: originally discontinued in 2019 after chemical-burn complaints (involving a witch-hazel-heavy formula), it relaunched reformulated in 2022 to 400,000+ waitlist demand. The new formula is meaningfully gentler. However, the reformulated water-based solution is still drying for some, and the separate anhydrous (squalane-based) version — launched as a bridge product — divides reviewers on texture. Net: works well, but know which version you have and introduce slowly. See the verified data below →
Consensus strength
ModerateCultBeauty 4.09/5 (70 reviews, anhydrous version), DermApproved 4/5 (3,500 reviews, anhydrous), Refinery29/NewBeauty/StyleCaster editorial coverage of 400k waitlist relaunch, A Beauty Edit reformulation review (Dec 2024), Beautiful With Brains head-to-head vs Paula's Choice, GlowGirl user review, Cassandra Bankson comparison (solution vs anhydrous), brand official page ingredients
01 / The key active
Salicylic Acid (BHA) at 2%
This product discloses 2% salicylic acid — concentration disclosed in product name.
Concentration disclosed in product name. The Ordinary discloses 2% salicylic acid in product name; INCI from Ulta product page.
Other products with Salicylic Acid:
02 / The full ingredient list
Every ingredient, in label order
Exactly as printed, each token matched to the EU CosIng register and flagged where a CIR safety assessment exists. Highlighted rows are the key actives.
| # | Ingredient, as printed | CosIng functions | CIR |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Aqua (water) CosIng: AQUA |
| — |
| 02 | saccharide Isomerate |
| ✓ reviewed |
| 03 | Cocamidopropyl Dimethylamine |
| ✓ reviewed |
| 04 | Salicylic Acid |
| ✓ reviewed |
| 05 | hydroxy Ethyl Cellulose CosIng: HYDROXYETHYLCELLULOSE |
| ✓ reviewed |
| 06 | Polysorbate20 CosIng: POLYSORBATE 20 |
| ✓ reviewed |
| 07 | Citric Acid |
| ✓ reviewed |
| 08 | Sodium Citrate |
| ✓ reviewed |
| 09 | Sodium Hydroxide |
| ✓ reviewed |
| 10 | Phenoxyethanol |
| ✓ reviewed |
| 11 | Chlorphenesin |
| ✓ reviewed |
11 ingredients as printed · 8 exact CosIng matches · 3 normalized spellings · source: concentration disclosed in product name
03 / Where to buy
Where to buy Salicylic Acid 2% Solution, Exfoliating Serum for Acne
Some links on this page earn us a commission. It never changes our analysis — the methodology is public.
04 / What people say
What buyers actually say
Aggregated from 3,570 verified reviews across 3 sources.
What works
- Common Effectively clears blackheads and shrinks breakouts — reviewer saw all blackheads disappear within a week 45
Within a week, The Ordinary Salicylic Acid 2% Solution made all my blackheads disappear. Editorial
- Common Dramatically undercuts Paula's Choice BHA at ~$6.70-$7 for the same active — broadly equivalent results at a fraction of the price 45
If you get the same results from both exfoliants [The Ordinary vs Paula's Choice], why pay more? Editorial
- documented Reformulated 2022 version is noticeably less irritating than the original — replaced witch hazel with saccharide isomerate for extended hydration 36
I think fans of the original...will be glad that it has returned in a less irritating formula. Visible improvement in skin clarity with a reduction in the look of pores without excessive dryness. Editorial
- Common Lightweight, fast-absorbing serum texture — leaves skin smooth without a heavy or greasy residue (water-based solution version) 35
lightweight texture with a thin consistency; non-sticky without weighing down the skin; leaves skin smooth and soft Editorial
-
When new pimples pop up they disappear within a day. Editorial
What to know
- historical Original formula (pre-2019) caused severe irritation and chemical-burn reports — the reason it was discontinued for nearly 3 years 79
original version disappeared from shelves after controversy and customer claims of alleged chemical burns Editorial
- Common Still drying for dry or dehydrated skin types — requires careful moisturizer pairing even with the gentler new formula 35
May cause dryness for those with dehydrated or dry skin; can trigger sensitivity reactions Editorial
- Common The anhydrous (squalane) version divides users sharply: dry-skin users love the added moisture, but oily-skin users find the squalane base too greasy and slow-absorbing 109
Very oily...I can only use it at night; The squalane is ultra oily, won't sink into the skin and you barely have any benefit Reviews
- Some Paula's Choice outperforms on texture experience — The Ordinary's water-based formula is described as 'tacky and foamy' vs Paula's Choice's 'silky' feel 4
Paula's Choice ($35) features a 'silky texture' and added benefits like green tea, whereas The Ordinary ($4.20) provides 'the same results' with a 'tacky and foamy' formula Editorial
- Common Purging phase at product introduction — up to 1.5 weeks of worsened breakouts before improvement begins 53
After about a week and a half, the purging ended and my breakouts started to magically disappear. Editorial
What you'd only know from the reviews
-
There are now TWO active The Ordinary salicylic acid products with identical concentration but different base vehicles: the water-based Salicylic Acid 2% Solution (clear bottle, ~$6.70 — best for oily/acne-prone skin) and the Anhydrous Salicylic Acid 2% Solution (brown bottle, ~$7.50, squalane base — best for dry skin with acne). Buying the wrong version for your skin type is the primary cause of both the 'too greasy' and 'too drying' complaints. The anhydrous version uses a timed-release delivery mechanism that may also reduce irritation for first-time acid users. 92
-
The original discontinuation was NOT just a reformulation — it was a response to chemical-burn allegations that prompted two years of laboratory work. The brand's public statement ('ensure a pleasant experience for as many users as possible') carefully avoided admitting fault. The new formula removed witch hazel distillate (a known sensitizer and pH disruptor) and replaced it with saccharide isomerate. Anyone who had a bad reaction to the original and wrote off the brand hasn't tried the new formula. 36
-
The 400,000-person waitlist for a $7 product is not marketing spin — it reflects genuine brand equity The Ordinary built by pricing commodity actives at near-cost. The waitlist is confirmed across Refinery29, NewBeauty, and StyleCaster, all citing the same Deciem figure from January 2022. This product's demand signal is as strong as any prestige skincare launch, at 1/10 the price. 78
-
The formula contains polysorbate 20 (water-based solution version), the same fungal-acne trigger found in Paula's Choice BHA. If you are comparing these two products specifically because of fungal acne concerns, both have the same disqualifying ingredient. The anhydrous version's formula (squalane, polyglycerides) has fewer typical fungal-acne triggers, making it the better choice for malassezia-prone users between the two TO variants. 1editorial ↗
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05 / Questions
Frequently asked
- What's in The Ordinary Salicylic Acid 2% Solution, Exfoliating Serum for Acne?
- The Ordinary Salicylic Acid 2% Solution, Exfoliating Serum for Acne lists 11 ingredients. Key active: 2% Salicylic Acid (BHA). The Ordinary discloses 2% salicylic acid in product name; INCI from Ulta product page. The full ingredient list, matched to EU CosIng, is on this page.
- Does The Ordinary Salicylic Acid 2% Solution, Exfoliating Serum for Acne work?
- Yes, for most users on a budget. Efficacy for blackheads and breakouts is broadly confirmed across editorial and community reviews. The key asterisk is the product's turbulent history: originally discontinued in 2019 after chemical-burn complaints (involving a witch-hazel-heavy formula), it relaunched reformulated in 2022 to 400,000+ waitlist demand. The new formula is meaningfully gentler. However, the reformulated water-based solution is still drying for some, and the separate anhydrous (squalane-based) version — launched as a bridge product — divides reviewers on texture. Net: works well, but know which version you have and introduce slowly.
- How much Salicylic Acid (BHA) is in The Ordinary Salicylic Acid 2% Solution, Exfoliating Serum for Acne?
- 2% Salicylic Acid (BHA). The Ordinary discloses 2% salicylic acid in product name; INCI from Ulta product page.
- Where can I buy The Ordinary Salicylic Acid 2% Solution, Exfoliating Serum for Acne?
- $6.70 on Amazon (price recorded as of the date shown). The Ordinary discloses 2% salicylic acid in product name; INCI from Ulta product page.