Can I Use Azelaic Acid And Salicylic Acid Together?

If you are looking to up your skincare game with exfoliating acids, you are in the right spot.

Certain face acids can be combined to give you the best results. For example, azelaic acid and salicylic acid have been under the talks for quite some time now.

Azelaic acid, known for its exfoliating, antibacterial, and anti-inflammatory properties, kills acne-causing bacteria, reduces inflammation (think rosacea and eczema), and fades hyperpigmentation.

Similarly, salicylic acid is great for fighting acne, unclogging pores, and removing dead skin cells due to its exfoliating properties.

Here is everything you need to know about using azelaic acid and salicylic acid together.

Can You Use Azelaic Acid And Salicylic Acid Together?

Yes, you can use azelaic acid and salicylic acid together in your skincare regimen. This is most suitable for people with oily and acne-prone skin types.

Azelaic acid reduces pigmentation, inflammation, and scars, whereas salicylic acid unclogs pores and removes excessive sebum and residual impurities. These, coupled with their combined anti-acne and anti-inflammatory benefits, are just the perfect recipe to bid adieu to acne once and for all.

You can use azelaic acid and salicylic acid together in the same skincare routine, in alternate skincare routines, or even on different days, which I discussed below.

Should I Use Azelaic Acid Before Salicylic Acid?

Research shows that salicylic acid should be used before azelaic acid¹. This way, the salicylic acid removes dead skin and deep cleanses the skin, which ensures better absorption and enhanced efficacy of azelaic acid.

Benefits Of Using Azelaic Acid And Salicylic Acid Together

The benefits of using azelaic acid and salicylic acid together are as follows:

Acne treatment

Using azelaic acid and salicylic acid together is great for treating inflammatory acne, as backed by this research^2,3.

Reduced inflammation

The two ingredients reduce inflammation and calm redness, swelling, and irritation brought about by inflammatory changes.

Better skin tone

Since azelaic acid reduces blotchy or dark patches, these exfoliants help enhance the skin tone.

Improved texture

Using azelaic acid and salicylic acid together will exfoliate the skin’s surface, shedding the debris, removing excess oil, and unclogging the pores.

Addresses hyperpigmentation

Combining azelaic acid and salicylic acid fades the appearance of hyperpigmented patches (melasma, brown spots), and scarring.

Effective exfoliation

Using these two actives together ensures thorough exfoliation, which leaves you with fresh, clear, and healthy skin.

Great for oily and acne-prone skin

Both these ingredients work effectively to reduce excess sebum, inflammatory changes, and bacteria that cause pimples.

No more pore clogging

Both ingredients work effectively to remove debris, excessive oil, and bacteria from pores, reducing their appearance.

Are There Any Side Effects Of Mixing Azelaic Acid And Salicylic Acid Together?

The adverse reactions of mixing azelaic acid and salicylic acid are limited and as follows:

Since both are exfoliating acids, they can really dry out the skin. Always use a hydrating moisturizer to protect the skin barrier.
Since salicylic acid has a small molecular size, the deep penetration can lead to prolonged effects, which might irritate your reactive or sensitive skin, causing redness, flakiness, or peeling⁴.

PRO TIP: Ensure the use of good SPF daily to avoid increasing your skin’s sensitivity to the sun, which can result in sun damage and premature aging (fine lines and wrinkles, age spots, sun spots, etc).

How To Combine Azelaic Acid And Salicylic Acid?

There are many ways to combine both azelaic and salicylic acid. Since both ingredients are available as different skincare products such as cleansers, toners, serums, creams, and whatnot, you can pick and choose the best option that works for your skin type and skin concerns.

Here are some of the ways to combine azelaic and salicylic acids in your skincare routine.

1. Always Start With A Lower Concentration

First things first: Since both the ingredients are chemical exfoliants, it is best to start slow and with lower concentrations.

This way, you can see how your skin adapts to the new products.

Also, it is best to limit the use of salicylic acid to 3x per week, especially if you are just getting started.

You can start with OTC products containing the two ingredients (separately or combined; your choice), and layer them according to their consistency/order (thinnest to thickest).

2. Alternate Routines

The most common and best way is to use azelaic acid in the morning routine, and salicylic acid in the evening, as the latter is a stronger exfoliant.

For example, use an azelaic acid serum after cleansing and toning your face in the morning. Follow with a moisturizer and sunscreen.

In the evening, use a salicylic acid cleanser or a salicylic acid serum to keep acne, oil, and inflammation away.

3. On Alternate Days

This combination is ideal if you have sensitive skin, or you are introducing these acids to your skin for the first time.

It gives your skin enough time to identify the skincare product that might be irritating it and causing unwanted effects.

You can use a salicylic acid serum or cleanser every alternate day, and azelaic acid cream or serum on the other days.

4. In The Same Routine

If your acne-prone or oily skin type has developed tolerance to using the two products in separate routines, you can combine them in the same routine, given that you use low-concentration products.

Start with a salicylic acid cleanser, followed by an azelaic acid serum, and then a moisturizer.

Or you could use salicylic acid serum after cleansing and toning, followed by an azelaic acid cream.

If you wish to use them both as serums, it is best to introduce them separately. Once you have established that your skin likes them, then you can use them together (no particular order of application).

Just remember to seal with a hydrating moisturizer to seal the goodness.

5. In One Product

There are products available in the market that have both azelaic and salicylic acids (amongst other ingredients) in the same formula.

For example, if you get your hands on a serum containing both ingredients, it is best to apply it according to the general rule of layering skin care products.

It will go like this:

Cleanser > Toner > Serum (with both acids) > Moisturizer > Sunscreen (if it is your morning beauty routine)⁵.

Can You Use Salicylic Acid And Azelaic Acid And Niacinamide Together?

If you are wondering whether to use salicylic acid, azelaic acid, and niacinamide together, the answer is yes.

Niacinamide helps control the production of oil, improves the texture of the skin, boosts the skin barrier, and prevents water loss from the skin, making it a great soothing ingredient to add to your skincare regimen.

In my other article you can read more about combining niacinamide and azelaic acid.

Everything You Need To Know About Azelaic Acid

Azelaic acid is a naturally occurring acid found in wheat, barley, and other grains.

What’s noteworthy, azelaic acid doesn’t belong to the group of AHA (alpha hydroxy acids) or BHA (beta hydroxy acids), it’s completely different type of acid.

Being an all-rounder skincare ingredient, the benefits of azelaic acid include treating acne, unclogging pores, reducing inflammation, lightening dark spots, post-acne marks, and hyperpigmentation, and improving skin texture and tone.

Usually, skincare acids such as alpha hydroxy acids and beta hydroxy acids may cause skin irritation and dryness. But that’s not the case with azelaic acid.

Being a gentle chemical exfoliant, it removes dead skin cells and boosts skin health without causing any irritation. It reduces redness, inflammation, and irritation, which is why it is a great option for people with sensitive skin or rosacea-prone skin⁶.

Its antibacterial properties help fight acne-causing bacteria, which significantly reduces breakouts.

Azelaic acid works to inhibit tyrosinase, the enzyme responsible for melanin production. This is what makes it a great skincare ingredient for people with dark spots, melasma, or any sort of pigmentation⁷.

It is available as OTC products (<10% concentration) and prescription strength products (>10% concentration).

Benefits Of Azelaic Acid

Here are the main benefits of the superstar:

Fights inflammation

Due to its anti-inflammatory properties, azelaic acid reduces inflammation and calms the skin, which is outstanding for people with skin concerns such as rosacea, eczema, or other inflammatory issues⁸.

Unclogs pores

As it removes dead cells and debris from clogged pores, it minimizes future breakouts (as clogged pores are the hub for bacterial activity that leads to acne, and blackheads).

Treating acne

It has anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial properties, which is why it significantly reduces acne breakouts, making it great for acne-prone skin.

Fades hyperpigmentation and scars

It inhibits the enzyme responsible for pigmentation, hence playing a role in fading hyperpigmented or blotchy skin (melasma, brown spots) and post-acne scarring.

Fights free radical damage

As it has antioxidant properties, it helps protect the skin against oxidative stress brought on by free radicals, which can cause premature aging such as fine lines and wrinkles.

Great for sensitive skin

Its anti-inflammatory and gentle exfoliating nature makes it ideal for all skin types, including sensitive skin as it does not break it out.

Gentle exfoliation

Unlike AHAs (glycolic acid, lactic acid) and BHAs (salicylic acid), it has mild exfoliating properties. In other words, it gets the job done without causing skin irritation, dryness, or any other unwanted effects⁹.

Improves uneven skin tone

Apart from improving the texture with its keratolytic activity, it also improves the skin tone as it calms the skin, removes redness and blotchy patches, and makes the skin’s surface smoother.

Potential Side Effects Of Azelaic Acid

Though its side effects are rare, these are some things to look out for, based on your skin sensitivity, and product concentration. Always start with lower concentrations and remember to perform a patch test to rule these out:

Itching
Redness
Slight Tingling/ Burning
Dryness
Scaling or peeling
Purging
If you have asthma, you should avoid using azelaic acid, or consult your healthcare provider before doing so¹⁰.
If you have dark skin, azelaic acid might cause mottled/patchy lightening of the skin.

What Not To Combine With Azelaic Acid?

Using potent skincare active ingredients together can lead to dry skin, peeling, irritation, and other unwanted effects, especially if you have sensitive skin. Hence, avoid combining these with azelaic acid:

Retinol
Benzoyl peroxide
Physical exfoliators, brushes and scrubs
AHA and BHA (for sensitive skin types)
Vitamin C

Everything You Need To Know About Salicylic Acid

Salicylic acid, a beta hydroxy acid, is found naturally in willow bark.

It is a skincare acid that is loved for its anti-acne, anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties.

Salicylic acid can penetrate deeper into the skin due to its oil-soluble nature, which helps unclog pores, remove excess oil, and exfoliate dead skin cells.

The antibacterial characteristics of salicylic acid help to treat acne and blemishes. This leaves us with smooth skin with a reduction in breakouts, blackheads, and whiteheads.

Willow bark helps regulate the activity of sebaceous glands, which is why it is so loved by people with oily skin.

While it is great for oily and acne-prone skin types, individuals with sensitive or dry skin types might experience irritation and excessively dry patches when using salicylic acid.

Benefits Of Salicylic Acid

Effective acne treatment

Salicylic acid is great for acne-prone skin as it fights acne-causing bacteria (Propionibacterium acnes) and reduces breakouts.

Unclogs pores

Since it is oil-soluble, it can penetrate deeper into the skin, removing dead skin, microbes, excess sebum, and residual impurities that clog pores.

Regulates oil production

Salicylic acid helps to regulate the oil production which can greatly reduce clogged pores and chances of acne.

Improves skin texture

Since it is one of the most effective exfoliants, salicylic acid removes dead skin cells and improves the texture of the skin.

No more blackheads

As it helps to remove skin debris, unclog pores, and reduce acne, using salicylic acid helps reduce the appearance of blackheads, whiteheads, and bumps.

Anti-inflammatory benefits

It reduces redness, inflammation, and swelling, which speeds up the healing process of pimples.

Protection against UV radiation

Salicylic acid offers some protection¹¹ against UV rays from the sun.

Treats certain skin conditions

Apart from its ability to treat acne, salicylic acid can help with psoriasis¹², milia, keratosis pilaris¹³, corns, warts, and calluses.

Potential Side Effects Of Salicylic Acid

It can dry out or irritate your skin, especially if you have a sensitive or reactive skin type. Here is what to expect:

Purging
Redness
Skin irritation
Dry Skin
Peeling/ Flaky skin

What Should You Not Mix With Salicylic Acid

You avoid avoid mixing salicylic acid directly with other powerful ingredients (in the same skin care routine):

Retinol¹⁴
Benzoyl peroxide
Vitamin C
Physical exfoliators

Azelaic Acid Vs. Salicylic Acid – Which One Should I Choose?

Depending on your skin type and skin concerns you’re dealing with, one of these acids may be better suited for you.

Which One Is Better For Acne: Azelaic Acid Or Salicylic Acid?

This depends on your skin type and skin concerns.

If you have sensitive skin, azelaic acid is better for your acne as it will not increase your skin’s sensitivity or further irritate your skin, while reducing acne, inflammation, discoloration, and scars.

On the contrary, if you have oily or blemish-prone skin, salicylic acid is better for you as it is a potent exfoliator that helps unclog pores, clear up acne, and limit unwanted inflammatory changes on the skin.

Which One Is Better For Hyperpigmentation & Acne Scars: Azelaic Acid Vs. Salicylic Acid?

Even though both azelaic acid and salicylic acid have anti-inflammatory characteristics, the former is better for hyperpigmentation and acne scars because it can inhibit tyrosinase, an enzyme that promotes melanin synthesis, leading to melasma, dark spots, and other discoloration.

The purpose of this article is informative and entertaining. It’s not a substitute for medical consultation or medical care. The author of this article does not accept any responsibility for any liability, loss or risk, personal or otherwise, incurred as a consequence, directly or indirectly, from any information or advice contained here. Safety should be your priority.

Sources of pictures: The Ordinary, The Inkey List, Minimalist, Naturium and Ellana Mineral Cosmetics Brands.

Resources:

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/
https://www.tandfonline.com/
https://www.cochranelibrary.com/
https://www.beautysparkreview.com/
https://beautymone.com/
https://cleanbeautycoach.com/
https://procoal.co.uk/
https://www.webmd.com/

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