Why you will NEVER find salicylic acid at Novexpert
Go behind the scenes of salicylic acid's fame.
Erected as the star molecule of anti-imperfection ranges, we don't deny that salicylic acid partly deserves its dazzling fame.
Its first role is to clean up the epidermis (first layer of the skin) by eliminating the outermost cells in order to unclog pores and stimulate cell renewal. Some brands will tell you that it is "keratolytic", a nice word to highlight a science that they often do not master.
The second role for which salicylic acid deserves recognition is its ability to destroy bacteria, including acne-aggravating bacteria. Let's be honest, salicylic acid is a good anti-microbial.
Where can I find salicylic acid at Novexpert?
Within... no range, no product. Don't waste your time searching the smallest corners of our site, we have chosen to blacklist it, that is to say, to put it on our famous blacklist of cosmetic actives. A long list of more than 1600 ingredients that we will NEVER use, no matter how powerful and "trendy" they may be.
You might think that this is completely illogical in view of what you have just read. But it doesn't make that much sense, because the story is not over. You have only scratched the surface of the complexity of salicylic acid.
Read on and you'll never look for salicylic acid again.
You will soon understand our position and probably share it.
In 2019, the European cosmetic regulation (nothing but that) classifies it as a "CMR 2 substance" that is "suspected of having harmful effects on reproduction" according to the words of the law. A grim reward. And it is not finished...
For the last 4 years, salicylic acid has been under study to join the dreaded but unfortunately not closed group of endocrine disruptors. These molecules of different natures that disrupt our hormonal system, sometimes even in very small quantities (the dose effect is over), and that combine in our body only for the worse (like a bad cocktail). To this day, its safety is still under discussion but for Novexpert, by precautionary principle, salicylic acid is presumed guilty.
We make a case for your health.
Stop Salicylic Acid: [Pregnant] Women and Children First
It should also be noted that this active ingredient is already prohibited in certain cosmetics intended for "fragile" audiences. Fortunately, in view of the data presented. This is particularly the case for products intended for children under 3 years. For pregnant and breastfeeding women, it is STRONGLY not recommended, only... The hormonal system of these women, in these periods as beautiful as they are upset, does not need one more disrupter. We therefore STRONGLY advise you to stay away from it if you are expecting a happy event or if this one has been sharing your life for a while.
For the rest of the population, be aware that it is simply (for the moment) limited. So keep your radar up to spot it. This may not be so difficult as new products - especially anti-acne - put him in the spotlight, a risky marketing strategy in view of the disputes he has with the authorities.
We too almost fell into the dark side...
We will not hide it from you, we also thought of using it within our ranges. We had even formulated some products. That was several years ago, when the first publications on the potential endocrine disrupting effect of salicylic acid appeared and with them the doubts about its safety. You know our (sometimes a little too extreme) commitment to universal cosmetics (including pregnant women) and our blind (but informed) trust in scientific facts, so the rest of the story you have already guessed.
We stopped everything.
To be honest, this decision was also a bit selfish as we wanted to sleep peacefully knowing that we were not taking any risks with your future health.
Fighting pimples without salicylic acid is possible (and preferable!)
With that in mind, you're wondering if blemished skin is doomed to stay that way if it doesn't want to gamble with its health. If you are on our site, you know the answer: of course not.
To play the salicylic acid game, here are some of our secrets that you can find in the Trio-Zinc line:
- Anti-microbial actives (= destroy bad bacteria including C.acnes): Totarol, a.lauric, the postbiotic Lactobacillus...
- Keratolytic active ingredients (here comes the big word that means purifying the pores and helping cell renewal): gluconolactone, lactic acid
And that's not all... with the active ingredient Trio-Zinc, the formulas act on the CAUSES of imperfections for a lasting effect. An example? Trio-Zinc decreases the amount of IGF-1, a literal pro-acne growth factor that is stimulated when your diet is rich in sugars and/or milk.
And, between you and me, salicylic acid doesn't do that.
As pioneers, committed and sometimes a bit rebellious, we have always imposed on ourselves the "precautionary principle" in the face of chemical pollution of the body and its consequences. As you can see, salicylic acid will not be the exception that proves the rule.
References:
https://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=OJ:L:2009:342:0059:0209:fr:PDF
https://health.ec.europa.eu/scientific-committees/scientific-committee-consumer-safety-sccs_en