What Are Those Ingredients in Your Skin-Care Products?
Dermatologists give a crash course on what goes into skin-care products.
Salicylic Acid
Also known as: Beta hydroxy acid (BHA).
Good for: Normal skin, oily skin.
What it treats: Acne, irritation.
How it works: Salicylic acid can penetrate the sebum that clogs pores, clearing blackheads. "When used on a regular basis, it can decrease
the frequency and severity of acne eruptions," says Leslie Baumann, a professor of dermatology at the University of Miami,
in Florida. Avoid it if you have dry or sensitive skin or an allergy to aspirin. (It's in the same family as the pain reliever.)
RS picks: Neutrogena Rapid Clear Acne Defense Face Lotion, $8.50 at drugstores. MD Skincare All-Over Blemish Solution, $84, sephora.com.
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