Salicylic Acid & Niacinamide: The Acne-Fighting Duo Your Routine Needs
Struggling with breakouts? Two of skincare’s most powerful ingredients—salicylic acid and niacinamide—can help calm, treat, and prevent acne while improving your skin’s overall health. Here’s how they work, and the best K-beauty products that contain them.
Acne can be persistent, but the right ingredients can make a major difference in your skincare routine. Salicylic acid is a beta-hydroxy acid (BHA) that dives deep into pores to remove excess oil and debris, making it a favorite for oily and acne-prone skin. Niacinamide, a form of vitamin B3, helps regulate oil production, fade acne scars, and strengthen your skin barrier. When combined, these two ingredients not only help treat active breakouts but also prevent new ones from forming—all while keeping the skin calm and balanced.
Featured Acne-Fighting Products
🔹 COSRX AC Collection Calming Foam Cleanser (150ml)
This gentle yet effective foam cleanser uses salicylic acid and Centella Asiatica to cleanse pores, reduce inflammation, and calm angry breakouts. It’s part of COSRX’s AC Collection, specially formulated for sensitive acne-prone skin.
🔹 BOM Ac Red Free Cleansing Foam
A budget-friendly yet powerful foaming cleanser enriched with salicylic acid and soothing herbal extracts. It removes impurities without drying out your skin and is great for maintaining balance in oily and combination skin types.
🔹 COSRX Salicylic Acid Daily Gentle Cleanser (150ml)
Loved for its creamy foam texture, this daily cleanser deeply cleans pores, removes sebum, and targets blemishes using salicylic acid—all while being mild enough for daily use.
🔹 COSRX AC Collection Blemish Spot Clearing Serum (40ml)
This targeted serum combines niacinamide, tea tree, and centella to help clear blemishes, fade post-acne marks, and soothe skin. It’s lightweight, non-sticky, and designed to support skin healing.
🔹 Beauty of Joseon Glow Serum: Propolis + Niacinamide (30ml)
An all-in-one solution for acne-prone skin that’s also in need of glow. Propolis provides antibacterial support and skin regeneration, while niacinamide helps brighten and control oil production.
🔹 Some By Mi AHA BHA PHA 14 Days Super Miracle Spot All Kill Cream (30ml)
This multi-acid cream uses AHA, BHA, and PHA to exfoliate dead skin cells while salicylic acid targets clogged pores. Niacinamide fades post-acne pigmentation, making this a perfect final step in your routine.
Fighting acne takes patience, but using the right ingredients consistently makes a world of difference. Salicylic acid and niacinamide are proven to work both on the surface and deep within your pores—reducing breakouts, calming redness, and even improving skin texture over time. Whether you’re dealing with stubborn whiteheads or lingering acne marks, these products can help pave the way to smoother, clearer skin.
✨ Want more help? Learn about other powerhouse ingredients for acne—and check out our guide to building your acne-prone skincare routine to create a routine that’s tailored just for you.
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