12 of the Best Salicylic Acid Cleansers

This powerful beta hydroxy acid (or BHA for short) is an ingredient you’ll find on the labels of most of your anti-acne treatments, and which you probably know for its pore-clearing, exfoliating properties.But with all the products out there promising to blast away your blackheads, scrub your pores squeaky clean and get excess sebum in check, it can be hard to know which will really work for you—and even if salicylic acid itself is right for you.Of course, that’s where we come in, doing the hard work for you so you don’t get any stress-related breakouts.What does salicylic acid do for my skin?Salicylic acid is a BHA derived from willow bark that penetrates deep into your skin to dissolve the keratin that is blocking your pores and holding onto excess sebum. It helps exfoliate away dead skin cells, reduce redness and inflammation, control oil production and clear away whiteheads and blackheads.For a more in-depth look at salicylic acid, you can check out our full guide to the ingredient...