Souce: natural, derived from sugar beets.

Betaine salicylate is a fatty acid that’s derived from the sugar beet plant, betaine salicylate can be found in all sorts of fruits, nuts and vegetables, as well as occurring naturally within your skin. Betaine salicylate is a keratolytic beta hydroxy acid (BHA), similar to salicylic acid, which resurfaces the skin, improving skin tone and texture. Unlike salicylic acid though, betaine salicylate is surprisingly gentle on the skin.

It combines perfectly the benefits of salicylic acid with the unique and gentle skin improvement properties, an oil-soluble exfoliator that penetrates into the deeper layer of the skin, BHA is more effective than AHA as it helps to remove the uppermost layer of the epidermis. The removal of damaged and dead skin cells on the skin’s surface encourages the growth of new and healthy skin cells. It can improve skin conditions widely, and that has antimicrobial properties and exfoliating, moisturizing function.

According to their information based on in vivo testing, betaine salicylate shows comparable effectiveness to salicylic acid at double the concentration. So, in seems that in order to get the same results from betaine salicylate as a product with 1% salicylic acid, a 2% concentration of betaine salicylate is necessary.

Research has indicated that betaine salicylate may also improve collagen production, hyperpigmentation and intracellular water retention. Most pharmaceutical betaine salicylate is also vegan-friendly, thanks to those sugar beet plants mentioned earlier.

Due to its keratolytic (peeling) effect, betaine salicylate is even used in the removal of epidermal defects such as warts and calluses. But for normal and oily facial skin, the everyday keratolytic effect of betaine salicylate reduces the occurrence of blackheads and stops the formation of the clogged pores which can lead to acne.

As you may have guessed, those who will most benefit from using betaine salicylate are those who have acne. Not only is betaine salicylate effective at breaking down the sebum and keratin build up in the skin’s pores, but due to it being approximately half the strength of salicylic acid, it’s also gentle enough for sensitive skin.

This being said, as with all AHA and BHA exfoliants, we recommend being particularly cautious in protecting your skin from sunlight exposure following use. Always use a broad-spectrum SPF to avoid sensitivity and skin damage.