🇳🇱Netherlands

The Ordinary Salicylic Acid 2% Solution for dry sensitive skin

Rated by Lovi · Unbiased, science-based skincare AI trained on real user outcomes

The Ordinary Salicylic Acid 2% Solution

Low

  • LowDry Skin Fit
  • AverageEffectiveness
  • ConcerningSafety

A weak match for dry sensitive skin; the products alongside fit it better.

This fit is calculated for the concerns frequently associated with dry sensitive skin: flakiness, tightness, redness, fine lines, and wrinkles. For scores and recommendations based on your full skin profile, including your 12D face scan results and any goals or preferences you have, please use the Lovi app.

Page built Nov 8, 2026How the Fit score works

Lovi Assistant explains

  • Offers moderate exfoliation for your dry or flaky skin due to the presence of salicylic acid, which provides mild skin renewal.
  • This formula is moderately unsuitable for dry skin as the keratolytic action of salicylic acid may exacerbate dryness, and it lacks emollient or humectant ingredients to counteract this effect.

How to apply

  • Use your exfoliant PM once a week to help with dryness. Start ⏳3 times a week only if your sensitive skin tolerates it well.
  • Apply the exfoliant after cleansing and toning, but always before your favorite moisturizer .
  • Gently press 2-3 drops of the exfoliant into your skin and avoid any rubbing. Let it absorb ⏱ for a minute before layering.
  • Since your skin is reactive and sensitive, apply the exfoliant on completely dry skin for better tolerance.
  • Always do a patch test before your first use and avoid the delicate eye area .

People Say

★3.6Overall rating based on 2.5k+ reviews

Based on a very large amount of data, this serum is highly effective and affordable for acne-prone and oily skin, significantly reducing blemishes and clogged pores. Users frequently criticize the current formulation for foaming and leaving a sticky residue, which is a departure from previous versions.

Highlights

  • Clears acne Mostly Mentioned
    • “pimples disappear within a day”
    • “cleared my cystic acne”
    • “stopped new breakouts”
  • Great price Mostly Mentioned
    • “can't beat the price”
    • “affordable acne solution”
    • “great value for money”
  • Improves texture Often Mentioned
    • “skin feels smoother”
    • “helped with texture”
    • “unclogged my pores”
  • Foaming texture Often Mentioned
    • “foams up like soap”
    • “turns white when applied”
    • “weird soapy texture”
  • Sticky finish Often Mentioned
    • “feels very sticky”
    • “tacky residue”
    • “pills under makeup”
  • Effective spot treatment Sometimes Noted
    • “great for spot treating”
    • “shrinks zits overnight”
    • “dries out spots quickly”
  • Drying and irritating Sometimes Noted
    • “dried out my skin”
    • “caused peeling”
    • “stinging sensation”
  • Initial purging Rarely Noted
    • “caused bad purging”
    • “broke out at first”
    • “worse before it got better”

Sources: lovi.care, sephora.com, ulta.com, influenster.com, reddit.com, and more

Questions and answers

Why is The Ordinary Salicylic Acid 2% Solution a weak match for dry sensitive skin?

This product is a weak match because salicylic acid may make dry skin even drier, and the formula lacks soft or moisturizing ingredients to counteract this effect. An exfoliant treatment for dry sensitive skin needs nourishing ingredients that provide deep hydration and protect the skin barrier without causing irritation.

Which ingredients make this exfoliant a poor fit for dry sensitive skin?

Salicylic acid makes this a weak match because its peeling action may worsen dryness, and the formula lacks moisturizing ingredients to counter it. An exfoliant for dry sensitive skin needs nourishing and hydrating ingredients like ceramides and soothing components that provide moisture and protect the skin barrier without causing irritation.

What does Salicylic Acid do for dry sensitive skin?

Salicylic acid is generally a poor fit for dry, sensitive skin because it is designed to clear out pores by removing excess oil, which can easily leave dry skin irritated. A product of this type needs gentle exfoliating helpers paired with rich, soothing moisturizers and barrier-repairing ingredients to keep dry skin calm and comfortable.

What does Water do for dry sensitive skin?

Hard water increases soap deposits and dryness, making dry sensitive skin more prone to irritation and flare-ups. A product of this type needs gentle cleansers and soothing ingredients to calm the skin and protect its moisture barrier against hard water minerals.

The Journal of Investigative Dermatology, 2018Clinical and Experimental Allergy, 2021

Where does it go in a skincare routine for dry sensitive skin?

This exfoliant treatment goes in your evening routine once a week. Because salicylic acid may make dry skin even drier, this product of this type needs nourishing moisturizers and hydrating ingredients that bring back comfort and keep skin soft.

Can I use this exfoliant with retinol, and in what order?

Using this exfoliant with retinol on dry sensitive skin may easily cause severe irritation and peeling, so it is best to avoid using them together or alternate them on different nights. When combining powerful active treatments on sensitive skin, a gentle routine with rich soothing moisturizers and hydrating ingredients is needed to keep the skin calm and comfortable.

How often should I use it?

Start by using this exfoliant treatment just once a week in the evening to see how your dry sensitive skin tolerates it. A product of this type needs soothing, softening, and water-attracting ingredients to keep this skin type comfortable.

Can this exfoliant clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for dry sensitive skin?

This exfoliant is unlikely to clog pores, but it may cause drying, irritation, and initial breakouts or purging on dry sensitive skin. A product of this type needs added moisturizing and soothing ingredients to keep dry sensitive skin comfortable and calm.

Is it fragrance-free and alcohol-free?

Yes, it has no fragrance and no drying alcohol.

What the research says

  • Cryotherapy with liquid nitrogen achieved a higher cure rate (39%) than salicylic acid (24%) and a wait-and-see approach (16%) for cutaneous warts at 13 weeks in primary care patients.

    CMAJ, 2010

  • A moisturizer containing licochalcone A, 1,2-decanediol, L-carnitine, and salicylic acid significantly reduced noninflammatory, inflammatory, and total acne lesion counts compared to a vehicle control in Thai patients during a 12-week maintenance phase.

    BioMed Research International, 2020

  • Treatment with 2% supramolecular salicylic acid hydrogel resulted in a regression and markedly improvement rate of 51.01% compared to 43.10% for Adapaline gel in patients with mild to moderate facial acne vulgaris, showing no significant difference in efficacy.

    Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2024

  • Topical application of a novel gel containing 18% potassium complex, 10% dimethylisosorbide, and 72% aqueous hydroxyethyl cellulose provides rapid pain relief and inhibits chronic inflammation in patients with TMJ disorders, muscles of mastication, and myofascial pain usually within 5 minutes.

    The Journal of Oral Implantology, 2007

  • Fabricated dissolving microneedles composed of sodium hyaluronate, hydroxyethyl cellulose, and gamma-polyglutamic acid exhibited structural integrity, sufficient mechanical strength for skin penetration, in vivo dissolution within 1 hour, and no erythema or edema with rapid pinhole disappearance in mice.

    Drug Delivery and Translational Research, 2026

  • Hydroxyethyl cellulose as a structural modifier in surfactant-free cosmetic serums limited moisture loss to approximately 5% after 30 minutes and improved structural uniformity compared to HEC-free formulations.

    International Journal of Biological Macromolecules, 2026

  • A novel composition containing salicylic acid, capryloyl salicylic acid, HEPES, glycolic acid, citric acid, and dioic acid showed similar tolerance and efficacy compared with clindamycin 1% and benzoyl peroxide 5% gel in subjects with acne vulgaris.

    Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, 2013

  • Daily treatment with a facial serum containing multiple acids reduced post-inflammatory hyperchromia lesion grade and number by 29.4% at 56 days, and decreased skin oiliness by 30.7% at 7 days in Brazilian patients with acne vulgaris.

    Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2021

  • Topical 20% citric acid lotion increases viable epidermal thickness and dermal glycosaminoglycan content in sun-damaged skin compared to vehicle alone.

    Dermatologic Surgery, 1997

Why other products fit dry sensitive skin better

  • A formulation containing glycerol (5%) and xylitol (5%) applied twice daily for 14 days increased skin hydration, filaggrin protein quantity, interdigitation index, and biomechanical properties, and decreased transepidermal water loss compared to untreated and vehicle-treated skin in twelve volunteers with dry skin.

    Acta Dermato-venereologica, 2017

  • Glycerol accelerates barrier repair and improves stratum corneum hydration compared to untreated and base-treated sites.

    Acta Dermato-venereologica, 1999

  • In 50 participants with sensitive skin, a Ceramide NP C15-containing emollient improved skin barrier function with a significant reduction in transepidermal water loss and induced modest changes in skin microbiota compared to the vehicle.

    Skin Pharmacology and Physiology, 2026

Ingredients

Water, Witch Hazel Leaf Water, Cocamidopropyl Dimethylamine, Salicylic Acid, Dimethyl Isosorbide, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Citric Acid, Polysorbate 20, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Ethoxydiglycol, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylyl Glycol

Behind this fit score

Lovi calculates every fit score from the full ingredient list with brand-independent rules our dermatologists and cosmetic chemists build and review, and personalizes every pick with AI trained on the real results of millions of users. Lovi trains its fit score models on a proprietary dataset built from more than 10,000 expert-labeled products and more than 100,000 simulated examples, following an internally consistent methodology presented at Cosmoprof, AMWC, and Skin of Color Update.

  • Nadia Kapleva, MS

    Nadia Kapleva, MS

    Co-founder, Medical Director

    Cosmetic chemist, cosmetologist, aesthetic products developer

  • Alexey Shagraev, PhD

    Alexey Shagraev, PhD

    Co-founder, CEO and CTO

    PhD in computer science, 3x US patent holder, ex-Google, ex-Yandex

  • Dr. Sofía Perea Pérez, MD, MSc

    Dr. Sofía Perea Pérez, MD, MSc

    Medical Board

    Aesthetic medicine practitioner, MSc in Longevity and Anti-Aging Medicine

  • Aishani Shah, MD

    Aishani Shah, MD

    Medical Board

    Specialist dermatologist, MBBS, MD, IFAAD

  • Asya Zubkova, MS

    Asya Zubkova, MS

    Medical Board

    Cosmetic chemist, SCS, IFSCC member

  • Hanna Kurets, MD

    Hanna Kurets, MD

    Medical Board, Medical Advisor

    Dermatology MD

  • Elina Nazarenko, MD

    Elina Nazarenko, MD

    Medical Board

    Dermatology and diagnostic consultant

  • Victoria Derkova, MS

    Victoria Derkova, MS

    Medical Board

    Cosmetic chemist, cosmetic development technologist

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Prices checked 16 Oct – 5 Nov 2026

The Lovi Fit is the same in every country; only the stores and prices differ, and the ones here are for the Netherlands.

How does it fit your skin?

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