Response to Your Questions about Encapsulated Salicylic Acid and Vitamin C

Here are the answers to your questions regarding the encapsulated Salicylic Acid product and Ethyl Ascorbic Acid:

1. Oils in Encapsulated Salicylic Acid and Clogging

The encapsulated Salicylic Acid product contains small amounts of oils (Safflower Seed Oil and Olea Europaea Oil). These oils are included primarily to help create the emulsion and act as carriers to enhance skin absorption. The quantity of these oils is minimal and is not expected to cause pore clogging or negatively impact acne-prone skin. The company has tested different formulations, including those without these specific oils, and selected the current version based on its higher overall efficacy. While the Encapsulated Salicylic Acid (Liquid, Timed-Release, Wash-Off) is designed for rinse-off products, other water-soluble Salicylic Acid options like Complex Salicylic Acid (Powder, Water-Soluble) and ActiveRelease™ Salicylic Acid (Powder, Water-Soluble) are also available.

2. Coco-Dimethylamine as a Surfactant

The ingredient Coco-Dimethylamine (listed as Dimethyl Cocamine in the product's INCI name) in the encapsulated Salicylic Acid product functions as an emulsifier and helps encapsulate the active ingredients. When used as intended in the formulation, applying and leaving the product on the skin is not expected to cause issues related to this surfactant component. However, please note that the Encapsulated Salicylic Acid (Liquid, Timed-Release, Wash-Off) is specifically formulated for wash-off applications.

3. Efficacy of Ethyl Ascorbic Acid

Based on the company's evaluations, the efficacy of Ethyl Ascorbic Acid (3-O-ethyl ascorbic acid) has not consistently met expected levels compared to other forms of Vitamin C. Therefore, the company currently does not plan to offer it. The three types of Vitamin C that the company has found to have clearly noticeable efficacy are:

• L-Ascorbic Acid (available in Standard, Fine, and Ultra-Fine grades)
• Ascorbyl Glucoside (AA2G)
• Ascorbyl Tetraisopalmitate (Perfect-C™)

These forms are considered more effective for benefits such as skin brightening, reducing wrinkles, and antioxidant protection.