Overview
What it is
Exfoliator with 8 ingredients that contains BHA
Cool Features
It is fungal acne (malassezia) safe and reef safe
Suited For
It has ingredients that are good for fighting acne, brightening skin, oily skin and reducing pores
Free From
It doesn't contain any common allergens, oils, parabens, silicones or sulfates
Fun facts
Oxy is from South Africa. This product is used in 17 routines created by our community.
We independently verify ingredients and our claims are backed by peer-reviewed research. Does this product need an update? Let us know.
About this product
Ingredients List
Dive into the full list of ingredients.
Salicylic Acid 2%
MaskingParfum
MaskingIsoceteth-20
EmulsifyingPEG-8/Smdi Copolymer
Water
Skin Conditioning
Active Ingredients:
Salicylic Acid 2%
Inactive Ingredients:
Parfum, Isoceteth-20, PEG-8/Smdi Copolymer, Water, Sd Alcohol 40, Triethanolamine, Trisodium EDTA
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Explained
Salicylic Acid (also known as beta hydroxy acid or BHA) is one of the most well-known ingredients for treating skin that struggles with blackheads and acne. It helps to exfoliate both the skin's surface and pores, and also acts as an anti-inflammatory agent.
This multitasking property makes it a great ingredient for cleaning out pores, controlling oil production, and reducing inflammation.
Unlike AHAs which are water soluble, Salicylic Acid is oil soluble. This means that it's able to exfoliate the inside of pores and reduce blackheads.
Concentrations of 0.5-2% are recognized by the U.S. FDA as an over-the-counter topical acne product.
It can cause irritation and/or dryness if one's skin already has a compromised moisture barrier, so it's best to focus on repairing that before introducing a Salicylic Acid into your routine.
In general, Salicylic Acid is a great ingredient for oily acne-prone skin.
While salicylic acid does not increase sun-sensitivity, we still recommend wearing SPF.
If you are looking for the ingredient called BHA or Butylated Hydroxyanisole, click here.
Learn more about Salicylic AcidParfum is a catch-all term for an ingredient or more that is used to give a scent to products.
Also called "fragrance", this ingredient can be a blend of hundreds of chemicals or plant oils. This means every product with "fragrance" or "parfum" in the ingredients list is a different mixture.
For instance, Habanolide is a proprietary trade name for a specific aroma chemical. When used as a fragrance ingredient in cosmetics, most aroma chemicals fall under the broad labeling category of “FRAGRANCE” or “PARFUM” according to EU and US regulations.
The term 'parfum' or 'fragrance' is not regulated in many countries. In many cases, it is up to the brand to define this term.
For instance, many brands choose to label themselves as "fragrance-free" because they are not using synthetic fragrances. However, their products may still contain ingredients such as essential oils that are considered a fragrance by INCI standards.
One example is Calendula flower extract. Calendula is an essential oil that still imparts a scent or 'fragrance'.
Depending on the blend, the ingredients in the mixture can cause allergies and sensitivities on the skin. Some ingredients that are known EU allergens include linalool and citronellol.
Parfum can also be used to mask or cover an unpleasant scent.
The bottom line is: not all fragrances/parfum/ingredients are created equally. If you are worried about fragrances, we recommend taking a closer look at an ingredient. And of course, we always recommend speaking with a professional.
Learn more about ParfumIsoceteth-20 comes from Isocetyl Alcohol. It is an emulsifier. Emulsifiers help stabilize a product. It does this by preventing certain ingredients from separating.
We don't have a description for PEG-8/Smdi Copolymer yet.
Water. It's the most common cosmetic ingredient of all. You'll usually see it at the top of ingredient lists, meaning that it makes up the largest part of the product.
So why is it so popular? Water most often acts as a solvent - this means that it helps dissolve other ingredients into the formulation.
You'll also recognize water as that liquid we all need to stay alive. If you see this, drink a glass of water. Stay hydrated!
Learn more about WaterSD Alcohol 40 is created by mixing ethanol with a denaturing agent. It is a preservative and astringent.
The 'SD' stands for 'specially denatured'. Denatured alcohol means the structure has been altered.
The 40 is a number given by the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms. This is in accordance to the method of how the alcohol was denatured.
This ingredient is a solvent alcohol.
Learn more about Sd Alcohol 40Triethanolamine is an emulsifier and pH adjuster. It is created using ethylene oxide and ammonia. This gives Triethanolamine a nitrogen core and a similar scent to ammonia.
As an emulsifier, it prevents ingredients from separating and enhances texture by adding volume to a product.
PH adjusters are common in cosmetic products. The pH of a product can affect the effectiveness of other ingredients. A product with a high pH may also irritate the skin.
Learn more about TriethanolamineWe don't have a description for Trisodium EDTA yet.
Reviews
Where it's from
Oxy is a South African brand
Often compared with
We're dedicated to providing you with the most up-to-date and science-backed ingredient info out there.
The data we've presented on this page has been verified by a member of the SkinSort Team.
Read more about us· Updated June 1, 2024 • Added by Nefarious