Quick answer: Read a salicylic acid concentration within Korea’s 0.5% use limit for cosmetics, together with where the number is printed, the formula type, and the directions for use. That limit makes no distinction between rinse-off and leave-on formulas, and you can’t work out the amount from the ingredient list order. If stinging or redness keeps coming back, consider seeing a dermatologist before you change concentrations.
This guide covers what to read alongside the numbers on labels and product pages when you pick a new product that lists a salicylic acid concentration, or take a second look at one you already use. It does not decide which percentage suits which skin. It also does not cover how to plan an exfoliation schedule or how salicylic acid compares with other acids.
| Item | What’s documented |
|---|---|
| Use limit for cosmetics in Korea | 0.5% as salicylic acid · no distinction by formula type |
| Age-related prohibition | Products for infants and young children, or products labeled for use by children aged 13 and under (shampoo excepted) |
| Exception to ingredient list order | Ingredients used at 1% or less, fragrances, and colorants may be listed in any order |
| Legal basis | Annex 2 of the Regulation on Safety Standards, etc. of Cosmetics · Article 19(7) and Annex 4 of the Enforcement Rule of the Cosmetics Act |
| Date the original text was checked | September 11, 2026 |
The use limit above is the formulation cap written in the table of ingredients that require restrictions on use. It is a separate provision from the content criteria in Korea’s functional cosmetics review related to acne, and SKIN9HARI has no product that has completed that functional cosmetics report.
How much salicylic acid is allowed in Korean cosmetics?
In Korea, the use limit for salicylic acid and its salts in cosmetics is 0.5%, calculated as salicylic acid (see Annex 2 of the Regulation on Safety Standards, etc. of Cosmetics). Annex 2 is the table that collects ingredients requiring restrictions on use, and salicylic acid appears in its preservative section. The same row also lists an age-related prohibition.
Salicylic acid and its salts — 0.5% as salicylic acid — Prohibited in baby products, or in products specifically labeled as usable by children aged 13 and under (except shampoo).
Our translation of the corresponding row in Annex 2 of the Regulation on Safety Standards, etc. of Cosmetics (original in Korean), checked September 11, 2026.
Online, you will often see numbers split by formula type, such as 2% for rinse-off products and 0.5% for leave-on products. The original text of Annex 2 that we read directly has no such distinction by formula type. When you compare BHA concentrations, first check which system a number belongs to.
| Number you often see | Which system it comes from | Does it apply to Korean cosmetic labels as is? |
|---|---|---|
| 0.5% | The use limit in Annex 2 of Korea’s cosmetics safety standards | Yes |
| 0.5–2% | The range in the US nonprescription (OTC) drug monograph (OTC Monograph M006) | No. The product category and legal system are different |
| 2% for rinse-off · 0.5% for leave-on | Online descriptions that don’t cite a source provision | No. The original text of Annex 2 has no distinction by formula type |
The US 0.5–2% is a range within the nonprescription drug system, not the cosmetics system (see OTC Monograph M006). Reading it as the formulation cap for Korean cosmetics gets the facts wrong.
First check which system’s standard a number comes from.
Why does the ingredient list name salicylic acid but not its concentration?
As a rule, a full ingredient list on a Korean cosmetic names ingredients from the largest amount to the smallest. However, ingredients used at 1% or less, fragrances, and colorants may be listed in any order (see this explainer on Article 19(7) and Annex 4 of the Enforcement Rule of the Cosmetics Act).
Ingredients shall be listed in descending order of the amount used in manufacturing the cosmetic. However, ingredients used at 1 percent or less, fragrances, or colorants may be listed regardless of order.
Our translation of the provision in Annex 4, 3(b) of the Enforcement Rule of the Cosmetics Act (original in Korean), checked September 11, 2026.
Because Korea’s limit for salicylic acid is 0.5%, it always falls in this 1%-or-less range. So whether its name appears near the front or the back of the ingredient list, you can’t work out the salicylic acid concentration from its position. For the same reason, you can’t conclude that it is present in a smaller amount just because its name is near the end.
There is a separate place to confirm an ingredient amount. The full ingredient list tells you that an ingredient is in the product, and the salicylic acid amount can be confirmed only when the manufacturer states it separately on the product page or the container. These two places are not the same kind of evidence, so record them separately when you move them into a table.
For more detail, see PDRN Ampoule vs. Serum: How to Compare Labeling, Ingredients, and Routine Order
So what do you read a salicylic acid concentration together with?
1. First write down where the number is printed
When you copy down a stated amount, note in the same row where you saw that number. The ingredient list, a notice on the product page, and the container labeling are each different sources. If the number doesn’t appear in any of them, leave that cell blank.
2. Write the formula type and the manufacturer’s directions in the same row
In the cells next to the amount, write whether the product is rinse-off or leave-on, how often the manufacturer says to use it, and what its cautions for use are. The limit makes no distinction by formula type, but how a product tells you to use it differs from product to product.
3. Leave unconfirmed cells blank
Don’t fill in information that isn’t public by guessing. Many blank cells don’t mean the product is bad; they show that what you have confirmed so far stops there.
Fill in one row of the table below for each candidate. Don’t assign scores or rankings.
| What you’re checking (product name) | Stated amount | Where the amount is printed | Formula type | How often the manufacturer says to use it | Date checked | Information not yet confirmed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Candidate 1 | ||||||
| Candidate 2 | ||||||
| Candidate 3 |
Filling in the same columns for each candidate, one cell at a time.
When should you consider seeing a dermatologist?
- Stinging or a burning feeling doesn’t settle down after use.
- A red area spreads quickly, or blemishes suddenly increase.
- Painful nodules or oozing spots appear.
- Pitted scars, not just marks, start to form.
- Stinging gets in the way of daily life, such as washing your face or going out.
You don’t need to finish filling in the table before getting care. If you notice the signs above, switching products or adjusting the concentration can wait.
Signs you can watch at home are different from signs that need medical care.
Can products for children contain salicylic acid?
Salicylic acid may not be used in baby products, or in products specifically labeled as usable by children aged 13 and under. Shampoo is excluded from this prohibition (see Annex 2 of the Regulation on Safety Standards, etc. of Cosmetics). Whether a product falls under this condition depends on the age labeling on the product, so this guide does not judge individual products.
How to choose SKIN9HARI products for this concern
This is a brand guide run by SKIN9HARI. When you practice moving the numbers on a label into the table above, you can set two of our own products whose formulated amounts have been confirmed side by side under the same columns. The amounts below come from formulation amounts the brand has published and from the original full ingredient list; they are not copied from container labeling, and they are not finished-product study data.
| Product | Confirmed facts | How to decide for this concern |
|---|---|---|
| Revive Therapy A.C Cleanser · 150 mL (5.07 fl oz) / $18.90 | Formulated with 0.5% salicylic acid (BHA). This is a formulation amount published by the brand; the ingredient list itself shows no number. Mildly alkaline foam cleanser, rinse-off formula. Checked September 1, 2026 | When you want to write a rinse-off product’s amount and where that number appears in the same cell |
| Revive Therapy N.F Toner · 150 mL (5.07 fl oz) / $29.40 | Formulated with 0.02% salicylic acid. This figure was confirmed in the original full ingredient list. pH 5.5–6.5 (mildly acidic), leave-on formula. Checked July 27, 2026 | When you want to confirm in one row that the same ingredient is formulated at different amounts in different products |
| Directions for use | Revive Therapy A.C Cleanser | Revive Therapy N.F Toner |
|---|---|---|
| Step in the routine | Cleansing, the first step of skincare | After cleansing, before moisturizing products |
| Directions | Wet your hands and face well with lukewarm water. Dispense a suitable amount and work up a rich lather with your hands or a foaming net. Gently wash your face with the lather, then rinse thoroughly with lukewarm water. | After cleansing, dispense a suitable amount onto your palm or a cotton pad. Smooth it gently over your skin following its texture, or press it in lightly with your palms. Follow with the moisturizing products your skin needs that day. |
| Check before use | Do not rub the foaming net directly on your face. Formulated with salicylic acid and AHA and PHA ingredients. When using other exfoliating cosmetics at the same time, adjust how much and how often you use the cleanser to how your skin responds. Avoid the eye area and broken skin, and if it gets in your eyes, rinse immediately. If any abnormal reaction appears, stop use, and when using it with a prescription medication, follow your clinician and the medication’s instructions first. | Contains 3.0% ethanol, fragrance, and 0.02% salicylic acid. When using it with other exfoliating products, watch how your skin responds, and avoid the eye area and broken skin. If red spots, swelling, itching, or any other abnormal reaction appears, stop use and consult a specialist. |
| Source | Product detail page, checked October 1, 2026 | Product detail page, checked October 1, 2026 |
The two numbers belong to different products, so don’t mix them in one sentence. A published formulation amount means you can check that number; it does not mean the finished product’s results have been confirmed. This guide does not cite finished-product study data that verifies the formulation amounts themselves, and it did not check whether the amounts appear on the current container labeling.
If stinging keeps coming back or you have painful blemishes right now, consider getting care before choosing one more product with a different concentration. The information above reflects public descriptions as of the dates checked and may not apply the same way to every skin type.
Related guides
FAQ
What percentage of salicylic acid should I buy?
There isn’t a single number to go by. The use limit for cosmetics in Korea is 0.5%, and within that limit, each product has a different formulated amount and different directions. Write down the stated amount, where that number is printed, the formula type, and how often to use it, then compare.
Why doesn’t the ingredient list show how much salicylic acid is in a product?
A full ingredient list names ingredients from the largest amount to the smallest, but ingredients used at 1% or less may be listed in any order. Because Korea’s limit for salicylic acid is 0.5%, it always falls in this range. The number can be confirmed only when it is stated separately on the product page or the container.
How often should you use a BHA?
Concentration alone doesn’t decide it. Korea’s use limit makes no distinction by formula type, so look at whether the product is rinse-off or leave-on together with how often the manufacturer says to use it, and follow that. If stinging or redness keeps coming back, don’t use it more often.
Is the salicylic acid in a foam cleanser the same concentration as in a toner?
The ingredient name is the same, but the formulated amount and directions differ from product to product. Among SKIN9HARI products, the cleanser contains 0.5%. The toner contains the same ingredient at a different amount, 0.02%. Don’t read the two numbers as if they were values for one product.
Is a 2% salicylic acid product stronger than a 0.5% product sold in Korea?
The two numbers aren’t based on the same standard. 0.5–2% is the range in the US nonprescription drug monograph, while the use limit for cosmetics in Korea is 0.5%. Because the product categories and legal systems differ, you can’t compare the two numbers side by side.
What are the risks of salicylic acid?
This guide does not assess the risks themselves. Korean regulations classify salicylic acid as an ingredient that requires restrictions on use, setting a use limit of 0.5% and prohibiting its use in baby products and in products labeled for children aged 13 and under (shampoo excepted).
Why do Korean BHA products only go up to 0.5%? Is it because anything higher is too irritating?
0.5% is the use limit set for salicylic acid in cosmetics in Korea. This guide did not confirm the reason for the limit, so it doesn’t draw a conclusion about it. All it confirms is that this is a separate provision from the content criteria in Korea’s functional cosmetics review related to acne.
I’ve seen 2% salicylic acid foam cleansers. Can rinse-off products go up to 2%?
The use limit in Annex 2 of Korea’s cosmetics safety standards is 0.5% as salicylic acid, and it sets no separate number for rinse-off formulas. “2% for rinse-off products” is an online description that doesn’t cite a source provision. This guide does not judge which category an individual product falls into.
When should you see a dermatologist while using a product with a stated salicylic acid concentration?
Consider getting care if stinging or redness doesn’t settle down, or if painful blemishes, oozing, or pitted scars appear. You don’t have to finish filling in the table before you go.
In one sentence
A salicylic acid concentration becomes meaningful when, within Korea’s 0.5% use limit, you write the stated amount, where that number is printed, the formula type, the manufacturer’s directions, and the date checked in the same row and compare.
Sources
- Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (Korea). Regulation on Safety Standards, etc. of Cosmetics, Annex 2 — Ingredients requiring restrictions on use. In Korean, checked September 11, 2026.
- Ministry of Government Legislation (Korea), Easy-to-Find Legal Information. Cosmetics labeling — order of the full ingredient list. In Korean, checked September 11, 2026.
- Korea Law Information Center. Enforcement Rule of the Cosmetics Act, Annex 4 — Labeling standards and methods for cosmetic packaging. Amended February 7, 2025; in Korean, checked September 11, 2026.
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration. OTC Monograph M006 — Topical Acne Drug Products for Over-the-Counter Human Use. 2021, checked September 11, 2026.
- American Academy of Dermatology. Acne: Topical therapies. Clinical guideline, checked September 11, 2026.
- SKIN9HARI. Revive Therapy A.C Cleanser product page. Published brand information.
- SKIN9HARI. Revive Therapy N.F Toner product page. Published brand information.
This guide is general skincare information, not medical advice. SKIN9HARI products are cosmetics and are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. If a skin problem is painful, spreading, or persistent, see a dermatologist.