Traditional salicylic acid holds a captivating duality in the realm of personal care products. On one side, it carries a taboo due to its association with chemical exfoliation and the potential for skin sensitivity, where now the market is trending and prioritizing gentler forms of skin care. However, it also holds an allure due to its efficacious properties in fighting acne, controlling excess oil production, and promoting smoother skin. Yet, despite the safety testing and efficacious benefits, salicylic acid holds strict regulations depending on the country of residence.

In the United States, skin care and dermatology products often boast higher percentages of salicylic acid. Contrastingly, in Europe, there’s a deep-rooted cultural bias against salicylic acid. Stemming from its historical use as a cheap wine adulterant in the 1800s, this stigma has lingered, leading to minimal promotion of the ingredient in personal care. Meanwhile, in Asian markets, while salicylic acid itself isn’t a major concern, there’s a strong emphasis on ensuring no undeclared ingredients or carry-overs, as the market adheres to stringent regulations. As a global company, Active Concepts saw an opportunity to resolve the global unrest over salicylic acid and constructed an alternative, without compromising the beloved and traditional efficacious benefits, by utilizing organic acids found in sugar beets and prunes.

The limelight is now being casted on benzoic acid naturally found in prunes and succinic acid naturally found in sugar beets. Partnering with a family-owned farm in Northern Ohio, our sugar beets come from a supplier that prioritizes regenerative farming and has the director curate employee-specific regenerative-grown vegetable boxes in an effort to support healthier lifestyles. Moving out West, our prunes are also sourced from a family-owned farm in California that has been around since 1916. Practicing organic farming before “organic” was a household term, this farm also sponsors local educational scholarships aimed at empowering young people in the agricultural field.

Benzoic acid shares some similarities with salicylic acid in its lipophilic nature, allowing it to remove intercellular lipids for successful exfoliation. However, it also possesses distinctive properties such antimicrobial and antifungal benefits, making it particularly effective in combating acne and other skin infections. Succinic acid’s popularity is emerging in the personal care space, and for good reasons. Unlike salicylic acid, which primarily focuses on exfoliation, succinic acid’s anti-inflammatory properties make it suitable for sensitive skin types and is known to promote collagen synthesis.

This unique combination of organic acids sustainably derived from farm-level sourced sugar beets and prunes provides formulators and skin care enthusiasts an expansion of options and the ability to tailor treatments for individual needs. An opportunity for innovation and next generation skin care, ACB Sal-Vation achieves optimal results while minimizing the hassle that comes with regulations and potential skin irritant side effects. Embrace the combination of “salicylic” and “innovation”!


About Active Concepts

Harnessing cutting-edge technological advances allows Active Concepts to create novel cosmetic bioactives for brand differentiation. Active Concepts delivers a competitive edge in innovation and sustainable business initiatives, providing the personal care and cosmetic industry with value-added raw materials and unmatched customer service.

Discover more at www.activeconceptsllc.com

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