WS SA50™ for Hair Care: An Easy Way to Create Salicylic Acid Haircare Formulations

Salicylic Acid and Its Formulation Challenges

Salicylic acid is a beta-hydroxy acid (BHA) that exfoliates, removes dead skin cells and helps regulate oil production on the scalp. It is widely used against dandruff, seborrheic dermatitis and psoriasis.

It is also hard to formulate. Salicylic acid is crystalline and dissolves poorly in water (0.2g/100ml at 20°C), so stable water-based products are difficult to make. Formulators often turn to alcohol to dissolve it, but alcohol dries and irritates the scalp and works against the product's purpose. Combining salicylic acid with other actives can also cause irritation or visible crystallization.

Tagra's Solution: WS SA50™

WS SA50™ (INCI: Salicylic Acid, Sodium Polyacrylate) is a water-soluble, dry white powder containing 50% salicylic acid (w/w). It reaches a solubility of 5g/100ml, compared with 0.2g/100ml for free salicylic acid, without high-energy processing.

How Do We Know It Works?

In a 28-day study, Tagra's Anti-Dandruff 4% WS SA50™ Serum acted as a scalp reliever. Volunteers saw a 51.1% decrease in dandruff particles and a 54.9% decrease in the total area of dandruff.

How to Formulate with WS SA50™

WS SA50™ suits shampoos, conditioners, serums, solid and powder hair products, aerosols, cleansers, skincare and sun care. Formulas reach a pH of 3–5 with no organic solvents needed to dissolve the salicylic acid, and there is no risk of crystallization. Add it to the water phase at room temperature (or up to 80°C if needed) with a simple paddle mixer or homogenizer until fully dissolved.

See the starting formula: Scalp Reliever: Anti-Dandruff 4% WS SA50™ Serum.