Salicylic Acid- Why Does It Leak?

February 22, 2024

Has Your Salicylic Acid Ever Leaked?

Last week, we got a note from a client who was upset that her Salicylic Acid had leaked in transit. And, let me tell you – this is not the first time we’ve received a note mentioning this….like, not by a long shot!

Here is an excerpt from her email:

“Every single time I order the Secret Agent, it leaks at least a little bit during transit. It’s usually not enough for me to bother you with, but I don’t know if there is a better way to package it, or perhaps get a stronger cap? Whenever I take it anywhere on a plane, it leaks as well. I always wrap it in paper towels and several zip lock bags to try to help, but inevitably, if I can’t keep the bottle upright, it will leak. ”

Yeah. we hear that. Salicylic Acid does have a propensity to leak out of containers. You should see how our chemist ships it to us! The jug’s screw top cap is tightly wrapped with multiple layers of super-sticky-hard-to-remove tape. Then the jug is placed in a thick plastic bag and then the entire thing is wrapped in multiple layers of bubble wrap with yet more super-sticky tape…and then plopped into a huge box with loads of packing peanuts AND external arrows pointing UP, in the vain hope that the handlers will see the UP arrows and not tip the boxes on their sides. Despite this elaborate packaging, the salicylic acid liquid still manages to escape. It is a battle we’ve faced for years. We chalk it up to doing business with a liquid that does not give one iota that it’s supposed to STAY inside a container.

Here is what Pamela has to say:
“We try so hard to make our salicylic acid not leak in transit to you. We insert an orifice reducer into the neck of the bottle, we place a foam liner into the screw top cap (changed the caps from flip top) and we send it in a plastic baggie so if it does leak, hopefully you can turn the baggie inside out and apply the leaked amount on your skin, so none of it is deemed unusable by our clients.

Salicylic acid likes to migrate – and therefore it will leak easily. We always overfill our bottles – so that if they leak – you will still get at least 4 oz of product. We send about 5 oz to be sure you get what you are paying for with us.

As for the airplane – changes in pressure will make the container leak – so I will often remove the cap, put a piece of plastic wrap under the cap and screw the cap back on tightly – and then put the bottle in 2 zip lock baggies. If it leaks, it is inside another baggie that I can turn inside out and use on my face – so not losing product.

I wish we had a better way of sending it in the mail. Salicylic is a charged particle and will travel/migrate.  We can’t control all the factors, unfortunately.”

So there you have it. In layman’s terms, salicylic acid is just a leaky solution. This is why you very rarely find salicylic acid for sale in a liquid form, as we have it. Most of the time, you will see it sold as a gel or a cream, which while less effective, also helps prevent leakage. We have considered moving to a gel form but then you’re adding more ingredients and the most effective form is in a liquid. So if your Salicylic Acid does leak in shipping, please know 2 things:

1/ We put it in a baggie so that if it does leak, you can still use the product