Journal of the Society of Cosmetic Scientists of Korea (대한화장품학회지)

Society of Cosmetic Scientists of Korea (대한화장품학회)
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Stabilization of Aqueous Salicylic Acid Solutions Utilizing Ionization and Cosolvent Effects

이온화 및 공용매 효과를 활용한 살리실산 수용액의 안정화

  • Received : 2026.01.29
  • Accepted : 2026.03.13
  • Published : 2026.03.30
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Abstract

Salicylic acid (SA) is widely used in cosmetics and pharmaceuticals to treat acne and exfoliate dead skin cells, but ensuring its stability is challenging due to its low water solubility and tendency to crystallize. In this study, we evaluated the physical stability of SA aqueous solutions by applying various pH adjusters (e.g., TEA, arginine) and polyols (e.g., DPG, TPG). The results demonstrated that the pH and precipitation stability of SA were significantly influenced by the type and concentration of pH adjusters. Furthermore, the addition of polyols delayed crystallization through a cosolvent effect, and the structural characteristics of polyols, such as effective chain length and hydroxyl group distribution, played a critical role in stabilization. These findings suggest the potential for stabilizing high-concentration SA formulations and provide valuable insights for the design of cosmetic formulations.

살리실산(salicylic acid, SA)은 화장품과 의약품에서 여드름 개선 및 각질 제거에 널리 사용되지만, 낮은 수용성과 결정화 문제로 인해 안정성 확보가 어렵다. 본 연구에서는 SA 수용액의 안정성을 개선하기 위해 다양한 pH 조절제(TEA, arginine 등)와 폴리올류(DPG, TPG 등)를 적용하여 물리적 안정성을 평가하였다. 연구 결과, SA는 pH 조절제 성분의 종류와 농도에 따라 pH 변화와 석출 안정성이 크게 달라졌다. 또한, 폴리올 첨가 시 공용매 효과를 통해 결정화가 지연되었으며, 폴리올의 구조적 특성(유효 사슬 길이, 하이드록실기 분포 등)이 안정화에 중요한 영향을 미쳤다. 이러한 결과는 고함량 SA의 안정화 가능성을 제시하며, 화장품 제형 설계에 유용한 기초 자료로 활용될 수 있다.

Keywords

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