Salicylic Acid 2% + Niacinamide 3% Oil Control Serum
This assessment is based only on publicly available INCI, claims, and test evidence. It is not a full Clean Sheet certification. Full certification requires confidential formula review, exact concentrations, supplier documentation, manufacturing records, packaging compatibility, preservative efficacy, stability, and complete claim validation.
- Oily and acne prone skin
- Enlarged pores and uneven texture
- You have reactive or sensitised skin
Rs. 449 - Rs. 699 • Analysed 10 June 2026
Salicylic Acid is a first-line topical for acne and blackheads in high-humidity Indian climates where sebum overproduction is common year-round. The 2% concentration is the regulatory maximum for leave-on use under both Indian and EU cosmetic rules. Users with sensitive or eczema-prone skin should patch test for 72 hours before full application given Tea Tree Oil's sensitisation profile in leave-on products. Start with every-other-day use, building to daily if well tolerated. Do not layer with other BHA or AHA products in the same application step. Always apply a broad-spectrum SPF 50 the following morning as Salicylic Acid increases photosensitivity.
This is a web evidence review, not a Clean Sheet certification. We checked the ingredient list, publicly available test reports, marketing claims, and formula logic using only public information available at the time of review.
At a glance
What was checked
Each claim checked against publicly available evidence: published test reports, the ingredient list, and regulatory data.
Pilgrim explicitly states 2% Salicylic Acid on the product page.
Pilgrim explicitly states 3% Niacinamide on the product page.
No Parfum or added fragrance compounds appear in the published INCI.
Salicylic Acid at 2% has strong literature support for comedolytic activity, but no finished-product sebum control study or acne reduction trial is publicly available for this specific formula.
Score breakdown
Public Evidence Score across 5 pillars. Open any row for the full rationale.
Ingredient SafetyStrong25/30Clean allergen profile with a fragrance free formula.
There is no synthetic fragrance, no parabens, and no dyes. Salicylic Acid at 2% is the maximum allowed concentration for leave-on face products under both Indian and EU cosmetic regulations and is well-established for acne care. Tea Tree Leaf Oil (Melaleuca Alternifolia) is the ingredient that requires the most attention here. In a leave-on product applied daily, Tea Tree Oil can cause skin sensitisation reactions in some people, and the concern increases with oxidised oil where the terpene compounds that form on air exposure are the primary triggers. The concentration used is not disclosed by the brand, which makes it difficult for sensitive-skin or eczema-prone users to independently assess their personal exposure risk. A patch test of 72 hours before full application is strongly recommended.
Formula LogicStrong20/25Salicylic Acid at 2% is the globally recognised concentration for dissolving comedones and clearing inside pore walls, and the brand confirms this figure.
Salicylic Acid at 2% is the globally recognised concentration for dissolving comedones and clearing inside pore walls, and the brand confirms this figure. Niacinamide at 3% adds anti-inflammatory benefit and mild sebum regulation, though the strongest published evidence for sebum control sits in the 5 to 10 percent range, so at 3% its contribution here is primarily anti-inflammatory. Zinc PCA is a well-researched compound that helps control sebum and has mild antimicrobial properties. Tea Tree Oil adds an antimicrobial dimension but without a disclosed concentration it is not possible to confirm whether it is within a safe and effective range for daily leave-on use. Centella Asiatica supports barrier recovery after exfoliation. The formula pH is not published, which matters because Salicylic Acid efficacy is pH-dependent.
Claims EvidenceStrong19/25Good evidence for stated claims based on public information.
The full ingredient list is published on the brand product page. Salicylic Acid is confirmed at 2% and Niacinamide at 3%, which are honest and clear disclosures. Tea Tree Oil concentration is not disclosed. For a leave-on formula where this is a sensitisation-relevant ingredient, that is a meaningful transparency gap. Zinc PCA and Centella Asiatica concentrations are also not shared. The oil-control claim is mechanistically plausible given the actives present, but no finished-product sebum measurement study is publicly available. No clinical study data has been published for this formula.
Test TransparencyGrade CFair7/15The brand confirms two key active concentrations and publishes the full ingredient list.
The brand confirms two key active concentrations and publishes the full ingredient list. No lab test report, clinical study, or preservative efficacy test documentation is publicly accessible. The Tea Tree Oil concentration is undisclosed, which is a particular gap given its leave-on sensitisation profile. The formula pH, which critically determines Salicylic Acid potency, is also not published. This is the typical transparency position for Indian skincare brands at this price point.
Consumer ClarityStrong4/5Application instructions and frequency guidance are available.
Application instructions and frequency guidance are available. A note about increased sun sensitivity from Salicylic Acid use and the need for daily SPF is present in brand communications. A patch test recommendation for Tea Tree Oil, particularly for sensitive or eczema-prone skin, is not prominently stated on the product page, which is a gap for a formula where this guidance is most needed.
Ingredient list
16 ingredients · INCI order
| Ingredient |
|---|
Aqua |
Salicylic Acid |
Niacinamide |
Propanediol |
Glycerin |
Tea Tree Leaf Oil |
Zinc PCA |
Centella Asiatica Extract |
Show all 16 ingredientsShow fewer
Panthenol |
Allantoin |
Sodium Hyaluronate |
Hydroxyethylcellulose |
Carbomer |
Sodium Hydroxide |
Phenoxyethanol |
Ethylhexylglycerin |
INCI order as declared on packaging. Position reflects approximate concentration (high to low).
Regulatory screen
Each ingredient mapped against 10 global regulatory authorities
No obvious public red flag found
No obvious public red flag found
No obvious public red flag found
No obvious public red flag found
No obvious public red flag found
No obvious public red flag found
No obvious carcinogenicity flag found
No obvious public red flag found
Not triggered
Not triggered
Flags are based on publicly available INCI only. Not a substitute for full regulatory compliance review.
Claims check
Each marketing claim assessed against publicly available evidence
Pilgrim explicitly states 2% Salicylic Acid on the product page.
Evidence visible
Pilgrim explicitly states 3% Niacinamide on the product page.
Evidence visible
No Parfum or added fragrance compounds appear in the published INCI.
Evidence visible
Salicylic Acid at 2% has strong literature support for comedolytic activity, but no finished-product sebum control study or acne reduction trial is publicly available for this specific formula.
Mentioned only
What would improve this score
Public evidence the brand could provide to close verification gaps
- ○Tea Tree Leaf Oil concentration is not publicly stated. For a leave-on serum where this ingredient is present, the dose determines both efficacy and sensitisation risk, and consumers with reactive skin cannot assess their personal risk without it.
- ○Formula pH is not publicly disclosed. Salicylic Acid efficacy is pH-dependent, and the target pH of 3.0 to 4.0 is critical for the BHA to function as a cosmetic exfoliant rather than simply as an acidic humectant.
- ○No preservative efficacy test result is publicly accessible. Independent challenge testing would verify the preservation strategy is adequate for this water-based leave-on formula.
- ○No finished-product sebum control study or acne reduction clinical data is publicly available. Ingredient-level evidence for Salicylic Acid is well-established, but finished-product proof would substantiate the brand's oil-control claims.
This assessment is based only on publicly available INCI, claims, and test evidence. It is not a full Clean Sheet certification. Full certification requires confidential formula review, exact concentrations, supplier documentation, manufacturing records, packaging compatibility, preservative efficacy, stability, and complete claim validation.
Full methodology
- What global regulations say about each ingredient
- What toxicology evidence shows at cosmetic concentrations
- What formula concentration context changes
- What the product format and leave-on contact time changes
- What the stated user group needs
- What published test evidence confirms
- What the brand is claiming vs what evidence supports
