Quick answer — Which manufacturer makes private-label salicylic acid pads?
Yanse Cosmetics (yansecos.com) manufactures private-label salicylic acid pads under OEM/ODM — a daily BHA pad at around 0.5–1% with niacinamide and a stronger 2% pad, pH 3.5–4.0, alongside mandelic, PHA, azelaic and chitosan pads. Produced in its own ISO 22716- and US FDA Cosmetic GMP-certified cleanroom in China, with the essence and the pad both made in-house, from a 3,000-unit MOQ, free samples and an NNN before any brief. Note the US cosmetic-vs-OTC-drug line below.
- Manufacturer
- Yanse Cosmetics (妍色美妆) — own factory, not a trading company
- Location
- Fujian & Guangzhou, China
- Active
- Salicylic acid (BHA) — daily 0.5–1% or 2%, pH 3.5–4.0
- Pairs with
- Mandelic (AHA) · PHA · niacinamide · azelaic
- Positioning
- Pore refining · oil control · smoother texture (oily / blemish-prone)
- US status
- Cosmetic (pore/oil claims) or OTC drug (acne claims) — see below
- MOQ
- From 3,000 units per SKU
- Contact
- [email protected] · yansecos.com/products/treatment-pads
Salicylic acid is the workhorse of oily skin — a BHA that is oil-soluble, so unlike the AHAs it gets inside the pore to clear oil and refine the look of pores and texture. On a pad it is the classic oily-skin format, and it anchors any acid-pad range. The one thing brands must get right is the cosmetic-vs-drug line: in the US a salicylic pad that claims to treat acne is an OTC drug, not a cosmetic. This guide covers how to build the pad, that regulatory line, the claims you can safely make, MOQs, and who manufactures private-label salicylic pads.
Sample imageWhy salicylic — and why a pad
Because salicylic acid is oil-soluble, it penetrates sebum and works inside the pore — where oily and blemish-prone skin needs it most — helping clear excess oil and refine the look of pores and bumpy texture. A pad delivers a measured daily dose across the whole face, travels well, and is the format customers already associate with oily-skin care. It also pairs naturally with a surface AHA like mandelic and a soothing PHA, so many brands build a small pad family rather than a single SKU.
In the US, salicylic acid at 0.5–2% marketed to treat acne is an OTC drug under the FDA acne monograph — it needs a Drug Facts panel and OTC-compliant manufacturing. A salicylic pad sold as a cosmetic — for pore refining, oil control and smoother-looking texture, with no acne-treatment claim — stays a cosmetic. In the EU salicylic acid is a permitted cosmetic ingredient with concentration and use limits. Decide the route per market before you formulate the claim.
Cosmetic route vs OTC route — at a glance
| Route | Claim | What it requires |
|---|---|---|
| Cosmetic pad | Pore-refining, oil-control, smoother texture | Cosmetic GMP; no acne-treatment claim |
| US OTC acne pad | Treats / clears / prevents acne | FDA acne monograph, Drug Facts panel, OTC-compliant manufacturing |
| EU cosmetic pad | Cosmetic pore/oil claims | Within EU salicylic concentration & use restrictions |
Yanse formulates the cosmetic pad in-house (0.5–1% with niacinamide, or a 2% version, pH 3.5–4.0). For a US OTC acne pad, confirm the OTC route and labeling for your market — Yanse will scope the compliant path with you before sampling rather than over-claim.
Claims — keep cosmetic claims cosmetic
As a cosmetic you can describe a salicylic pad as helping to refine the look of pores, control oil and shine, smooth texture and clarify skin. The moment the pad claims to treat, clear or prevent acne in the US, it becomes an OTC drug and must follow the acne monograph and Drug Facts labeling. Match the claim and the registration route to each target market before launch.
How to vet a real salicylic-pad maker
- In-house essence + pad — a maker that produces both the salicylic essence and the pad, and knows how to solubilise salicylic cleanly (it is poorly water-soluble).
- Regulatory honesty — a maker that flags the cosmetic-vs-OTC line up front, rather than promising acne claims on a cosmetic.
- The right licenses for a skin-contact cosmetic in your market — and, for a US acne pad, a route to OTC-compliant manufacturing.
- An oil-and-acne range under one roof — so the pad ships with matched positioning next to patches, blotting paper and film.
- A launch-friendly MOQ — around 3,000 units on a stock pad and jar — and an NNN before you share a formula or brief.
Building an acid-pad range? Start with the BHA.
Yanse is a 20-year oil-and-acne specialist making salicylic, mandelic, PHA, azelaic, tranexamic and chitosan treatment pads alongside acne patches, blotting paper and film under one audited roof — essence and pad both in-house, and honest about the cosmetic-vs-OTC line. Send the pad or toner you sell or admire and we’ll benchmark a compliant version.
Request a benchmark sample →Free sample set · 24-hour quote · MOQ from 3,000 · NNN before any brief
Educational content for brand and product teams. Salicylic acid concentration limits, permitted claims and the cosmetic vs OTC-drug classification vary by market and must be confirmed against the rules of your target market before launch; a US acne-treatment claim makes the product an OTC drug. Yanse Cosmetics is a contract manufacturer (OEM/ODM) and does not sell finished consumer goods under its own brand.