10% Azelaic Acid Booster
Reviewed by SerumTruth Editorial · Price and formula checked July 2026
A well-built cosmetic azelaic that pairs it with a low dose of salicylic for a bit more surface work. It costs more than the bargain suspensions, and what you pay for is the smoother texture and the added acid. A tidy, tolerable pick for the look of a more even complexion.
- Azelaic Acid dosed at a clinical, high-end level
- Every active discloses its concentration
- Cheap to use, about $12 a month
- Evidence21 / 30
Strength of the research behind the key actives
- Azelaic Acid: moderate evidence
- Salicylic Acid: moderate evidence
The average of the key actives’ evidence grades.
- Potency24 / 25
Dosed at studied levels, not fairy-dusted
- Azelaic Acid (10%): dosed at a clinical, high-end level for its category
- Salicylic Acid (0.5%): dosed at a studied level
How strongly the actives are dosed, led by the strongest, not how many there are.
- Delivery & stability14 / 20
Delivery tech + packaging that protects fragile actives
- Delivery: standard
- Packaging: opaque tube
- No fragile actives here, so packaging barely moves the score.
Delivery tech plus packaging, and packaging only counts when actives are fragile.
- Formulation7 / 10
Disclosure, active breadth, and ingredient generation
- 2 of 2 actives disclose a concentration
- 2 key actives (breadth credit caps at 3)
- No current-generation or synergy bonus
Disclosure, active breadth, and current-generation or synergistic actives.
- Value14 / 15
What a month of use costs vs. the category
- About $12 per month to use
- $39 for 30 ml, used about once a day (about 0.3 ml each time), so a bottle lasts about 3.3 months
- Frequency is set by Salicylic Acid, which is used no more than 7x a week, so a bottle stretches further
What a month of use costs: full marks at $6 a month or less, the floor at $60 a month or more.
Tap any row to see how its score was built.
Ranks #5 of 26 exfoliating acids serums we have scored.
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What’s inside
| Active | Disclosed | Dose |
|---|---|---|
| Azelaic Acid | 10% | Clinical |
| Salicylic Acid | 0.5% | Studied |
10% azelaic acid with 0.5% salicylic acid and a little niacinamide, in an opaque squeeze tube. The azelaic targets the appearance of a clearer, more even complexion and the salicylic adds light surface exfoliation. It is a cream-gel you can mix into a moisturiser to soften the texture, and the opaque tube keeps air off a formula meant to stay stable.
How it’s delivered
Air- and light-sensitive actives (vitamin C, copper peptides) lose potency fast in the wrong packaging, so delivery and the bottle are scored, not just what’s on the label.
The actives, explained
What the research says
A 20% azelaic acid cream was linked to visibly fewer blemishes on blemish-prone skin over 2 months versus a non-active cream.
Clinical and laboratory studies on treatment with 20% azelaic acid cream for acne. Acta Dermato-Venereologica Supplementum, 1989. PubMed ↗
A 1.5% salicylic acid cream was linked to visibly clearer looking, blemish-prone skin after 4 weeks in an open clinical study.
Clinical evidence on the efficacy and safety of an antioxidant optimized 1.5% salicylic acid (SA) cream in the treatment of facial acne: an open, baseline-controlled clinical study. Skin Research and Technology, 2013. PubMed ↗
A study of the active, not this exact product. What matters for the score is whether this serum uses it at a comparable dose.
Higher-scoring alternatives
Same category, better SerumProof score. Worth a look before you buy.
Revision history
- July 11, 2026Price and formula rechecked
- July 10, 2026Review published
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Cosmetic information for general education, not medical advice. The SerumProof score reflects our reading of publicly available research and formulation disclosures. See how scoring works.