Shelf Pure
An unlabeled clear bottle beside a stack of cotton pads on a marble tray, generated illustration
Salicylic pads · #36 skin Generated scene, not a product photo
Stridex · Skin · Exfoliants

Stridex Maximum Strength Pads

Salicylic acid 2% on a textured pad, labeled by the maker as an acne medication and free of alcohol. The list does have fragrance, menthol and ammonium lauryl sulfate, and owners split on burn and dryness.

55 padsPadsSalicylic acidScented
No maker list price for this sizeAmazon price not shown
Check price on Amazon →

Amazon link · we earn a commission if you buy · No maker list price for this size · Amazon price not shown · verified Nov 1, 2026. More stores appear here as each affiliate program approves the site.

Buy it if

  • You want salicylic acid on a pad with no drying alcohol
  • You want a quick swipe after washing, the use the maker suggests
  • You want no bottle and no cotton

Walk past if

  • Your skin is dry or sensitive; owners report burning and flakes
  • You react to fragrance or menthol; both are on the list
  • You dislike residue; owners report a soapy film

What's in it

The ingredients that do the work, from the maker’s label.

Salicylic acidcontains sulfates

Salicylic acid guide →

Worth knowing: contains fragrance, contains sulfates.

Full ingredient list, from the maker

Active ingredient: Salicylic Acid 2.0% (w/w), acne medication. Inactive ingredients: ammonium lauryl sulfate, ammonium xylenesulfonate, citric acid, ethylhexlglycerin, fragrance, menthol, phenoxyethanol, purified water, simethicone, sodium borate, tetrasodium EDTA

Known issue

Owners report burning, red patches and dry flaky skin, and some say a newer formula feels soapy and leaves a film.Walmart and Target reviews

What owners say

Filled by the research pass: two or three owner reports from named venues, each linked, each with the date it was read.

If it's not right

Paula’s Choice Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant$37 MSRPTwo percent salicylic acid in a short-list, leave-on liquid, sold by the maker to unclog pores and control oil. It has a long record and a tacky finish some owners cannot stand.CeraVe Moisturizing CreamNo maker list price for this sizeThree ceramides, cholesterol, hyaluronic acid and petrolatum in a thick cream for face and body. The plain standard for dry skin, developed with dermatologists according to the maker.

Sources

  1. Maker page: active and inactive ingredients, directions, warnings, alcohol-free statement. It shows no price.
  2. Walmart reviews, 90-count of the same pads: burned skin and red patches, severe dryness and flakes, and a soapy film.
  3. Walmart reviews, 55-count: rashes and burning for one owner and a soapy new formula that needs rinsing for another.
  4. Target reviews, 55-count: rashes and a burning feeling for one owner and not very effective for another, many of them gathered by the maker.

Ingredient lists from the maker's label, not our measurements.