The answer depends on the organizations and committees of experts.
According to the definition of the World Health Organization (WHO), salicylic acid is not an endocrine disruptor.
Nevertheless, in 2017, a team of Danish researchers published a study attesting to the endocrine disrupting nature of salicylic acid. This compound would have moderate effects on testosterone depletion and anti-androgenic effects, as well as on spermatogenesis.
In an opinion published in September 2018, the European Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety (SCCS) concluded that salicylic acid is safe in a cosmetic product at the concentrations at which it is regulated.
For information, the European regulation on cosmetic products, in order to guarantee the safety of salicylic acid, it limits its concentration to 2% in non-rinse-off products, 3% in rinse-off products and 0.5% when introduced as a preservative. This ingredient is allowed in organic products.
Note that the SCCS specifies the following point: “This opinion does not apply to products that are administered orally, such as toothpastes and mouthwashes. Spray products that could result in consumer lung exposure through inhalation are also excluded.” Today, further investigations are underway into endocrine disrupting properties by the CSSC…
At Typology, we thus remain vigilant regarding the latest scientific publications on whether salicylic acid is dangerous or not, and European regulations on this ingredient.