Can You Add Aspirin to Skin Cream?

Acetylsalicylic acid--aspirin--isn’t exactly the same drug as the salicylic acid so commonly used in acne and skin treatments, but both medications have similar effects when used topically. Mixing aspirin into your favorite skin cream may help reduce the redness and inflammation of acne, and the grainy texture of the dissolved aspirin also serves to exfoliate your skin. However, you’ll need to rinse your face after applying an aspirin mask, even if you wouldn’t normally rinse off the skin cream you’ve mixed in with the aspirin, as the aspirin may dry into a flaky mess.

Place four uncoated aspirin tablets in a small bowl. Wet your fingers, and sprinkle a few drops of water on the aspirin. The aspirin starts to dissolve.

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Rub the dissolving aspirin with your fingers to create a thick, grainy paste. If necessary, sprinkle a few more drops of water on the aspirin to further dissolve it.

Use a tongue depressor to thoroughly mix 2 tbsp. of skin cream into the aspirin paste 2. You can add up to 1 tbsp. of lukewarm water, if necessary, to thin the texture of the cream-paste mixture.

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Apply the aspirin-cream mixture to your face, per the skin cream’s usual directions, using caution to avoid contact with the eyes, nose and mouth. Leave in place for up to 15 minutes, and then rinse with lukewarm water.

Tips

If you tolerate the aspirin mask well, you can use up to six to eight tablets of aspirin total, instead of the four you started with.

Warnings

If you're allergic to aspirin, don't add it to your skin cream. If you're not sure whether or not you're allergic to aspirin, apply a dab of the aspirin paste to the skin of your arm, cover it with a small bandage, and check for signs of skin irritation after 24 hours.