Salicylic acid (SA) is only effective against mild forms of acne. For ppl suffering from moderate to severe forms of acne, SA doesn't really help much and only dries up the skin. Contrary to what u posted, SA is not overlooked by many brands and instead it is very common in cleansers, astringents and moisturizers. Almost every brand that has an oil control/anti acne line will have a product containing SA. Getting the purest/strongest form of SA is dangerous and not to be taken lightly. That is why most brands only offer SA in 2% concentrations. Anything more and it will cause severe skin irritation. If u r looking for a good pure form of SA that is safe, try using an aspirin mask. It is purer in concentration den those available in most products and its cheap too. SA has been used in anti acne products for decades and that is why some brands are looking at other options instead of SA to combat acne.

Based on my personal experience, SA doesn't do much and stuff like benzoyl peroxide, retinol and tea tree oil are more effective.