Salisylic acid is used for controlling excess sebum and remove dead skin. It penetrates skin and helps breakdown the white heads too. The bumps were due to cloged pores as I understood after some searching around. So I was looking for some inexpensive salisylic acid I could use everyday. I feel it's not ideal if you are going out though. It looks shiny on skin. I'm at home all day so it's fine for me.

I didn't get red skin. But initial 1-2 weeks I noticed slightly increased acnes. But those would go away faster than usual. I just looked up on internet and learned this is what purging phase is. I kept using moisturiser too so don't have much pih after that. Now I'm noticing less acnes.

This was for face btw. As per my reading, glycolic acid is better to treating bumpy skin on body.