You can use 99% Isopropanol, Glycerin, or Propylene Glycol as solvents, four parts solvent to 1 part SA. With Glycerin or Propylene Glycol, you can mix in the SA, and then heat in a shot glass to about 150F. Hold it at this temp for about 20 minutes, covered. Bubbles form in water at about 145F, so if you put the shot glass into a water bath, you can estimate the temp even if you don't have a thermometer. If you overheat and boil the water, the shot glass will eventually crack, so take it slow.

The problem with Salicylic Acid in Isopropanol is that SA will dissolve easily, but then recrystallize about 2 weeks later, and make whatever you put it in will feel very gritty. Also, you can't heat Isopropanol to any functional level because it evaporates so quickly.

I haven't tried dissolving SA in oil, but I suspect you would use more heat, above 212F but below the melting point of SA, which is 318F. You could try this in an oven, with a stainless steel measuring cup, covered. There probably is a specific temp' point where SA dissolves in oil and doesn't recrystallize --- you would have to experiment to find it. I didn't really answer your question, but I hope this info' is helpful. Four parts solvent to one part oil is a good place to start, but you may find three parts oil is enough.

Hello

Thanks for the reply.

I'm trying to avoid alcohol.

I tried dissolving the SA in grapeseed oil, I just drop a tiny bit of the powder and three drops of oil and basically stirred it a lot, I can't tell, but I think it dissolved? Or perhaps just gritty, I haven't tried touching it.

I don't know how much oil I would need in total. That's what I need to know.

Haven't looked into glycerin but the last time I just rubbed glycerin in my hands, it burned . . .