Alcohol

When 'alcohol ' is referred to in an ingredients list it typically means ethyl alcohol or ethanol.

Alcohol s are a large and diverse family of chemicals, with different names and a variety of effects on the skin. This can lead to some confusion among consumers when they check the ingredient listings on cosmetic labels to determine alcohol content. For many years cosmetic manufacturers have marketed certain cosmetic products that do not contain ethyl alcohol as alcohol free.

Some consumers select alcohol free products because they believe ethyl alcohol dries out their skin or hair.

Cosmetic products, including those labelled alcohol free may contain other alcohol s, such as cetyl, stearyl, cetearyl, or lanolin alcohol . These are known as fatty alcohol s, and their effects on the skin are quite different from those of ethyl alcohol .

Denatured or “SD” means that the alcohol s are processed so that they cannot be ingested.

Alcohol s are used in skincare as solvents, antiseptics, or degreasing agents. When found high on the ingredients list, they can be drying and irritating. However, if alcohol is found lower in the ingredients list, it may simply be acting as a degreasing agent, making for a better texture of the skin care formulation.