Not all alcohols are created equal when it comes to skincare. While simple alcohols are generally best avoided, some alcohols (particularly fatty alcohols) are actually beneficial for the skin.
There are two types of alcohol in skincare products – simple alcohol and fatty alcohol.
Simple alcohols are dehydrating and should only be used in the short term, while fatty alcohols create a moisturising effect.
Simple Alcohols
These are the ones that should raise a red flag if you spot them on an ingredients list. Simple alcohols – also known as volatile alcohols – are deeply dehydrating. Dehydration can trigger a domino effect in your skin that may lead to itchiness, sensitivity, dullness, sebum overproduction, fine lines, wrinkles and more.
Examples : Ethanol, Ethyl Alcohol, Denatured Alcohol, Methanol, Benzyl Alcohol, Methyl Alcohol, Isopropyl Alcohol and SD Alcohol
Denatured or ‘SD’ signifies that the alcohols are processed so they cannot be ingested.
Simple alcohols such as ethyl alcohol, methanol, ethanol, denatured alcohol, isopropyl alcohol, SD alcohol and benzyl alcohol are mostly used as antibacterials or as solvents that will improve a formula’s texture.
Skincare lines for oily or acne-prone skin use alcohol as an astringent, which is capable of absorbing excess oil and provide a refreshing, tightening sensation thought to be a sign that the product is doing its job.
However, what that sensation really tells you is that the product has stripped away all of your skin’s natural oils, both the excess you wanted to get rid of and the essential ones your skin needs to stay healthy, which can end up damaging your skin barrier.
Simple alcohols can make a product’s texture feel more lightweight, help other ingredients in the formula to penetrate skin better and act as preservatives. They also act as a vehicle to help dissolve ingredients that aren't water-soluble, as well as drive ingredients deeper into the skin.
While these can produce results in the short term, studies indicate that simple alcohols negatively impact your skin in the long term – they irritate your skin and disrupt its ability to renew itself.
Using these products as part of your daily routine can increase the amount of sebum your skin naturally produces to compensate for the dryness that alcohol is causing, and worsen conditions such as eczema and rosacea by exacerbating inflammation.
In the long run, they can enlarge pores and increase greasiness, so avoid products containing any type of alcohol if you have an oily skin type or acne-prone skin. Ethanol in toners can also be quite drying for sensitive skin types, so watch out for that, too. The higher the alcohol is on the ingredients list, the higher the concentration and the stronger it will be on the skin.
Sometimes bad alcohols aren't so terrible. They are acceptable when used in spot treatments since the goal is to dry up the infection, and alcohol can do that. They may also be used to decrease any surface oil before an esthetician applies a professional chemical peel to ensure the peel gets into the skin the deepest.
A 2003 study published in the Journal of Hospital Infection found that with regular exposure to alcohol-based products, cleansing becomes a damaging ordeal – skin is no longer able to keep water and cleansing agents from penetrating into it, thus further eroding the skin's barrier.
Fatty Alcohols
Fatty alcohols are compounds derived from certain natural waxes, plants and unrefined cereals that act as emulsifiers and emollients in some products.
These alcohols lend themselves to a lubricious, moisturising feel and give body to any skincare product, so if you find items such as cetyl, behenyl, stearyl or cetearyl alcohol on a product’s ingredient list, there’s nothing to fear. They help stabilise actives like salicylic acid, zinc oxide and hyaluronic acid, and prevent moisture loss in the skin.
The non-irritating nature of fatty acids makes them the perfect agent to not only blend oil- and water-based ingredients together but also to help produce a creamy, thicker texture that will feel luxurious on your skin.
In addition, the emollient powers of fatty acids help flatten the cells on the outer layer of your skin, improving its texture and making it feel smoother and softer to the touch.
These non-irritating fatty alcohols can provide multiple benefits for all skin types, but even more so for those looking for an extra moisturising boost. Fatty alcohols come from fatty acids, which are present in oils. These create a moisturising effect and help to thicken lotions and creams. They benefit our skin both short-term and long-term, especially for consumers prone to dry skin.
Some examples are....
Cetyl Alcohol : Extracted from coconut oil, it is an emollient that is included in skin care products to stabilize the formulations. It is a prime ingredient in moisturizers because it helps the moisturizer lock the moisture in the skin and form a protective barrier through which water cannot penetrate. Moreover, cetyl alcohol is also added to skin care products to alter their consistencies or to increase their foaming capacity.
Stearyl Alcohol : Like the former, stearyl alcohol is also derived from coconut oil. Because it is an emollient as well as an emulsifier, it can be substituted for cetyl alcohol to firm skin care formulations.
Cetearyl Alcohol : Cetearyl alcohol is an emulsifying wax that is used to soften thick formulas like skin ointments. Derived from natural oils and fats, it is very efficient in stabilizing skin care formulations because it imparts an emollient feel to the skin. It can be used in water-in-oil emulsions, oil-in-water emulsions and anhydrous formulations.
Lanolin Alcohol : Lanolin alcohol is derived from the sebaceous glands of sheep’s wool. This is the reason why it is often believed to be an allergen and sensitizing agent. However, it is an excellent emollient and its lower concentrations result in lower sensitivity rates. It is absolutely safe to use alcohols that are listed safe to be used. In fact, lower concentrations of low molecular weight alcohols do not irritate the skin or cause irritations. All you need to do is to control alcohol consumption, especially so if you are using skin care products that contain Vitamin A.
Propylene Glycol & Panthenol : Possess the ability to enhance a skincare product’s moisturising properties and operate as humectants, which allows the water to bind to the skin. Tocopherol also contains moisturizing properties as well as antioxidant properties
“Denatured,” means it contains an added property that makes it unsafe for consumption. You may see some skincare products with ingredients that are labeled denatured, such as SD alcohol, SD alcohol 23-A, SD alcohol 40, or SD Alcohol 4-B.
Alcohols are considered “drying” when they evaporate too quickly on the skin. This type of alcohol tends to have a chemical structure that has the fewest amounts of carbon atoms, which causes the rapid evaporation. Definitely not a plus for skin of any type.
Final Takeaway
Fatty alcohols aren't scary and are actually beneficial in skincare to help draw in and hold moisture, but simple alcohols are drying and damaging for most skin types, especially those with dry, sensitive skin, or rosacea.
That said, if you want to avoid adverse reactions, be sure to double-check the ingredients label before adding a new product to your skincare routine.
And please do me a little favor and share this post with others, for there's a good chance that it will help them with their skin.
No comments
Post a Comment