Alcohol is the most controversial ingredient in skincare. You might have heard that it irritates the skin, speeds the aging process, and creates hyperpigmentation. There are two primary reasons that alcohol is used in skincare products. Firstly, alcohol makes a thick skincare product feel almost weightless, pleasant, and aesthetic. The second reason is alcohol helps ingredients penetrate into the skin more effectively Eg Retinol and Vitamin C.
Types of Alcohol
Simple Alcohol
Eg., Ethanol and Propanol
It is used for healing bacteria as it has antibacterial properties.
Fatty Alcohol
Eg., Cetyl Alcohol and Stearyl Alcohol
Fatty alcohols are used as emollients and thickeners in skincare products.
Aromatic Alcohol
Eg., Benzyl Alcohol
It has fragrance properties. It will irritate the skin barrier in the long run.
Now let us see good and bad alcohols:
Bad alcohol immediately harms the skin and starts a chain reaction of damage that continues long after it has evaporated. It can strip the moisture and dry out the skin over a period of time, it is best avoided.
And my thoughts, Alcohol is used as a preservative in skincare products. There are hundreds of skin-friendly ingredients available. So it is better to avoid the bad alcohol in skincare products.
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