Long before clean or natural beauty became trendy, beauty junkies were already wary of alcohol in skincare products because they believed alcohol would dry out skin and cause sensitivity. On the other hand, those with oily and blemished skin believed products with alcohol could help mattify and clarify their complexions. Are either of these views correct? The truth is that it’s easy to generalise that “alcohol is bad for skin”. However, there’s a lot more behind the use of alcohol in skincare products. To give you a more informed view, we spoke with Founder of IDS Clinic, Dr SK Tan, for an expert’s view.
By definition, in organic chemistry, an alcohol is an organic compound with a hydroxyl (OH) functional group on an aliphatic (non-aromatic) carbon atom.
The “bad reputation” that alcohol has, when applied to cosmetics or topical skincare, refers to ‘denatured alcohol’ or ‘specially denatured’ (SD) alcohol—it has a drying effect on the skin which may be appreciated by those with oily skin. However, the effects are short-lived and there may be long-term negative consequences. When high concentrations of alcohol or SD alcohol are used in the formulation of skincare products, this ingredient can cause drying and irritation. It may also cause erosion of the skin’s surface layer, leading to a weakened skin barrier.
Other types of alcohol to know include Cetyl Alcohol, Searyl Alcohol and Cetearyl Alcohol. These are “good” ingredients, and, in small amounts, are suitable for inclusion in skincare products as they enhance the texture and ‘feel’ of the product and help keep ingredients stable. Propylene Glycol and Polypropylene Glycol fall into another category of alcohol. Both have the ability to attract water and function as a humectant and are commonly found in moisturisers to enhance the appearance of skin by reducing flaking and restoring suppleness.
Propylene Glycol is one of the most widely used ingredients in cosmetics and personal care products where it is also used to lower the viscosity of products. It is used in many types of cosmetic formulations including facial cleansers, moisturisers, bath soaps, shampoos and conditioners, deodorants, shaving preparations, and fragrances, the list goes on. It is also used as an inactive ingredient in many oral and injectable drugs, and is safe enough that the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has allowed its use at levels as high as 98 per cent in topical drugs and 92 per cent in oral solutions! Other ingredients in this group include Butylene Glycol and Pentylene Glycol which have hygroscopic features, or in other words, they absorb water, retain it and improve skin’s moisture levels.
Mention should also be made of a commonly used ingredient, which is ‘alcohol-related’—Polyethylene Glycols (PEGs). These are petroleum-based compounds that are widely used as thickeners, solvents, softeners, and moisture-carriers. PEGs are commonly used as cosmetic cream bases and have been deemed to be ‘GRAS’ (short for ‘Generally Regarded As Safe’) by the FDA.
The answer is no. As mentioned previously, when high concentrations of denatured alcohol or SD alcohol are used in the formulation of skincare products, it brings about drying and irritation, and may also cause erosion of the skin’s surface layer, causing weakened skin barrier. This applies to all skin types.
These individuals probably feel that the ‘degreasing’ effect of alcohol is helping acne. However, alcohol has NOT been shown to be effective in treating acne.
Astringent is a general term for any ingredient or product which causes the skin or other tissues to ‘tighten’, alcohol being one of them. Alcohol used for this function is generally bad as the effect is temporary and may cause long-term damage to the skin. Witch hazel is commonly used as an astringent – it gives a similar effect to alcohol but, when used in the appropriate concentration, will not cause the same side effects as alcohol.
As some alcohols are useful in formulations, it is probably not possible to have a completely alcohol-free product. Products that claim to be ‘alcohol-free’ usually just mean that the ‘harmful’ alcohols such as denatured alcohol and SD alcohol are not used.
That alcohol is bad for the skin and not understanding that there are different types of alcohols, some of which are necessary for good skincare formulations and may even be beneficial for the skin.
Text: Lynnett Yip, CLEO / Additional reporting: Zoe Zeng and Yuen Yi Ying
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