In this article:
Bad vs. good alcohol in cosmetic formulas
How alcohol damages skin and makes breakouts worse
Final thoughts
With how much misleading information there is online in regard to alcohol in skin care, it’s easy to see why some people believe it really isn’t all that bad for skin. However, the research (and we mean a lot of research) makes it perfectly clear: alcohol as a main ingredient in any skin care product is a problem.
We know we can’t convince everyone, but we hope the latest research, and, if you’ll pardon the pun, sobering facts about alcohol-based products, will help you put down the bottle if alcohol is lurking at the top of the ingredient list (we know, another pun, but we couldn’t help ourselves).
But first let us dive into alcohol in skin care and clarify what kind of alcohol we want you to avoid.
Bad vs. good alcohol in cosmetic formulas
When we express concern about the presence of alcohol in skin care or makeup products, we’re referring to damaging alcohols that you’ll most often see listed on an ingredient label as SD alcohol, denatured alcohol, or, less often, isopropyl alcohol. These types of volatile alcohols give products a quick-drying finish, immediately degrease and feel weightless on skin, so it’s easy to see their appeal, especially for those with oily skin. But these short-term benefits end up with negative long-term consequences.
Research has clearly shown that applying damaging alcohols to skin causes irritation, lipid depletion and free radical damage that generates inflammation throughout skin (1). This inflammation, which you won’t see or feel, stimulates neuropeptides found in the sebaceous (oil) glands which in turn increases oil production (2,3). It also triggers androgen hormones found around the base of the pore to stimulate the oil gland to make more oil (4,5,6). This chain reaction of inflammation explains why and how alcohol (or anything that inflames the skin) makes oily skin worse, not better.
Just to be 100% clear, there are other types of alcohols, known as fatty alcohols, which are non-irritating and can be exceptionally beneficial for skin. Examples you’ll see on ingredient labels include cetyl, stearyl and cetearyl alcohol. These fatty alcohols are good ingredients for dry skin, and in small amounts fine for any skin type as they give a pleasing texture and help keep ingredients stable in products. It’s important to discern these skin-friendly forms of alcohol from the problematic types of alcohol.
Likewise, you may have heard that alcohol is a good ingredient because it helps other ingredients, like retinol and vitamin C, absorb into skin more effectively. Although it’s true that it does enhance absorption of ingredients, the alcohol also destroys skin’s surface and the very substances that keep your skin healthy over the long term. There are certainly other, gentler ways to get good ingredients into skin, without damaging its outer layer, an issue that causes more problems than benefits.
How alcohol damages skin and makes breakouts worse
If your skin is oily or blemish-prone, it can be tempting to use alcohol-based products due to the immediate matte finish they provide, essentially de-greasing "oil slick” skin. Don’t do this!
The irony of using alcohol-based products to control oily skin is that the damage from alcohol can lead to an increase in oil, bumps and visibly enlarged pores. Countless studies have linked the androgen activity that irritating forms of alcohol prompts to increased oil production and blemishes (7).
The immediate de-greasing effect that SD alcohol, denatured alcohol and isopropyl alcohol can have is eventually counteracted, prompting your oily skin to look even more shiny. Talk about spinning your wheels!
Final thoughts
The research is clear: Alcohol harms your skin’s protective surface, depletes vital substances needed for healthy skin and makes oily skin worse (8,9). To put it simply, it’s pro-ageing (10). Given the hundreds of skin-friendly alternatives that are available, it’s a no-brainer to abstain from products front-loaded with skin damaging forms of alcohol.
The sole exception to alcohol use on skin is in the case of hand sanitisers. Such products require at least 60% alcohol (ethanol) in order to most effectively kill illness-causing viruses and germs. Soap and water are preferred for hand hygiene throughout the day, but in the absence of convenient access to this method, using a hand sanitiser is the next best thing. The exposure to alcohol isn’t ideal, but unlike alcohol in facial skin care, alcohol-based hand sanitisers serve a necessary health-protecting purpose (11,12).
Having trouble identifying whether the alcohol in your skin care is the good or bad kind? Use our Beautypedia Skin Care Ingredient Checker to help you analyse products’ ingredient lists and determine whether an ingredient is beneficial or sensitising based on the evaluation of scientific research.
Learn more about skin care ingredients.
References for this information:
- International Journal of Cosmetic Science, April 2017, pages 188-196
- Biological Reviews, June 2020, pages 592-624
- Experimental Dermatology, October 2009, pages 821-832
- Frontiers in Immunology, November 2022, ePublication
- Indian Journal of Dermatology, Venereology and Leprology, August 2022, pages 590-597
- Dermato Endocrinology, May-June 2009, pages 136-140
- Cells, June 2021, ePublication
- Toxicology and Applied Pharmacology, November 2014, pages 109-117
- International Journal of Cosmetic Science, April 2017, pages 188-196
- Drug Design, Development and Therapy, November 2015, pages 6,225-6,233
- Journal of Investigative Dermatology, October 2018, pages 2,234-2,243
- Biochimica et Biophysica Acta, May 2012, pages 1,410-1,419
