Are alcohol-based cosmetics good?

Most cosmetics contain alcohol, many are used in skin care, some make our skin more susceptible to dryness and irritation, and others help moisturize the skin. A lot of people who use skin care products are concerned about the alcohol content of the products. So is alcohol in cosmetics harmful?

To answer the question, what is alcohol in cosmetics and is alcohol-containing cosmetics good? First you need to know, in the ingredients of cosmetics, there are two types of alcohol used: denatured (Alcohol denat) and fatty alcohol. The two types of alcohol have different effects in facial care.
1.1 Denatured alcohol (Alcohol denat)
Denatured alcohol is a type of alcohol that is not good in skin care. These alcohols dehydrate your skin, creating a feeling of tightness and damage to the skin barrier, leaving skin dry and irritated.
List some denatured alcohols such as:
Ethyl alcohol: This is also known as ethanol or grain alcohol, according to the FDA. Denatured ethyl alcohol is the product that allows it to be used in cosmetics. Isopropyl Alcohol: Can be called more commonly as cleaning alcohol. It is found used on a wide variety of products, including nail, hair and skin care. They serve a variety of roles, including as an astringent, an antifoaming agent, and a solvent. Methyl Alcohol or Methanol: commonly found in your shower gel products. Benzyl Alcohol: An alcohol found naturally in fruit and tea. You often see it in soaps, cosmetics, detergents, and hair products. 1.2 Fatty alcohol
Fatty alcohol is also known as good alcohol in skin care. Contrary to the effects of denatured alcohols, fatty alcohols are not drying and do not cause skin irritation. This type helps to moisturize, protect, soften and smooth the skin. Fatty alcohols are used as ingredients in cosmetics such as: Cetearyl Alcohol, cetyl alcohol, Myristyl, Stearyl, butylene glycol, propanediol. You can find these in hair conditioners, foundation, eye makeup, moisturizers, and cleansers. These substances help moisturize the skin when used in the formula, they also prevent oils and liquids from separating.
When it comes to alcohol in cosmetics, it is referring to denatured alcohols, and in the presence of fatty alcohol without the presence of denatured alcohol, it is said to be alcohol-free cosmetics.

Manufacturers use denatured alcohol in cosmetic products with the main purpose such as:
Make cosmetic products lighter in texture, avoid clumping of ingredients in products. Used as a preservative in products, although not the main preservative. Make the ingredients in the moisturizer can penetrate deeper into the skin.

Alcohol in cosmetics is used by manufacturers for many purposes, for the skin it can bring little benefit and also bring many risks of harm.
Alcohol in cosmetics can help remove dirt on the skin more easily and dry out the oil, so it feels dry with a low concentration. However, when using a lot of alcohol-containing cosmetics, two high alcohol concentrations in that cosmetic can cause many disadvantages such as:
Although it can evaporate quickly when released into the environment, as soon as it is released into the environment. Just coming into contact with our skin creates a series of reactions to damage the body's protective barrier. Because alcohol breaks down the protective barrier on our skin, it is not good in the long run, because when the skin barrier is damaged, many ingredients can penetrate inside your body. As such, we are at risk of contamination with harmful chemicals in the product. For dry skin, alcohol is an aggravating agent for dry skin, making the skin more susceptible to irritation from external factors. In particular, if your skin is a sensitive skin type, the presence of alcohol is very bad, which can cause a skin rash when used. Therefore, always look at the ingredients before deciding to choose a product. It is thought that the use of this alcohol is beneficial for oily skin types, however it is beneficial when used in low amounts. If used for a long time, they can stimulate oil production in the sebaceous glands, so they end up having the opposite effect of increasing oil production on the skin. For acne-prone skin, it is thought that using alcohol on the skin, can disinfect, and reduce inflammation on the skin. However, because alcohol disrupts the skin's protective barrier, it can make acne worse.

Thus, a product containing alcohol is very bad for the skin if we use it for a long time and in high concentrations. Therefore, you need to carefully consider the ingredients in the product to know if the cosmetic contains alcohol or not?
Once you understand what alcohol in cosmetics is, you can consider and choose for yourself skin care products that are suitable for your current situation.
Refer to the website of Vinmec International General Hospital for more information to update yourself with knowledge about skin care and health appropriate for each age group.

Reference source: paulaschoice.com - everydayhealth.com