Alcohol

What it is

When an ingredient list says simply 'Alcohol', it means ethanol that has not been denatured. Chemically it is identical to the alcohol in wine or spirits, and in the EU it is usually produced by fermenting sugar beet, grain or sugar cane. Cosmetic chemists use it for the same reasons as Alcohol Denat. and, above roughly 15-20%, it also helps hold down microbial growth, which is why some low-preservative toners lean on it. It is not the same as 'fatty alcohols' such as Cetyl Alcohol or Cetearyl Alcohol, which are waxy, non-drying and behave completely differently.

What it does well

• Acts as a solvent and helps other ingredients spread and absorb

  Ethanol dissolves many actives that water will not carry and reduces the surface tension of a formula, so it spreads thinly and evenly.

  Strong evidence

• Contributes to preservation at higher levels

  At roughly 15-20% and above, ethanol lowers the water available to microbes and supports the preservative system. Below that it has little antimicrobial value on its own.

  Moderate evidence

Worth knowing

• Drying and stinging on compromised skin

  Ethanol evaporates rapidly and can leave dry or sensitised skin feeling tight. On broken, freshly exfoliated or shaved skin it stings noticeably.

  Matters most toPeople with dry, sensitive or eczema-prone skin, and anyone applying it after acids, retinoids or shaving.

• The IARC classification refers to drinking alcohol, not skincare

  Alcoholic beverages and ethanol consumed in them are classified by IARC as carcinogenic to humans, and this is sometimes quoted about cosmetics. A published risk assessment of topical ethanol found no evidence associating skin application with increased skin cancer risk. This popular fear is not supported for topical use.

  Matters most toAnyone who has read that 'alcohol is a Group 1 carcinogen' in a skincare context.

Where the EU stands

Sources (3)

Every link goes to the original: a journal, a PubMed record or an EU document.

1. [1]
   Safety evaluation of topical applications of ethanol on the skin and inside the oral cavity

   Journal of Occupational Medicine and Toxicology · 2008 · doi:10.1186/1745-6673-3-26

   Concluded there is a lack of evidence associating topical ethanol use with increased skin cancer risk, despite the unambiguous carcinogenicity of ethanol when drunk.

2. [2]
   Skin tolerance and effectiveness of two hand decontamination procedures in everyday hospital use

   British Journal of Dermatology · 2000 · doi:10.1111/j.1365-2133.2000.03708.x

   In routine hospital use, alcohol-based hand disinfection was better tolerated by the skin than washing, indicating that alcohol exposure is not automatically damaging in practice.

3. [3]
   IARC Monographs on the Identification of Carcinogenic Hazards to Humans - List of Classifications

   International Agency for Research on Cancer (WHO) · 2024

   IARC classifies alcoholic beverages and ethanol in alcoholic beverages as Group 1 carcinogenic to humans; the classification is based on consumption, not on topical application.