October 27, 2025Skin Fundamentals

Alcohol in Skincare: Why It's Used & What to Avoid

You’ve probably seen alcohol listed on your skincare products, sometimes near the top of the ingredient list, sometimes hidden under unfamiliar names. But not all alcohols are created equal.
In fact, some are beneficial for the skin’s barrier, while others quietly cause dehydration, sensitivity, and long-term inflammation that compromise results.
Here’s what every ingredient-conscious consumer should know about alcohol in skincare, why brands use it, which types to avoid, and how to identify safer alternatives.

1. Why Brands Use Alcohol in Skincare

Alcohols serve several mechanical purposes in formulations:

  • Solvent: Helps dissolve ingredients (like actives or fragrances) that don’t mix well with water.

  • Evaporation Control: Creates that “quick-dry” feeling or matte finish in toners or sunscreens.

  • Preservative & Antimicrobial Agent: Prevents bacterial contamination, extending shelf life.

  • Penetration Enhancer: Temporarily disrupts the skin barrier so actives absorb faster.

While these properties can make formulas feel light or fast-absorbing, they come with trade-offs, particularly if the alcohol concentration is high or if the product lacks compensating humectants.

2. The Downside: Barrier Damage & Hidden Dehydration

Ethanol and isopropyl alcohol dissolve lipids, the fatty molecules that hold your skin barrier together.
When this protective matrix is stripped away:

  • Skin loses moisture rapidly (transepidermal water loss).

  • Irritation, redness, and micro-inflammation increase.

  • Over time, the barrier becomes weaker, making actives sting and reducing efficacy.

The effect can be deceptive: products with high alcohol often feel refreshing or clean at first, but that tightness afterward is actually barrier stress, not clarity.

3. The Good vs. the Bad: Know Your Alcohols

Avoid:
These “simple” or denatured alcohols are the ones most associated with dryness and irritation:

  • Alcohol Denat. (Denatured Alcohol)

  • Ethanol

  • Isopropyl Alcohol

  • SD Alcohol 40

  • Methanol

  • Benzyl Alcohol (when used in high concentrations)

Beneficial / Fatty Alcohols (Barrier-Friendly):
These are emollients, rich, wax-like alcohols derived from plants or oils that protect the skin rather than dehydrate it.

  • Cetearyl Alcohol

  • Behenyl Alcohol

  • Stearyl Alcohol

  • Cetyl Alcohol

Mechanic: these fatty alcohols act as stabilisers and texture enhancers. They thicken emulsions and mimic natural skin lipids, helping lock in moisture and improve product glide.

4. Why Dermalist Avoids Harsh Alcohols

Dermalist formulations prioritise skin barrier integrity over superficial “feel.”
Instead of volatile alcohols, we use:

  • Low-irritation delivery systems to transport actives deep into the skin safely.

  • Natural emulsifiers and humectants like glycerin, propanediol, and sodium hyaluronate.

  • Antioxidant systems that stabilise formulas without drying agents.

This ensures the same fast absorption and stability without sacrificing long-term skin health.

5. How to Read the Label

When checking ingredient lists:

  1. Look at placement. Alcohols listed in the top five ingredients usually form a significant portion of the formula.

  2. Check for context. “Cetearyl alcohol” or “Behenyl alcohol” near emollients is safe. “Alcohol denat.” high up in a toner or serum — not so much.

  3. Know the aliases. Alcohol denat. can appear as SD Alcohol 40-B, Ethanol, or Denatured Ethanol.

If in doubt, use the “finish test”: if a product leaves your skin tight or squeaky, it’s likely too drying for long-term use.

6. Smarter Substitutes

Modern barrier-friendly skincare uses:

  • Propanediol and Butylene Glycol for solubilising actives.

  • Sodium PCA and Glycerin for humectancy and glide.

  • Green Tea Extract, Niacinamide, Ceramides for stabilising and soothing instead of stripping.

These deliver all the performance benefits of alcohol without the collateral damage.

7. The Bottom Line

The best formulations today prove you don’t need harsh alcohol to make skincare feel elegant or effective.
Look for words like hydrating, barrier-supporting, and pH-balanced on your labels and when in doubt, choose multifunctional, cosmeceutical formulas designed to treat and protect simultaneously.