What are good and bad alcohols?
What are good and bad alcohols?
There's no denying it: when you run a spa or a beauty salon , choosing the right cosmetic products is not always easy.
Especially when trying to understand the composition of labels ! These cosmetic labels are, very often, a real mystery. We don't recognize all the names.
Generally speaking, terms ending in “-yl” are alcohols. There is nothing abnormal about this: a large majority of professional cosmetics found on the market contain alcohol.
But it is generally good alcohol, organic cosmetic alcohol which has certain benefits for the skin.
However, it happens that certain natural organic cosmetic products contain what are called bad alcohols. These bad alcohols are banned in France because they have harmful effects on the health of the skin.
But here's the thing: when you don't know it, it's impossible to differentiate good alcohol from bad.
There is only one good solution: get information and know the different names of alcohols, to avoid bad alcohols!
To help you understand the nuance, Green Spa is committed to your side. Discover a short guide to differentiate good alcohols from bad alcohols in cosmetics!
There are “good” and “bad” alcohols?
Indeed, there are good and bad alcohols. The boundary between the two is defined by national and international regulations.
And for good reason: many years ago, bad alcohol caused certain problems regarding the health of consumers. They were subsequently identified, and are today banned from the production of cosmetics.
But when you run a beauty salon, you can never be too careful: it's better to have knowledge about the list of bad alcohol!
Because unlike them, good alcohols can have positive effects on the skin. They can deeply hydrate it , they can leave a pleasant feeling of freshness on the epidermis...
Find out everything you need to know about good and bad alcohol!
There are “good” and “bad” alcohols?
What we call bad alcohols are alcohols that have had harmful effects on the skin.
The list of bad alcohol
Bad alcohols include monohydric alcohols . These are denatured alcohols with phthalates, which cause many negative effects on the skin.
They are listed in the INCI ingredients list. If you see the following alcohols on a product label, Green Spa advises you to avoid:
- Alcohol denat.
- Ethyl Alcohol
- SD Alcohol
- Benzyl Alcohol
- Isopropyl Alcohol
- Methanol
- Dimethyl Phthalate (DMP)
- Diethyl Phthalate (DEP)
These are alcohols that can cause serious damage to the epidermis.
What are the harmful effects of bad alcohol?
Among the side effects that we observe with regard to bad alcohols, we find dryness and irritation. But they are far from being the worst!
Phthalate-containing alcohols are chemical plasticizers that can be absorbed through the skin, causing skin damage, diabetes, and even infertility in some cases.
If you suffer from hives and dermatitis , these alcohols may also make your skin condition worse.
Without forgetting that they promote the appearance of free radicals : cells which play a significant role in the aging of the skin.
Which means that an anti-aging and anti-oxidant treatment that is supposed to fight against the effects of time can actually increase the appearance of wrinkles.
The same goes for other bad alcohols which, in addition to drying out the skin, can go so far as to attack the skin barrier of the epidermis. Which can lead to inflammation and infections.
There are “good” and “bad” alcohols?
Fortunately, there are also many alcohols that are good for the skin. In addition to not having drastic side effects like those we have just talked about, they can even be beneficial for our skin!
Good alcohols can hydrate, protect the skin against external aggressions, strengthen the natural skin barrier, leave a feeling of freshness on the skin , help the cosmetic to dry when it is applied...
As for good alcohol, they are also listed:
- Cetearyl Alcohol
- Behenyl Alcohol
- Arachidyl Alcohol
- Stearyl Alcohol
- Myristyl Alcohol
- Lanolin Alcohol
- Cetyl Alcohol
So don't hesitate to rely on cosmetics that contain such alcohols!
