USE IT OR AVOID IT?
LUMEA COSMETICS RESPONDS
Even before approaching the world of cosmetology, I used to pale at reading any word containing "Alcohol" in the inci.
The first thought that comes to mind? Dehydrates. The second? Inflames.
Well, those who work daily with cosmetic formulations tell us instead that this active ingredient should not always be viewed negatively, as if used in the right quantities and in the correct way, it brings numerous benefits to the cosmetic itself.
1) It allows the extraction, conveyance, and provision of non-liposoluble active ingredients from medicinal plants and some essential oils. Therefore, it can make the skin absorb active ingredients that otherwise could not be used by the cosmetic.
2) It is a bactericide and is therefore effective as a natural preservative, to reduce the concentration of other more harmful synthetic preservatives in the cosmetic formulation.
3) It dissolves fat, so if used in the correct percentages and in the right cosmetics, it helps to counteract issues related to oily skin and to carefully cleanse the skin.
Use it or avoid it?
It depends on the sensitivity and condition of the skin, the concentration of alcohol, and the formulation of the cosmetic.
At a concentration of 5% or less, alcohol is not a problem at all as it completely evaporates the moment the product is applied to the skin, which is why it cannot dry it out.
In this case, alcohol acts only as a preservative and ensures that the product remains sterile.
Where it is used in higher percentages, however, it has a really pronounced preservative action and is used as an alternative to chemical preservatives that, besides being harmful to health, do not evaporate but remain on our skin, for example, the infamous parabens.
There are also different types of alcohol used in cosmetics, for example, ethanol causes dehydration and skin dryness, unlike other formulations that, as we said earlier, once applied to the skin evaporate completely.
Then the type of skin must be carefully evaluated: in the presence of very sensitive or irritated skin, cosmetics with high percentages of alcohol should be avoided.
But in the case of mixed and oily skin, with a tendency for excessive sebum production, alcohol becomes a valuable ally to regulate and normalize sebum production.
In the INCI of cosmetics, when the word "Alcohol" is found, it means ethyl alcohol, otherwise, it is accompanied by another term that defines it.
In any case, if you remain in the "no alcohol in cosmetics" team, here's a little curiosity: if you find the wording "without alcohol" on a cosmetic product, it does not mean that it does not appear in the INCI! In fact, by law, the wording "without alcohol" can be inserted on any product free of pure alcohol, with a drying effect, but composed with other types of alcohols (waxes and fats like Cetearyl Alcohol, Cetyl Alcohol...).
So, do we really know everything that revolves around the cosmetic INCI regarding this ingredient?
INCI
Ingredients used in cosmetics.
The INCI list (International Nomenclature of Cosmetic Ingredients) has been mandatory on cosmetics since 1999.
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