The Harsh Effects of Alcohol in Skin & Hair Care (and How to Spot It on Labels)

Alcohol is commonly used in skin and hair care products to help ingredients penetrate quickly or to create a lightweight, fast-drying feel. Unfortunately, many forms of alcohol can be extremely drying and disruptive to the skin and scalp. Over time, alcohol can weaken the skin barrier, trigger sensitivity, increase oil imbalance, and contribute to breakage and dryness in hair.

One of the biggest challenges is that alcohol isn’t always listed plainly as “alcohol” on ingredient labels. Common names to watch for include SD Alcohol, Denatured Alcohol, Ethanol, Isopropyl Alcohol, Alcohol Denat., and Methanol. These types are particularly harsh and are often found near the top of ingredient lists, meaning they’re used in high concentrations.

Not all alcohols are bad—fatty alcohols like cetyl alcohol, stearyl alcohol, and cetearyl alcohol are actually moisturizing and beneficial. Learning to recognize the difference empowers you to choose products that nourish rather than strip your skin and hair.

We believe in full transparency, which is why our ingredient philosophy avoids harsh alcohols commonly found in conventional products.