Alcohol

Ethanol is also referred to as alcohol or ethyl alcohol, which is a major alcohol structurally obtained from ethane by replacing one of its hydrogen atoms with a hydroxyl group -OH. Ethanol plays several major roles in the skincare industry. Due to its antiseptic properties, it kills bacteria and fungi, hence the reason it is included in the formulation of hand sanitizers and disinfectants in order to help avoid infections. Moreover, ethanol is a solvent that helps dissolve other ingredients for the better mixture of formulations and stabilization, especially in serums and toners. Quick evaporation also helps contribute to light wear on the skin, usually wanted in cosmetic products. However, it needs to be addressed that though ethanol can be useful in cosmetics, the chemical also functions as a depressant of the central nervous system and as a neurotoxin in greater concentrations or if ingested. Chemically speaking, ethanol is a volatile organic chemical and a member of the alkyl alcohol family, which are classified based upon their carbon chain. It is versatile in organic chemistry and industrial uses, aside from skin care, due to the fact that it acts as a precursor for other compounds like ethoxide. This ingredient, although helpful, should be suitably optimized in concentration in formulations for skin care lest the much higher possibility of irritation causes discomfort among sensitive skin types. Ethanol thus plays a very important role in increasing the efficiency of skincare products, as well as user acceptability. However, formulation must balance this against its skin compatibility and safety.