Are alcohol-containing lotions harmful to the skin?

Lotion is a very common skin care product in daily life, and there are many functions and brands of lotion. Each lotion has different content and functions, and lotion containing alcohol is a more common skin care product. Generally speaking, the alcohol contained in lotion is not harmful to human skin. Alcohol can play a role in sterilization and disinfection, and can effectively improve skin acne, or bacteria and other effects.

Are alcohol-containing lotions harmful to the skin?

Is alcohol really harmful to the skin?

The answer is no. Usually when we mention alcohol, our first reaction is disinfectant alcohol or drinking liquor. In fact, what is added to cosmetics is not the same as alcohol. The alcohol used in cosmetics is strictly screened to ensure it is safe for the skin, and the content is also strictly regulated, and it will not make the skin dry and sensitive.

Why is alcohol added to skin care products?

Alcohol plays a variety of roles in skin care products. It has an indispensable astringent effect, tightening the skin; a good bactericidal effect, which is very beneficial for skin prone to acne and is often used as a preservative; a cleansing effect, cleansing lotions usually contain alcohol, which can remove sebum and dirt and enable the skin to better absorb moisture; a cooling effect, the evaporation of alcohol will take away heat, and alcohol-containing cosmetics will have a cooling feeling when used. Sunburned skin can be wet-compressed with lotions with a cooling and calming effect to help cool inflamed skin; a dissolving effect, alcohol is a very good solvent that can dissolve cosmetic ingredients that are insoluble in water and oil. Alcohol is indispensable in many high-performance products.

Remember, people who are allergic to alcohol should stay away from it! If you don't like alcohol anyway, choose products that do not contain alcohol.

Why do many products that are labeled as alcohol-free smell like alcohol?

The reason is that ordinary people's sense of smell can distinguish very few odors. We often look for similar smells from a small amount of olfactory memory, and thus mistake a non-alcoholic irritating smell for alcohol. The smell of cosmetic ingredients varies, and the smell of alcohol does not mean that it contains alcohol. Just like some plant extracts have a completely different taste from the original plants, seaweed extract does not taste like seaweed, and soy milk extract does not taste like soy milk.

The pros and cons of alcohol-containing lotions

Alcohol has certain benefits for the skin. First of all, it can reduce inflammation and kill bacteria. If you have acne on your skin, disinfect it frequently with 70% alcohol and the acne will disappear quickly. Secondly, alcohol can also remove excess oil and dirt in the pores, thereby tightening the pores.

However, alcohol has two fatal weaknesses that prevent us from using it on a long-term and large scale. First, alcohol is highly volatile, and as it evaporates it takes away moisture from the skin, making it dry. Secondly, high-concentration alcohol has a strong decomposition ability. While breaking down facial oils, it also destroys the skin's own water film, making the skin fragile and sensitive. Therefore, alcohol-containing lotions are not bad, but they should never be used on large areas for a long time. Oily combination skin should use it once to twice a week; sensitive and dry skin should try not to use alcohol-containing lotions.