Alcohol ●
TL;DR. This ingredient is a volatile solvent used to dissolve fragrance materials, actives, and resins, while also helping formulas dry quickly on skin or hair. It can also boost preservation and give a lightweight, non-greasy feel.
What does Alcohol do in a cosmetic formula?
This ingredient is a volatile solvent used to dissolve fragrance materials, actives, and resins, while also helping formulas dry quickly on skin or hair. It can also boost preservation and give a lightweight, non-greasy feel.
Is Alcohol clean?
Clean-beauty frameworks generally permit this ingredient, but often scrutinize high-use formulas because it can feel drying or increase stinging on reactive skin. The main clean-standard caveat is the choice of denaturing agents, since some programs restrict certain denaturants.
Is Alcohol sustainable?
This material can be made by fermentation from plant sugars or from petrochemical feedstocks, so sourcing matters. It is readily biodegradable, but it is volatile and contributes to formula-level VOC considerations in sprays and aerosols.
Is Alcohol COSMOS-approved?
It is permitted under COSMOS when it meets the standard’s origin and processing requirements, especially when derived by fermentation from approved natural or organic feedstocks. From a Green Chemistry view, the renewable route scores better, with strong biodegradability and simple processing, while petrochemical sourcing is less aligned.
How does Alcohol work chemically?
The molecule is a small, polar, two-carbon solvent with one hydroxyl group, which explains its complete water miscibility, fast evaporation, and ability to dissolve both water-compatible and some oil-compatible materials. Typical use can range from low single digits as a solvent or preservation booster to much higher levels in quick-dry sprays, gels, and fragrance-forward products, where volatility and skin-feel effects become more noticeable.
Last updated 2026-05-13