Is Behenyl Alcohol Bad For Skin?

Is Behenyl Alcohol Bad For Skin
Is Behenyl Alcohol Bad For Skin Behenyl alcohol is a plant-based emulsifier and thickening agent. It is considered a fatty alcohol which is by far the best type of alcohol for skin care and cosmetics. This is because it acts as both an emulsifier and emollient, but more on that below.

  • As an emulsifier, behenyl alcohol, holds the water and oils together in cosmetics.
  • It is typically made from the fats in vegetable oils.
  • However, the greatest thing about fatty alcohols is they aren’t drying or irritating on your skin, as some other alcohols might be.
  • Instead, because of the “fatty” part of the molecule, they also act as an emollient.

This means that they protect your skin and keep the moisture in your skin. Behenyl alcohol is actually a really common ingredient, and unfortunately can be made synthetically as well. It is important to look out for natural behenyl alcohol in your products, but all in all, this is one of the best fatty alcohols and is healthy for your skin.

Is behenyl alcohol bad for acne?

Alcohol – No, we aren’t talking about the alcohol you put in a mixed drink. We mean the types of alcohols used in skincare products. Some of them are good, but others you need to avoid. Simple alcohols such as ethanol, isopropyl, methanol and propanol are often used for their antibacterial properties. Is Behenyl Alcohol Bad For Skin

What does behenyl alcohol do in skincare?

Categories: Emollients, Thickeners, Emulsions – Behenyl Alcohol Skincare Benefits: Product Stabilizer Behenyl alcohol, also known as docosanol, is a large fatty straight-chain alcohol. In cosmetic and skin care formulations, it is used as an opacifying ingredient, thickener, and emulsifier.

As an opacifying agent, behenyl alcohol is used to reduce the clear or transparent appearance of cosmetic products. Its thickening property allows products to achieve a more desirable, spreadable texture. Behenyl alcohol also works as an emulsifier to prevent the oil and water phases of a product from separating.

This works to improve the consistency of a product, which enables an even distribution of topical skincare benefits.1

Elder, R.L. Final report on the safety assessment of cetearyl alcohol, cetyl alcohol, isostearyl alcohol, myristyl alcohol, and behenyl alcohol. J Am Coll Toxicol 7.3, 359-413 (1988)

Is benzyl alcohol bad for your skin?

Is Alcohol Bad in Skin Care? – Ultimately, it depends on the kind of alcohol and the concentration in your skin care products. Benzyl alcohol and fatty alcohols are generally considered very safe for skin. When used in safe concentration, some alcohols are necessary preservatives used to create high quality, long lasting products and prevent formulations going bad. Is Behenyl Alcohol Bad For Skin

What alcohols are bad for skin?

Look at the Location of Alcohol on the Ingredients List – Just like a food label, you can get a sense for how much alcohol is in a product by examining where it lands on the ingredients list. “In small or reasonable concentrations, products can still benefit from the good effects of alcohol to optimize their product while reducing the bad effects,” says Frieling.

If alcohol is one of the top ingredients, it’s likely to be drying, says Fine. With chronic use, this could disrupt your skin’s barrier. A disrupted barrier allows moisture to escape skin and gives potential irritants entry in, resulting in redness and inflamed skin. A reasonable place for alcohol to appear is lower on the ingredients list.

“If it is lower in the list, past sixth, it may not be concentrated enough to deplete your skin’s barrier,” says Frieling. She recommends opting out of using products that contain ethanol, methanol, ethyl alcohol, denatured alcohol, isopropyl alcohol, SD alcohol, and benzyl alcohol, “especially if these are listed high in the ingredients, as they can pose a problem for dry skin,” she says.

Is behenyl alcohol natural?

Behenyl Alcohol Behenyl Alcohol Is Behenyl Alcohol Bad For Skin Is Behenyl Alcohol Bad For Skin CAS No.661-19-8 Behenyl Alcohol is a natural, vegetable source long chain fatty alcohol used to regulate viscosity in formulations. It functions as a thickener and stabilizer and may be used as a co-emulsifier. It may be used in anhydrous formulations such as ointments, body butters and scrubs. California Prop 65 Statement: The following statement is made in order to comply with the California Safe Drinking Water and Toxic Enforcement Act of 1986. This product is not known to the State of California to cause cancer, birth defects or other reproductive harm. Recommended Use Rate: 1 – 25% Appearance: White Pastilles Shelf Life: Retest 4 years after the date of manufacture

Try out these formulations using this ingredient:

: Behenyl Alcohol

Is behenyl alcohol a chemical?

1-Docosanol, also known as behenyl alcohol, is a saturated fatty alcohol containing 22 carbon atoms, used traditionally as an emollient, emulsifier, and thickener in cosmetics.1-Docosanol.

Names
SMILES CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCO
Properties
Chemical formula C 22 H 46 O
Molar mass 326.609 g·mol − 1

Is benzyl alcohol safe for acne?

US3663716A – Method of treating acne with benzyl alcohol – Google Patents United States Patent Olfice 3,653,716 Patented May 16, 1972 3,663,716 METHOD OF TREATING ACNE WITH BENZYL ALCOHOL Morris Emmanuel Stolar, Trumbull, Conan, assiguor to Miles Laboratories, Inc., Elkhart, Ind.

  1. N Drawing.
  2. Filed June 22, 1970, Ser.
  3. No.48,454 Int. Cl.
  4. A61]: 27/00 US.
  5. Cl.424343 4 Claims ABSTRACT OF TIE DISCLOSURE Benzyl alcohol preferably in the form of an aqueous solution or ointment has been found to be effective in the treatment of acne when applied topically to the affected areas of the human body.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Acne is a common inflammatory disease of the sebaceous glands in which the sebaceous duct ruptures and the sebum or fat secretion spills into the skin instead of coming to the surface. The sebum contains fatty acids formed by the action of bacterial lipases which irritate the tissue usually on the face, back and chest of over 80% of teenagers.

  1. Soon cysts develop which if not properly treated with antibiotics or sulfonamides result in atrophy and ugly scarring.
  2. No completely satisfactory method of treatment is known although antibiotics significantly reduce the fatty acid content of sebum.
  3. Thus, an agent exhibiting anti-lipolytic activity was sought which would be effective in treating the causative factor of acne.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention is based upon the discovery that benzyl alcohol is extremely effective in inhibiting the formation of free fatty acids and is an improved agent for the treatment of acne when applied topically either alone, as a dilute aqueous solution or in combination with nontoxic, pharmaceutical, liquid or solid carriers in the form of an ointment, cream or lotion.

  1. DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Benzyl alcohol is a colorless liquid with a faint aromatic odor which has been employed topically in the past as an antiseptic in the form of a 3% aqueous solution and as an anti-pruritic in the form of a ointment or 33% lotion.
  2. However, its use in any form for the treatment of acne has never been reported heretofor.

Broadly described, pharmaceutically acceptable formulations of benzyl alcohol can be prepared by incorporating the primary active ingredient with any supplementary active ingredients such as antibiotics or sulfonylureas into the selected liquid or solid pharmaceutical carrier utilizing techniques well known in the art.

  • More specifically, benzyl alcohol in an amount from 1% to 50% by weight and preferably from 2% to 4% by weight can be mixed with water, vegetable oils, propylene glycol and the like to form a solution, suspension or emulsion.
  • If desired, stabilizing agents, wetting or emulsifying agents, buffers or salts can be added.

Benzyl alcohol can likewise be formulated with solid carriers such as petrolatum, wax, glyceryl monostearate or spermaceti to form ointment, creams and lotions containing from 1% to 50% by weight of active ingredient but preferably from 10% to 33% by weight.

Both liquid and solid compositions are applied liberally one to three times daily to the affected skin areas with frequency being reduced as improvement is noted. As previously stated, benzyl alcohol per se without dilution can also be applied topically if desired to treat acne. The effectiveness of benzyl alcohol in inhibiting the formation of free fatty acids was demonstrated by applying to one half of the forehead of normal humans a composition containing benzyl alcohol while the other half was treated with a control such as water or isopropanol.

At specified time intervals, sebum was collected with an absorbent paper and subsequently extracted with ether. The ether was evaporated, the residual sebum weighed accurately and assayed for free fatty acids either titrimetrically, gravimetrically or by gas chromatography.

  • In one test, a 1% aqueous solution of benzyl alcohol was applied to one half of the forehead and compared with distilled water as a control.
  • After 1.5 hours, the fatty acid content of the sebum collected from the area treated with benzyl alcohol was reduced from 7.3 to 6.6 milliequivalents per milligram of sebum whereas the water treated area showed an increase of from 7.3 to 9.6 milliequivalents of fatty acid per milligram of sebum.
See also:  When Does Alcohol Wear Off?

In another test, a medicated cleanser containing 1% hexachlorophene, 2% colloidal sulfur and 2% salicyclic acid in an emulsion creme buffered to a pH of 4.2 was used as a control and compared to the same cleanser to which was added 2% by weight of benzyl alcohol.

Sebum was collected for six hours and weighed. In 3 out of 4 patients, the amount of sebum secreted was reduced by 20 to 28% in the area treated with the benzyl alcohol containing cleanser versus the area treated with the cleanser alone. The fatty acid content of the sebum from the area treated with the cleanser containing 2% benzyl alcohol was likewise significantly lower than in the sebum collected from the area treated with the cleanser only.

In still another test, the foreheads of five patients were treated with a 4% aqueous benzyl alcohol solution and the amount of sebum secreted was compared over a period of 14 days with that collected from foreheads of five patients treated ‘with a 4% aqueous isopropanol solution.

Significant reductions of from 23% to 74% in the quantity of sebum secreted resulted in the patients treated with benzyl alcohol whereas the control group treated with isopropanol showed reductions of sebum secreted ranging from 0% to 25%. Similar results are obtained when compositions containing concentrations on the order of from 10 to 50% by weight of benzyl alcohol are used in treating acne.

Since the active ingredient is virtually non-toxic, benzyl alcohol can be employed if desired to obtain the same beneficial reductions in sebum secretion and inhibition of fatty acid formation which is the underlying cause of acne. What is claimed is: 1.

  • A method for treating acne which comprises topically applying a composition comprising about from 1% to 50% by weight of benzyl alcohol in a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier to the skin areas so affected.2.
  • A method as in claim 1 in which an aqueous solution containing from 2 to 4% by weight of benzyl alcohol is applied topically.3.

A method as in claim 1 in which an ointment containing from 1 to 50% by weight of benzyl alcohol is applied topically.4. A method as in claim 1 in which an ointment containing from 10 to 33% by weight of benzyl alcohol is applied topically. References Cited Conn-Current Therapy (1952) Saunders Co.

Can benzyl alcohol cause breakouts?

3. Alcohol and skincare – Alcohol is usually associated with drinking or perhaps cleaning products. However, alcohol comes in different forms and has many uses. Alcohol can clean the skin, make a product lighter, or act as a preservative. Skincare products like toners, cleansers, makeup, lotions, and shaving creams contain alcohol.

What is the problem with benzyl alcohol?

The main problem associated with the use of benzyl alcohol is the risk of accumulation in newborn babies (pre-and full-term) due to metabolic immaturity.

Is benzyl alcohol the same as behenyl alcohol?

The alcohol debate Is Behenyl Alcohol Bad For Skin Alcohol, is a commonly used ingredient in the cosmetic industry. It’s mainly used in fragrances for its ability to blend and disperse the scent and evaporates quickly once it contacts the skin. Alcohol also has preserving qualities and is used in particular in natural and organic skincare formulations, where you might expect to find a higher concentration up to 10%.

  1. It can be derived synthetically or naturally, through the fermentation of sugar- whereby it is obtained by chemical reaction of starch in the presence of yeast, at the temperature below 37 ° C.
  2. Alcohol is commonly found in men’s grooming products where the evaporation from the skin’s surface creates a pleasant sensation of freshness and relief.

No matter the origin of it and its dosage, alcohol can be an irritant and can dry the skin. How do we spot it in the ingredient list? Usually it appears as “Alcohol” but we might see it as “Alcohol denat”, “ethanol” and “ethyl alcohol”. Notably there are other natural ingredients that contain the word “alcohol” but despite their name are a completely different substance with distinct set of properties.

Benzyl alcohol: can be a solvent, preservative or fragrance ingredient. It is found in different essential oils. Cetearyl alcohol: gives consistency to emulsions and is derived from palm kernel and/or coconut oil Behenyl alcohol: gives consistency to emulsions and comes from rapeseed oil. Myristyl alcohol: gives consistency to emulsions and comes from palm kernel and/or coconut oil Cetostearyl alcohol: a synthetic emulsifier. You might read it in traditional barrier creams under the name: cetomacrogol 1000 Cetylstearyl alcohol: is a synthetic emulsifier. You might read it in traditional barrier creams under the name: cetomacrogol emulsifying wax Cetyl alcohol: gives consistency to emulsions and comes from palm kernel and/or coconut oil Stearyl alcohol: gives consistency to emulsions (thickener)and comes from palm kernel and/or coconut oil

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Is behenyl alcohol good for sensitive skin?

Behenyl Alcohol – the good: Behenyl alcohol helps the skin to retain moisture, improving the hydrated look of the skin. It also has many benefits to the texture and sensory feel of products. the not so good: Nothing to keep an eye on here. Who is it for? All skin types except those that have an identified allergy to it.

Do certain alcohols cause acne?

– While there is no direct link between alcohol and acne, various harmful health effects of alcohol may indirectly cause acne or make it worse. Alcohol’s effects on the immune system, liver function, inflammation, and hormones may reduce skin health and contribute to acne. Also, the AAD recommend avoiding skin care products that contain alcohol, which could irritate or dry out the skin.

Can alcohol trigger pimples?

Alcohol can trigger acne, but it’s not the direct cause – As it turns out, bacteria, inflammation, excess oil production, and clogged pores are the true culprits behind all those blemishes. But alcohol can trigger many skin conditions, “including acne, psoriasis, and rosacea,” says Rachel Nazarian, M.D., F.A.A.D., a dermatologist practicing in New York City.

Which means, essentially, that if you are prone to any of those issues already, slamming a flight of Jell-O shots might likely prompt some side effects. Booze is also a diuretic, so it causes dehydration, which, says board-certified dermatologist Rose Ingleton, M.D., signals to your oil glands to produce more, more, more! Not to mention, “high consumption may also suppress immune responses, which could make you more susceptible to bacteria” in the first place.

Ingleton explains that a big night on the sauce could also disrupt your hormone levels— one study found alcohol can boost estradiol (a form of estrogen) and another found that the same went for testosterone levels in premenopausal women—which leads to inflammation.

Does alcohol on skin cause acne?

Can Alcohol Cause Acne? – Alcohol may not directly cause acne, but drinking can lead to pimples and skin damage, While this might not always be an immediate effect following one night of heavy drinking, it is a possibility that increases the more and the longer you drink.

Is alcohol in skincare good for acne?

The One Common Skincare Ingredient That’s a Total Red Flag Liz deSousa for BYRDIE / Design by Bailey Mariner Skin that feels dry and depleted after toner, moisturizer, or a face wash is confusing—like you’ve just fallen for false advertising. The goal with skincare is never to feel worse over time, so what gives? The culprit may be alcohol, but not just any alcohol—volatile alcohols that actually damage the skin’s barrier.

Maryam Zamani is a London-based oculoplastic surgeon and leading facial aesthetics doctor, as well as the founder of MZ Skin. is a celebrity esthetician based between Austin, Texas and Los Angeles, California. Goesel Anson, MD, FACS, is a Las Vegas-based plastic surgeon and co-creator of FixMD.

To learn more about alcohol in skincare, we chatted with a few dermatologists to sort it all out. Keep reading to find out what they had to say. Before we out the bad alcohols, let’s understand how to differentiate the bad from the good. “Fatty alcohol, which is derived from coconut or palm oil, is sometimes used to thicken a formulation and can be nourishing for the skin,” says, MD.

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“Ethanol is a well-known topical penetration enhancer, which means it can be used to increase the transdermal delivery of certain ingredients into the skin.” These come by way of names like cetyl (product thickener), stearyl (an emollient to trap moisture in skin), cetearyl alcohol (an emulsifier), and propylene glycol (a humectant to attract water into the skin).

Celebrity esthetician adds that vitamins A1 (retinol) and E are actually alcohols, too, and are beneficial to the skin’s overall surface. Some alcohols are safe, but many aren’t. Rouleau says that evaporative solvent alcohols like SD alcohol 40, denatured alcohol, ethanol, and isopropyl alcohol (also known as simple alcohols) all have a dehydrating effect to the skin and are often used in toners and gel moisturizers.

  • So why do brands use simple alcohol in their skincare products? Rouleau says they give a tight, cooling, and “refreshing sensation” that oily-skinned gals might find reassuring, despite the fact that they’re stripping away the skin’s natural oils and may be damaging the skin barrier.
  • Zamani adds that they also act as a vehicle to help dissolve ingredients that aren’t water-soluble, as well as drive ingredients deeper into the skin.

The large-scale impact largely outweighs any short-term benefit (or perceived benefit), though. “In the long run, they can enlarge pores and increase greasiness, so avoid products containing any type of alcohol if you have an oily skin type or acne-prone skin,” she explains.

  • Ethanol in toners can also be quite drying for sensitive skin types, so watch out for that, too.
  • The higher the alcohol is on the ingredients list, the higher the concentration and the stronger it will be on the skin.” Additionally, the National Rosacea Society points out that these astringent alcohols, along with methanol and, can lead to increased dryness and irritation in people with already-inflamed skin.

Sometimes bad alcohols aren’t so terrible. “They are acceptable when used in spot treatments since the goal is to dry up the infection, and alcohol can do that,” says Rouleau. “Sometimes they will also be used to decrease any surface oil before an esthetician applies a professional chemical peel to ensure the peel gets into the skin the deepest.” What if you just want to avoid the word “alcohol” in your skincare altogether? Goesel Anson, MD, FACS, co-creator of FixMD, says this would be doing yourself a disservice: “If you excluded every ingredient that ends in OH, you would be missing out on those that have more beneficial properties, like fatty alcohols.” Fatty alcohols aren’t scary and are actually beneficial in skincare to help draw in and hold moisture, but simple alcohols are drying and damaging for most skin types, especially those with dry, sensitive skin, or rosacea.

That said, if you want to avoid adverse reactions, be sure to double-check the ingredients label before adding a new product to your skincare routine. And, if you’re unsure about an ingredient on the list, click over to the to quickly uncover whether or not it’s safe for your skin type. Byrdie takes every opportunity to use high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles.

Read our to learn more about how we keep our content accurate, reliable and trustworthy. : The One Common Skincare Ingredient That’s a Total Red Flag

Is benzyl alcohol safe for acne?

US3663716A – Method of treating acne with benzyl alcohol – Google Patents United States Patent Olfice 3,653,716 Patented May 16, 1972 3,663,716 METHOD OF TREATING ACNE WITH BENZYL ALCOHOL Morris Emmanuel Stolar, Trumbull, Conan, assiguor to Miles Laboratories, Inc., Elkhart, Ind.

  1. N Drawing.
  2. Filed June 22, 1970, Ser.
  3. No.48,454 Int. Cl.
  4. A61]: 27/00 US.
  5. Cl.424343 4 Claims ABSTRACT OF TIE DISCLOSURE Benzyl alcohol preferably in the form of an aqueous solution or ointment has been found to be effective in the treatment of acne when applied topically to the affected areas of the human body.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Acne is a common inflammatory disease of the sebaceous glands in which the sebaceous duct ruptures and the sebum or fat secretion spills into the skin instead of coming to the surface. The sebum contains fatty acids formed by the action of bacterial lipases which irritate the tissue usually on the face, back and chest of over 80% of teenagers.

Soon cysts develop which if not properly treated with antibiotics or sulfonamides result in atrophy and ugly scarring. No completely satisfactory method of treatment is known although antibiotics significantly reduce the fatty acid content of sebum. Thus, an agent exhibiting anti-lipolytic activity was sought which would be effective in treating the causative factor of acne.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention is based upon the discovery that benzyl alcohol is extremely effective in inhibiting the formation of free fatty acids and is an improved agent for the treatment of acne when applied topically either alone, as a dilute aqueous solution or in combination with nontoxic, pharmaceutical, liquid or solid carriers in the form of an ointment, cream or lotion.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Benzyl alcohol is a colorless liquid with a faint aromatic odor which has been employed topically in the past as an antiseptic in the form of a 3% aqueous solution and as an anti-pruritic in the form of a ointment or 33% lotion. However, its use in any form for the treatment of acne has never been reported heretofor.

Broadly described, pharmaceutically acceptable formulations of benzyl alcohol can be prepared by incorporating the primary active ingredient with any supplementary active ingredients such as antibiotics or sulfonylureas into the selected liquid or solid pharmaceutical carrier utilizing techniques well known in the art.

  1. More specifically, benzyl alcohol in an amount from 1% to 50% by weight and preferably from 2% to 4% by weight can be mixed with water, vegetable oils, propylene glycol and the like to form a solution, suspension or emulsion.
  2. If desired, stabilizing agents, wetting or emulsifying agents, buffers or salts can be added.

Benzyl alcohol can likewise be formulated with solid carriers such as petrolatum, wax, glyceryl monostearate or spermaceti to form ointment, creams and lotions containing from 1% to 50% by weight of active ingredient but preferably from 10% to 33% by weight.

  1. Both liquid and solid compositions are applied liberally one to three times daily to the affected skin areas with frequency being reduced as improvement is noted.
  2. As previously stated, benzyl alcohol per se without dilution can also be applied topically if desired to treat acne.
  3. The effectiveness of benzyl alcohol in inhibiting the formation of free fatty acids was demonstrated by applying to one half of the forehead of normal humans a composition containing benzyl alcohol while the other half was treated with a control such as water or isopropanol.

At specified time intervals, sebum was collected with an absorbent paper and subsequently extracted with ether. The ether was evaporated, the residual sebum weighed accurately and assayed for free fatty acids either titrimetrically, gravimetrically or by gas chromatography.

In one test, a 1% aqueous solution of benzyl alcohol was applied to one half of the forehead and compared with distilled water as a control. After 1.5 hours, the fatty acid content of the sebum collected from the area treated with benzyl alcohol was reduced from 7.3 to 6.6 milliequivalents per milligram of sebum whereas the water treated area showed an increase of from 7.3 to 9.6 milliequivalents of fatty acid per milligram of sebum.

In another test, a medicated cleanser containing 1% hexachlorophene, 2% colloidal sulfur and 2% salicyclic acid in an emulsion creme buffered to a pH of 4.2 was used as a control and compared to the same cleanser to which was added 2% by weight of benzyl alcohol.

  • Sebum was collected for six hours and weighed.
  • In 3 out of 4 patients, the amount of sebum secreted was reduced by 20 to 28% in the area treated with the benzyl alcohol containing cleanser versus the area treated with the cleanser alone.
  • The fatty acid content of the sebum from the area treated with the cleanser containing 2% benzyl alcohol was likewise significantly lower than in the sebum collected from the area treated with the cleanser only.

In still another test, the foreheads of five patients were treated with a 4% aqueous benzyl alcohol solution and the amount of sebum secreted was compared over a period of 14 days with that collected from foreheads of five patients treated ‘with a 4% aqueous isopropanol solution.

  • Significant reductions of from 23% to 74% in the quantity of sebum secreted resulted in the patients treated with benzyl alcohol whereas the control group treated with isopropanol showed reductions of sebum secreted ranging from 0% to 25%.
  • Similar results are obtained when compositions containing concentrations on the order of from 10 to 50% by weight of benzyl alcohol are used in treating acne.
See also:  Does Alcohol Spike Insulin?

Since the active ingredient is virtually non-toxic, benzyl alcohol can be employed if desired to obtain the same beneficial reductions in sebum secretion and inhibition of fatty acid formation which is the underlying cause of acne. What is claimed is: 1.

  1. A method for treating acne which comprises topically applying a composition comprising about from 1% to 50% by weight of benzyl alcohol in a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier to the skin areas so affected.2.
  2. A method as in claim 1 in which an aqueous solution containing from 2 to 4% by weight of benzyl alcohol is applied topically.3.

A method as in claim 1 in which an ointment containing from 1 to 50% by weight of benzyl alcohol is applied topically.4. A method as in claim 1 in which an ointment containing from 10 to 33% by weight of benzyl alcohol is applied topically. References Cited Conn-Current Therapy (1952) Saunders Co.

Does benzyl alcohol cause acne?

3. Alcohol and skincare – Alcohol is usually associated with drinking or perhaps cleaning products. However, alcohol comes in different forms and has many uses. Alcohol can clean the skin, make a product lighter, or act as a preservative. Skincare products like toners, cleansers, makeup, lotions, and shaving creams contain alcohol.

Is benzyl alcohol OK for face?

Benzyl Alcohol Is Super Common in Skincare—But Is It Safe? The easiest way to get a debate going in the beauty community is by bringing up the topic of preservatives—and are at the forefront of that discussion. Some believe them to be toxic endocrine disruptors, while others say not enough research exists to support those claims.

In an attempt to avoid the issue completely, many beauty companies are reformulating without the use of parabens in favor of alternative ingredients. And in the wake of those changes, consumers are left to wonder about the safety of the other ingredients being used instead, like benzyl alcohol, and whether or not preservatives are all that important in the first place.

So what’s the deal? Dermatologist Jessica Krant, MD, says that preservatives do have an important role and deserve a place in your skincare products. “Preservatives are vital for any product that we want to last more than a few days in the bottle—and not have to keep in the refrigerator,” she explains.

“They help to keep germs out and to keep the products from turning rancid or discolored.” But because some might still be on the fence about using preservatives, we turned to Krant as well as two other experts for their opinions on one of the more common paraben alternatives. Here’s what these experts have to say about the specific ingredient benzyl alcohol and whether or not you’re safe to use it in your skincare.

Benzyl Alcohol Type of ingredient: Preservative, antioxidant, and solvent Main benefits: Preserves, stabilizes, and dissolves ingredients Who should use it: In general, benzyl alcohol is safe to use by anyone who does not have a true contact allergy to it.

  • How often can you use it: Benzyl alcohol is safe to use daily if you’re not sensitive to it and if it’s used at a low concentration.
  • Works well with: Benzyl alcohol works well with most, if not all, other ingredients.
  • Don’t use with: Benzyl alcohol works well with most, if not all, other ingredients.

Although it’s most widely known as benzyl alcohol, the aromatic alcohol also goes by a few other names, such as benzene methanol or phenylcarbinol. It’s derived from fruit (usually cranberries and apricots, says Yadav), comes in the form of a colorless liquid, and has a slightly sweet scent.

As a multifunctional ingredient, you can spot benzyl alcohol on the ingredient label of many different skincare, cosmetic, and personal products, such as moisturizers, lip balms, face washes, and even makeup. According to Wong, it’s primarily used in product formulation as a preservative to stop microorganisms from overgrowing in products, which could later lead to an infection.

“It’s mostly used because of the scaremongering about parabens,” Wong says. “Since a lot of consumers are worried about parabens, alternative preservatives have to be used for marketing reasons. It’s found naturally, so companies can use it in products and still market them as ‘natural.'” Besides possibly having antioxidant effects in certain formulas, benzyl alcohol doesn’t have any specific benefits for your skin itself, but rather helps to optimize skincare formulas so that they can better perform for your skin.

  • Preserves the product: According to Yadav, benzyl alcohol acts as a preservative in skincare and cosmetic products due to its antibacterial and anti-fungal properties. “Any cosmetic or personal care product that is made with no preservatives (for example, preservative-free eye drops) generally comes in individual single-use containers to prevent contamination by contact or air,” Krant says. Benzyl alcohol allows products to be bottled in larger packages designed for more than one use.
  • Stabilizes the formula: Krant adds that the ingredient also acts as a stabilizing agent against the oxidative breakdown of the product, which means it allows your products to work more effectively for a longer period.
  • Has antioxidant activity: Krant says benzyl alcohol also has antioxidant properties, and antioxidants protect against free-radical damage.
  • Dissolves ingredients: Benzyl alcohol acts as a solvent and helps to dissolve other ingredients in a product’s formula.
  • Decreases viscosity: Benzyl alcohol also decreases viscosity, which allows products to flow more easily.
  • Imparts a nice scent: As an aromatic alcohol, benzyl alcohol is naturally fragrant and gives off a slightly sweet scent. Yadav says it’s also naturally found in some essential oils, including ylang-ylang and jasmine, and has a delicate floral scent.

“Benzyl alcohol is considered to be a safe ingredient in skincare and cosmetics when used on intact skin,” Krant says. With that said, you might have seen benzyl alcohol on a list of “bad” alcohols once or twice before.

  • Can cause itching for some people: “As is the case for most preservatives, benzyl alcohol can, unfortunately, be an irritant and cause itching for some people,” says Krant.
  • Toxicity is possible with overuse: “Toxicity is a possibility with excessive ingestion, which is not considered a risk with normal usage,” says Wong, adding that it’s safe when used at a low concentration—and it usually is in well-formulated products.

However, Yadav points out that only in rare cases is someone actually allergic to benzyl alcohol. If you experience an adverse reaction (such as swelling, or redness) to products containing benzyl alcohol and suspect you could have an allergy to it, Krant says this can be identified through formal skin allergy patch testing with your dermatologist or allergist.

As for more serious risks of using the preservative in your products, those concerns aren’t as valid. “The potential for allergenicity is low, and low risk of toxicity,” Krant says. As long as you don’t have an allergy to benzyl alcohol, Krant and Wong say it’s totally fine to use in your regular skincare routine.

Because the ingredient is included in such a wide range of cosmetics, the time of day you would apply it, as well as the step in your routine, depends on each specific product. FAQ

  • What is the difference between benzyl alcohol and isopropyl alcohol? Isopropyl alcohol is responsible for killing bacteria upon contact while benzyl alcohol works to prevent bacteria from entering in the first place.
  • Is benzyl alcohol safe to ingest? No. Benzyl alcohol can cause harm when ingested.
  • Is benzyl alcohol natural? Benzyl alcohol is considered a natural preservative, but it can also be synthetically made.

Byrdie takes every opportunity to use high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our to learn more about how we keep our content accurate, reliable and trustworthy.

  1. National Center for Biotechnology Information. Updated February 14, 2022.
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