Why is There Alcohol in Face Creams?
asked 3 years ago by ninaself in brighton, ma
Latest answer by Arnold R. Oppenheim, MD
Question viewed 2,160 times
Tags: beauty product, cream, dry skin
We are always told to stay away from alcohol, because it dries out the skin - whether we drink it or put it right on our faces, it most definitely dries out the skin. So why does it seem impossible to get a moisturizer without it?
1 answer to Why is There Alcohol in Face Creams?
+1
Not Ethanol
I think you may be confusing the common simple alcohol, ethanol with the general term alcohol as defined in your high school chemistry class. An alcohol is a chemical in which a hydroxyl ( OH) bond is attached to the carbon atom. While ethanol, ethyl alcohol, is a simple alcohol, there are many secondary and tertiary alchols which are not drying and are found with great frequency in creams and lotions.
In many topicals various alcohols can perform a number of functions. For instance...
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Arnold R. Oppenheim, MD
Virginia Beach Dermatologist
Virginia Beach Dermatologist