“Hello Dr, you said my skin was sensitive and yet you gave me products containing alcohol!”  said a frantic patient to me recently. 

I have been hearing lots of similar queries so I just thought I would clear up some doubts.

Now there are 2 types of alcohols, the ones that are drying and ones which are actually moisturizing!

These moisturizing ‘alcohols’ are fatty alcohols which are very soothing to the skin, do not cause skin irritation and quite gentle even on the most sensitive skin types.

So here is a basic list on the drying irritant alcohols (products you need to avoid) and the good fatty alcohols ( products which are safe to use on the skin)  

  1.  The Bad Alcohols (Avoid them) -  Ethanol,  Isopropyl Alcohol, Alcohol Denat, Benzyl Alcohol &  Methanol   
  2.  The Good Alcohols ( Feel free to use them ) -  Cetyl Alcohol, Stearyl Alcohol, Lauryl Alcohol, Myristyl Alcohol & Cetearyl Alcohol