Something may be hiding in your moisturizers that you havent given a second thought: alcohol.
Should you avoid it entirely?
Is it okay in certain amounts?
We talked to board-certified dermatologists to help you make the decision thats best for the health of your complexion.
The Debate: Is Alcohol in Skin Care Good or Bad?
There are pros and cons to using alcohol in skin care.
But Dr. Frieling says you have to consider your skin pop in and goal.
For instance, if you have extremely oily skin, an alcohol-based toner may help reduce pore-clogging sebum.
For normal skin types, alcohol is unlikely to cause a problem with your skin.
Yet if your skin is sensitive for any reason, scan the ingredient label.
With chronic use, this could disrupt your skins barrier.
A reasonable place for alcohol to appear is lower on the ingredient list.
Of course, this can be tough to wade through on your own.
An easy solution is to bring your products to your dermatologist and discuss your concerns.
Those are an entirely different category.
Fatty alcohols are often found in cleansing lotions and moisturizers as thickeners and emulsifiers, says Frieling.
They arent irritating and can be beneficial.
Her professional interests include Mohs micrographic surgery, cosmetic and laser procedures, and immunodermatology.
She was previously an assistant editor atPreventionwhere she wrote monthly science-based beauty news items and feature stories.
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