SD Alcohol

SD Alcohol Description

SD alcohol (specially denatured alcohol) is a drying skin care ingredient most often used as a solvent in cosmetic preparations. Solvents help dissolve other ingredients and form solutions. When used in higher concentrations, this type of alcohol in skin care can weaken the skin barrier. SD alcohols are also referred to as denatured alcohols, also known as ethyl alcohol or alcohol denat. The denaturing process makes these alcohols unpalatable to drink.

SD alcohol helps dissolve other ingredients, making formulas cohesive, while also improving the texture and feel of a formula. Denatured alcohols also function as astringents, meaning they contract skin and help combat oiliness and can also be used as anti-foaming agents.

However, SD alcohol can be drying and sensitizing to skin when used as one of the main ingredients in a skin care formula. With repeated use, this dryness can deplete vital substances in skin’s barrier, leading to flakiness, possible oiliness and inflammation-triggered breakouts. Although companies are not required to list percentages of alcohols used in cosmetics, a good rule of thumb is that if SD alcohol is mentioned within the first five ingredients on an ingredient list, it’s included in a high enough percentage in that specific formula to harm skin and as such should be avoided.

SD alcohol isn’t just one ingredient, it’s an umbrella term for a vast array of specially denatured alcohols. Different forms of SD alcohols are denoted by adding a number or letter after “SD alcohol.” These numbers and letters indicate how the alcohol was denatured. Different SD alcohols include SD alcohol 40, SD alcohol 23-A and SD alcohol 40-B.

Overall, there are other solvents that can be used in formulas that do not have the potential to irritate skin and can impart even more desirable aesthetics.