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When you jump into a "Curly Girl Method" group or begin reading the strict rules for products to avoid for curly hair, you will most definitely see that you are to avoid alcohols in your hair care completely. The claim is that alcohols are drying, so if the word alcohol appears in the ingredient list, it will wreak havoc on your precious curls and cause excessive dryness.
Like other ingredients we've examined, alcohols are a subject of some confusion, which stems from the layman's use of the word "alcohol" and what it means in chemistry.
In cosmetics, you will find two different groups of alcohols differentiated by how many carbon atoms are attached. There are short chain alcohols and long chain fatty alcohols. These structural differences create two categories of alcohols that are complete opposites of one another.
Short Chain Alcohols
These are the types of alcohols that come to mind to the general population because we experience them in our daily lives frequently. We've all used rubbing alcohol to disinfect wounds or prep a surface for some type of application.
These short chain alcohols have a very low molecular weight and evaporate quickly. Also known as simple alcohols, these are derived from the fermentation of carbohydrates. Simple alcohols can provide antibacterial or astringent properties to a formula, or be used as solvents to extract hard to incorporate ingredients into a solution.
In hair care, these types of alcohols are most commonly found in styling products to help formulas dry faster. Hair sprays and mousses, especially those found in aerosol cans, will typically contain these types of alcohols. These can be drying to the hair, especially those who tend naturally toward dryness, because the fast-evaporating alcohols wick moisture from the hair and scalp. Overuse of these can lead to damage and breakage over time.
Drying alcohols to be aware of include:
While none of our products here at Silver Stone Apothecary use these ingredients, I will be cautious in labeling these "bad" alcohols. It is possible to include these in small quantities for a specific purpose that would not be drying to the hair depending on what purpose they serve and what other ingredients are in the formula.
Long Chain Fatty Alcohols
These are a group of more complex alcohols that are indisputably non-drying alcohols. I don't say "indisputably" lightly; there is no scientific debate on this, long chain fatty alcohols are absolutely not drying.
In fact, they perform the exact opposite of short chain alcohols; they provide emolliency and occlusivity to a formula. Long chain fatty alcohols are derived from plants and oils and have a thick, waxy, solid-at-room-temperature appearance. In cosmetic formulations, these act as structuring agents helping with emulsification, thickening, and enhancing a velvety feel.
These fatty alcohols create lamellar gel networks in a formula that make lighter, more moisturizing emulsions. Adding these into hair care traps more water and helps deliver active ingredients, like our hydrolyzed proteins and vitamins, to the cortex of the hair strand.
Moisturizing, fatty alcohols include:
All of these ingredients are absolutely great for your hair!
Fatty Alcohols in Our Products
We use Cetyl Alcohol and Cetearyl Alcohol in our hair care formulas.
Both work well with our main conditioning agent, behentrimonium methosulfate (read more about it here), supercharging its conditioning abilities. These increase our conditioners' ability to cling to the hair, decreasing friction and frizz while imparting a velvety texture.
All of our formulas are designed to provide the appropriate amount of hydration for your hair's needs while delivering essential proteins and nutrients to the inside of the hair shaft.
Next time you see the word "alcohol" in an ingredient list, see what other word it is listed with. Then, check it against this guide to see which type of alcohol it is, and if it is a drying alcohol or a moisturizing alcohol.
Jill Wilder
October 23, 2024
Thank you for this very informative article. The world of chemistry is a mystery to me but I always learn something new from you. My hair is healthier than it has ever been. I appreciate all the care you put into your products.