What it is
In the register’s words: “Alcohol is undenatured ethyl alcohol.”
- EU register name (INCI)
- ALCOHOL
- CAS number
- 64-17-5
- EC number
- 200-578-6
What the register lists it for
These are the uses the European Commission’s CosIng register lists for Alcohol in any cosmetic, hair roles first. They say why a maker might add it, not what it does in one formula, and they aren’t a safety rating.
- Antimicrobial
-
Slows the growth of microbes, in the product or on the surface it touches. Some preservatives, extracts and essential oils carry this role.
Register definition: “Preventing and/or slowing down microbial growth.”
- Fragrance
-
Gives the product its smell or covers an unpleasant one. A label may name each scent ingredient or group them as Fragrance (Parfum).
Register definition: “Imparting an odour or taste. Creating a perceivable pleasant smell and/or masking a bad smell.”
- Solvent
-
Dissolves other ingredients. Water is the most common; some alcohols and glycols carry this role too.
Register definition: “Dissolving other components of cosmetics. Solvents are usually liquids (aqueous and nonaqueous).”
- Viscosity controlling
-
Makes a product thicker or thinner, so a gel holds its shape or a shampoo pours. Gums, cellulose and some salts carry this role.
Register definition: “Increasing or decreasing the viscosity (thickness) of cosmetics.”
- Antifoaming
-
Keeps foam down while the product is made or used.
Register definition: “Suppressing foam during manufacturing or reducing the tendency of finished products to generate foam.”
- Astringent
-
Gives skin a tighter feel. Witch hazel and some plant extracts carry this role.
Register definition: “Contracting and/or tightening the skin.”
Where it sits on each label
US labels list ingredients from most to least, except that those at 1% or less may follow in any order. A name near the top is a large part of the formula. A label doesn’t mark where the 1% point falls, so further down, the order says little about how much is in it.
- Rinse-out conditioners 1 label First five names: 0 of 1 Rinse-out conditioners without it
- Stylers 1 label First five names: 0 of 1 Stylers without it
Every label, product by product (2)
- Maui Moisture Curl Quench + Coconut Oil Conditioner Rinse-out conditioner 8th of 26 names
- Cécred Moisture Sealing Lotion Styler 43rd of 48 names
Each line runs from the first name on a label to the last; a dot is where this ingredient sits. Makers change formulas now and then; if the list on your bottle differs, go by your bottle.
Your next step
Other antimicrobial ingredients on these labels
- Phenoxyethanol 120 labels
- Cetrimonium Chloride 39 labels
- Rosmarinus Officinalis (Rosemary) Leaf Extract 25 labels
- Benzyl Benzoate 22 labels
- Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract 15 labels
- C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate 6 labels
- Chlorphenesin 5 labels
- Alcohol Denat. 3 labels
Updated · The name, numbers and uses come from the European Commission’s CosIng entry (CC BY 4.0); we write the uses in US spelling and put the hair ones first. The labels are each maker’s own. The order rule is the FDA’s Cosmetics Labeling Guide. All our sources are on the Sources page.