Ethyl alcohol, also known as ethanol, is one of those ingredients you encounter almost daily without even realizing it. It’s in your favorite beer or wine, the hand sanitizer in your bag, and even some of the skincare products on your bathroom shelf such as hand creams. But as we become more aware of the chemicals in our lives, a common question arises about this ingredient:
Is ethyl alcohol safe?
I put together this guide to give you the essential information about this ingredient and how it’s used. We’ll also explore some practical tips for safely navigating the use of this ingredient in your everyday life.
What is Ethyl Alcohol?
Ethyl alcohol, also known as “ethanol” and “grain alcohol”, is categorized in a larger group of molecules called alcohols. It is the only alcohol that humans can drink.
In its purest form, ethyl alcohol is a clear, colorless liquid; it is also highly flammable. It is a naturally occurring byproduct of plant fermentation of sugars by yeast and is found in various alcoholic beverages, including beers and wines.
Some other products that contain this ingredient include personal care products, paints and solvents, fuels, and some foods (Ethanol – Chemical Safety Facts, 2022).
Why Use Ethyl Alcohol?
One key property of ethyl alcohol is that it prevents ingredient separation (Lachenmeier, 2008) and is readily dissolvable in organic compounds such as water. This makes it a useful ingredient for items such as cosmetics and personal care products (Ethanol – Chemical Safety Facts, 2022). In addition to preventing separation of ingredients in products such as lotions, it is also used to enhance absorption in the skin.
This ingredient also has anti-microbial properties and is used as a preservative to protect products from issues like bacteria and mold growth. This is essential for assuring the safety of manufactured products as well as keeping products shelf-stable (Lachenmeier, 2008).
Is Ethyl Alcohol Safe?
When it comes to safety, here’s what to know.
In a paper by Lachenmeier (2008), researchers discuss how “relatively low but measurable blood concentrations of ethanol and its metabolite acetaldehyde” were found after regular application of products containing the ingredient, such as hand sanitizers. Is this problematic? Possibly. Read on to learn more about this concern.
Oral Ingestion vs. Topical Application
As it stands currently, the biggest known concern with ethyl alcohol is if it is orally ingested. Research has found that regular consumption can have carcinogenic effects, leading to the formation of malignant tumors. Based on what we know now, the potential risks in personal care products like hand creams are significantly smaller than the health risks from consuming ethanol in alcoholic beverages. However, that doesn’t equate to zero risk.
Lachenmeier (2008) does mention that further research on the effects of using ethyl alcohol topically via skin and personal care products specifically is needed. Even small amounts of toxicity over time from topical use shouldn’t be dismissed even if it shows less harm compared to ingestion. After all, substances absorbed through the skin can be transported to more susceptible organs in the body via the blood stream. Also, any toxin exposure can have both cumulative and synergistic effects.
That being said, results from studies looking at the harmful effects of ingesting ethyl alcohol shouldn’t necessarily apply equally to topical application.
Context Matters
Ultimately, the safety of ethanol is embedded in the context of pros and cons and depends on various factors. Some questions to ask and thoughts to consider include:
- How is it being used? Ingestion has been found to be significantly less safe than skin application.
- How much are you getting daily across all exposures? Consider the synergistic and cumulative effects from multiple exposure points of ethanol (e.g., hand sanitizers, various skincare products, mouth wash, paints, alcoholic beverages, extracts, etc.) alongside daily exposures to various other toxic substances.
- How does it compare to other preservatives? When it comes to preservatives, how does ethyl alcohol compare? For example, based on what I know currently, I would personally choose a skincare product with ethyl alcohol vs. one with parabens or other harmful preservatives. As more research continues to look at more preservatives in-depth, this could potentially change.
- What are the consequences of using no preservatives in manufactured products vs. using ethyl alcohol? If you are wanting to go preservative-free, there is a risk of mold and bacterial growth. Ethyl alcohol helps prevent this from happening.
- Ethyl alcohol is flammable. Since this ingredient is highly flammable, you want to make sure you don’t have it near flames or fires.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Ethyl Alcohol vs Ethanol: What’s the Difference?
These are two different names for the same substance.
Ethyl Alcohol vs Isopropyl Alcohol: What’s the Difference?
While both ethyl alcohol (EA) and isopropyl alcohol (IA) are in the same class (alcohols) and are commonly used as disinfectants and antiseptics, they have some key differences both molecularly and when it comes to usage characteristics.
Another name for EA is grain alcohol. People commonly refer to IA as rubbing alcohol.
Differences in Chemical Structure
As alcohols, both of these substances contain a saturated carbon atom bonded to a hydroxyl group. However, the formula for ethyl alcohol is C2H5OH while the formula for isopropyl alcohol is C3H7OH (Yetman, 2021).
Usage Differences
Ethyl alcohol is the only alcohol that humans can consume without significantly high risk of lethality. In addition to being non-consumable, IA is twice as potent as a nervous system depressant compared to EA, although it is less potent compared to methyl alcohol (PubChem, n.d.).
As for skincare, a study found that IA can cause damage to skin while EA does not (Cartner et al., 2016). Because of this, although both types of alcohol are used in skin care, EA is preferable.
Why is Ethyl Alcohol in Food?
It can help evenly distribute food coloring. It also enhances the flavor of food extracts (Ethanol – Chemical Safety Facts, 2022).
What is the Ethyl Alcohol Formula?
The chemical structure or formula is C2H5OH.
Knowledge is Key
By understanding what ethyl alcohol is, the research behind it, and what we currently know about its safety, you can make informed decisions about the products you use and the potential impact this ingredient has on your health and home.
Something I always emphasize are the cumulative and synergistic effects of various toxins that we are exposed to daily. While it is unreasonable to have zero toxic exposure, it is possible to make intentional decisions to significantly decrease the amount of total exposure.
Has this article changed the way you think about and interact with certain ethanol-based products? If so, share your personal experience below in the comments!
Sources
Cartner, T., Brand, N., Tian, K., Saud, A., Carr, T., Stapleton, P., Lane, M. E., & Rawlings, A. V. (2016). Effect of different alcohols on stratum corneum kallikrein 5 and phospholipase A2 together with epidermal keratinocytes and skin irritation. International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 39(2), 188–196.
Ethanol – Chemical safety facts. (2022, October 14). Chemical Safety Facts.
Lachenmeier, D. W. (2008). Safety evaluation of topical applications of ethanol on the skin and inside the oral cavity. Journal of Occupational Medicine and Toxicology, 3(1), 26.
PubChem. (n.d.). Isopropyl alcohol. PubChem.
Yetman, D. (2021, August 26). What’s the difference between ethyl and isopropyl alcohol? Healthline.
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