Alcohol Derivatives has been a despised ingredient in skin care products for many years. They are notorious for drying the skin and cause irritations. However, not all alcohols are the same. There are certain alcohols that are good for the skin and have potential benefits.Why are Alcohols Bad for the Skin? Alcohols, by themselves can have severe impact on the skin. They dilate the blood vessels and interfere with the bodys ability to process Vitamin A. The reduced absorption of Vitamin A accelerates the process of premature aging and causes wrinkles and fine lines to appear on the skin. Alcohol consumption also results in increased flushing of the skin, decreased absorption and efficacy of vitamin A, and increased toxicity of vitamin A and ß-carotene. Moisturizers that contain a low molecular weight of alcohol fail to be effective because they quickly evaporate from the skin surface. Some of the alcohols teeth whitening at home that you should completely avoid are ethanol, ethyl alcohol, denatured alcohol, methanol, benzyl alcohol, methyl alcohol, isopropyl alcohol, and SD alcohol. Denatured or SD signifies that the alcohols are processed so they cannot be ingested. Alcohols That Are Good There are several cosmetic alcohols that are actually very beneficial for the skin. Also known as fatty alcohols, they help skin care formulations to act as efficient skin care products.Here are some beneficial alcohols:Cetyl Alcohol Extracted from coconut oil, it is an emollient that is included in skin care products to stabilize the formulations. It is a prime ingredient in moisturizers because it helps the moisturizer lock the moisture in the skin and form a protective barrier through which water cannot penetrate. Moreover, cetyl alcohol is also added to skin care products to alter their consistencies or to increase their foaming capacity.