Popular 'good' alcohols include: lauryl alcohol, cetyl alcohol, cetearyl alcohol, stearyl alcohol and behenyl alcohol.
Rubbing alcohol has a low pH level, which means that when applied to the hair, it can cause damage by stripping off its natural oils. This can lead to dryness of the hair shaft and leave it brittle and more prone to breaking. Additionally, when you put alcohol onto your head, the pores on your scalp open up.
“Vodka works really well as a clarifying agent to remove product buildup from the strands and scalp,” Charan told Supercall in an email. “By doing this, it stimulates hair growth and makes the strands shine!
Cetearyl alcohol and Cetyl alcohol are two of the most common fatty alcohols in hair products. These particular alcohols are emollients and they are known to soften your skin and hair. They also provide slip to our favorite conditioners which allows us to detangle our hair better.
Some of the most common short-chain alcohols that you will find in hair care products are ethanol, SD alcohol, denatured alcohol, propanol, propyl alcohol and isopropyl alcohol - these are the ones it's best to avoid.
Fatty alcohols are found in some hair products to help create slip, like conditioners or leave-in sprays. They often come from naturally based plant extracts and are actually good for the hair. Some of these are Cetearyl alcohol, Cetyl alcohol, and Stearyl alcohol.
A person who consumes it in excessive amounts may not be getting enough nutrients to maintain the health of their hair. Overconsumption of alcohol may also lead to damaged hair and hair loss. Some hair care and household products contain alcohol that may also damage the hair with excessive use.
“There is no scientific evidence of vodka having any effect—positive or negative—on hair,” says Jodi LoGerfo, DNP, APRN, FNP-BC, DCNP.
Alcohol can stay in your hair for a period of up to 90 days. However, hair tests cannot determine a person's blood alcohol content. It can only determine if the person has been drinking within the last 90 days. Alcohol tests can also detect alcohol in sweat, saliva, or blood.
Vodka helps seal your hair's cuticles and control frizzy hair. Using it in your regular hair care routine can result in a smooth and shiny appearance of your hair. You can make hair masks using vodka to reduce dandruff and clear out excessive sebum production on your scalp.
Breakdown of Alcohol in Hair Products
These alcohols are used as solvents (they break down excess oil) to deliver ingredients and allow the product to dry quickly. They typically evaporate completely from the hair. This leaves little to none behind, making them safe and without drying-out properties.
Cetearyl alcohol is a blend of cetyl and stearyl alcohol a triglyceride which can be a little more gentle than cetyl alcohol, hence it often finds itself used in mild formulations and baby care products.
Some people like adding vodka to shampoos and conditioners before applying it to their head. This can possibly help to clean your hair, promote hair growth, and get rid of the frizz. It is important to note that you should never apply undiluted vodka to your hair and scalp.
If applied directly to the scalp, rubbing alcohol can dry out the hair follicle, resulting in dry hair, breakage and potential hair loss.
Long-chain or fatty alcohols are good alcohols. These types of alcohols usually come from natural sources like coconut or palm oil. They are usually plant-based, are extremely moisturizing and will leave your hair soft and smooth.
You can do massage of brandy to the scalp which improves blood circulation and prevent hair loss. Even brandy may offer adverse effects on health if consumption is too high but it is used in the right way then even used to treat the sleeping problem, respiratory issues in children.
Hair Conditioning
Apart from all this, whisky can also be utilised as a hair conditioner, if you want it to look particularly shiny; but also healthier in the long term as well. To prepare this home-made hair conditioner, just mix whisky with an egg, stir it well – and apply it to your hair.
Another best use of beer is by using black beer as a hair conditioner for hair growth and hair health. Beer and olive oil together make a very good hair conditioner that helps in reducing frizz, making the hair soft and smooth.
As mentioned above, alcohol does not directly cause hair loss, but it does cause other issues that lead to hair loss. In the case of binge drinking, you can experience extreme dehydration, which will dry out your hair follicles and, over time, cause hair thinning.
For this reason, you should use the alcohol-free beer. The non alcohol beer keeps all the properties of the beer and at the same time it doesn't dry the hair. For this reason, it is recommended for beauty treatment.
Omega-3 fatty acids are a group of nutrients that may have various health benefits. While some studies suggest that omega-3s may help with hair growth and thickness, evidence for this is limited. People can get omega-3s from foods, such as oily fish and some plant oils, as well as from supplements.
Isopropyl alcohol
It's an alcohol that evaporates quickly and is used in everything from hairsprays to cosmetics…but it shouldn't be. Isopropyl alcohol ends up leaving your hair dry and frizzy and can lead to negative health consequences like irritation and damage to the nervous, heart, and respiratory system.
Most alcohol in shampoo acts as a harsh, drying agent that can strip your hair of its protective scalp sebum and lead to scalp dryness and dandruff.