When all is said and done, Benzyl Alcohol is a very common find within the labels of various hair care brands, as it plays a crucial role in the creation process of shampoos, and all sorts of applications related to hair care. However, due to the having the term “alcohol” within its name, it is often misunderstood.
In reality, when incorporating benzyl alcohol into the groundwork of a product, it can serve the item and consumers rather well. The colourless solution can act as a preservative for shampoos, which can bring to the table longevity. In addition, benzoyl peroxide can also enable one’s hair to look healthier and fuller due to its moisturising characteristics.
However, every good has its bad. And similarly, benzoyl peroxide should be used in moderation if users don’t want to unleash its darkside. Moreover, if you are intrigued by this information, be sure to join us on this journey, as we’ll cover anything and everything about benzyl alcohol, and determine whether the agent is good or bad for your hair!
Table of Contents
- What Is Benzyl Alcohol?
- The Ways In Which Benzyl Alcohol Beneficial For The Hair: The Good
- What Happens When You Use Benzyl Alcohol Too Much? The Bad
- Benzyl Alcohol: Is The Man-made Preservative Bad For The Hair?
- Is Benzyl Alcohol Harmful For The Skin?
- How Does Benzyl Alcohol Improve One’s Hair?
- Final Takeaway: Benzyl Alcohol Is A Diamond In The Rough!
What Is Benzyl Alcohol?
Benzyl alcohol is a liquid formula that is usually curated naturally with the help of various plants, and can also be found in mildly-acidic fruits such as guava and pineapple. Various hydrating oils also mesh well with benzyl alcohol such as jasmine, ylang-ylang, and so on.
While benzyl alcohol is mostly prominent for being a part of consumable goods like tea and edibles like fruit, the compound is also found in tons of hair care products. While it is often left out during the creation process of conditioners, benzyl alcohol is a common find within shampoos, mainly due to how generous and effective it tends to be when used on a compromised scalp.
In addition to treating various scalp conditions and reversing them, benzyl alcohol is also a reliable preservative for hair care products, as it increases the lifespan of shampoos, pre-stylers, and hair mousse without an issue. Due to its ability to emulsify well when meshed with multiple substances, benzyl alcohol is what we call the “mediator of the group.”
The Ways In Which Benzyl Alcohol Beneficial For The Hair: The Good
Benzyl alcohol is a rather favourable ingredient which is almost one of the first picks for chemists when they produce cleansing items related to hair care like shampoos, soap bars, and can even come in handy when styling the hair.
Furthermore, when used in the groundwork of clarifying products like shampoos, benzyl alcohol can truly be something to behold. In addition to allowing the shampoo to feel weightless, incorporating benzyl alcohol into a shampoo can definitely bring to the table a series of benefits. Move onto the next portion to get a glimpse at all of them!
Promotes collagen production
Benzyl alcohol is probably acknowledged for having a stress-free reaction on one’s scalp, but using it on a regular basis can also promote the growth of collagen. In short, collagen is a protein our body produces when recovering from an injury. Similarly, when benzyl alcohol boosts collagen production, your hair and scalp might be able to recuperate from redness, rosacea, and can fasten the recovery process of bruises and scars on the scalp.
Can remove head lice
If you’re tired of feeling a tingling sensation on your scalp, and seeing white and brown, sesame seed-like insects roaming around your strands and scalp, use a shampoo with benzyl alcohol to say goodbye to that inconvenience forever.
While benzyl alcohol is renowned for its generosity, it is also an agent that is highly concentrated. The ingredient not only removes dirt, oils, and build-up from the scalp, but also uses its toxicity to poison head lice.
Can help hair with retaining moisture
If your self-esteem issues are just getting worse and worse with each day due to your dull hair strands, consider using a shampoo that has a minor portion of benzyl alcohol. While most types of alcohol are known for stripping the hair from its natural oils, benzyl alcohol contains elements that can allow a dry scalp to retain the small amount of moisture it usually contains and more!
Promotes longevity
Since benzyl alcohol is widely recognized for being a preservative, using a shampoo that contains the liquid-like compound can be a great move to make if you’d like your cleansing agent to remain consistent over a long period of time without having to worry about its shelf-life, quality, or admirable qualities.
What Happens When You Use Benzyl Alcohol Too Much? The Bad
Every action has an opposite reaction. Likewise, although benzyl alcohol is definitely welcomed with open arms into the creation process of shampoos due to the ability it has of subsiding adverse effects of multiple skin diseases, overusing it can definitely prove to be detrimental to one’s hair, scalp, and expose them to a range of scalp conditions, and hamper the visuals of one’s cuticles. Be sure to skip through to the next portion to learn more about this matter!
Can dry out the strands
Although benzyl alcohol stands out exceptionally when used in shampoos, it should definitely be an absent ingredient within the creation of conditioners. This is because, when used around the ends to the mid-length of the shaft, benzyl alcohol might end up absorbing all the moisture from the hair, making the strands brittle and damaged as a result.
Can make the scalp prone to harmful diseases such as eczema, dermatitis, and psoriasis
Due to being rather concentrated, you should always run a patch test when purchasing a shampoo that contains benzyl alcohol, and avoid the product completely if the percentage of it is way too high. This is because, in addition to drying the strands out, benzyl alcohol will also make your scalp prone to painful and incurable diseases like eczema, dermatitis, and psoriasis; all of which can potentially lead to temporary hair loss.
Benzyl Alcohol: Is The Man-made Preservative Bad For The Hair?
When push comes to shove, benzyl alcohol can definitely be a great ingredient to look for before investing in a shampoo due to its antibacterial properties, long-lasting positive effects, and for the multiple ways in which it eliminates head lice; which affects 6 to 12 million people each year.
However, to obtain a scenario with zero repercussions, try running a patch test before giving the product containing benzyl alcohol a go. Additionally, make sure the product you’re using contains no more than 10% of benzyl alcohol!
Is Benzyl Alcohol Harmful For The Skin?
Benzyl alcohol does need to be tamed at times, but can work wonders for you if you suffer from skin conditions like acne, or have marks and scars around your face. As the agent is known for soothing the skin and promoting collagen production, benzyl alcohol can definitely get rid of stubborn marks in a jiffy with the help of its protein building abilities!
How Does Benzyl Alcohol Improve One’s Hair?
In addition to revitalising one’s hair, benzyl alcohol can get rid of infectious diseases on the scalp, they can also help victims of male pattern baldness with losing clumps of hair. This is due to its ability of producing collagen at a high and efficient rate, which can increase blood circulation on the scalp, eventually leading to hair growth as a result!
Final Takeaway: Benzyl Alcohol Is A Diamond In The Rough!
If you’d like to improve your hair game drastically over the course of a few weeks, buying a shampoo that includes the presence of benzyl alcohol should be a necessity. While the potential of benzyl alcohol is prominent only when it’s used in moderation, incorporating a cleansing agent with the compound can bring forward tons of benefits for one’s hair in the long run, and keep residue and dirt away in the short run.
On most occasions, the formula of benzyl alcohol also comes in handy when dealing with head lice, and getting rid of fungal scalp infections. When used in hair care products, the generous agent can also be used as a preservative and increase their lifespan.
While carrying out a patch test is absolutely mandatory if you’d like to keep yourself safe from the repercussions it brings to the table, we believe that benzyl alcohol comprises characteristics that can go above and beyond one’s hair, generating successful results over a gradual period of time!
