「酒精」在保養品成分表上，是一個需要區分的詞。
揮發性酒精（Alcohol Denat.、Ethanol、SD Alcohol）是需要謹慎的類型。它們在皮膚上揮發時帶走水分，破壞皮脂膜，長期使用會損傷角質層完整性。這類酒精讓產品感覺清爽不黏，讓活性成分滲透更快——但代價是屏障的受損。對已經薄弱的敏感肌，這個代價難以接受。
脂肪醇（Fatty Alcohols）是完全不同的東西。Cetyl Alcohol（十六醇）、Stearyl Alcohol（硬脂醇）、Cetearyl Alcohol 是保濕劑，它們讓乳霜質地滑順，幫助皮膚保持柔軟，並不會蒸發或破壞屏障。許多人看到「Alcohol」就跳過，錯過了本來很好的保濕成分。
判斷的方法很簡單：如果成分表裡 Alcohol 排在前三名，這個產品有顯著的揮發性酒精含量，敏感肌應該避開；如果看到的是 Cetyl Alcohol 或 Cetearyl Alcohol，可以安心使用。
這種區分，在成分表閱讀裡是入門課，但它足以幫你過濾掉市面上相當大比例的不適合產品。
"Alcohol" on a skincare ingredient list requires careful distinction.
Volatile alcohols — Alcohol Denat., Ethanol, SD Alcohol — are the ones that warrant concern. They evaporate on the skin, carrying moisture with them, disrupting the lipid film, and with prolonged use, damaging stratum corneum integrity. They make products feel light and non-sticky and speed active ingredient penetration, but the cost is barrier compromise. For already-vulnerable sensitive skin, this trade-off is difficult to justify.
Fatty alcohols are an entirely different category. Cetyl Alcohol, Stearyl Alcohol, and Cetearyl Alcohol are emollients. They give creams smooth texture, help skin stay supple, and do not evaporate or damage the barrier. Many people see "Alcohol" in an ingredient name and skip the product, missing perfectly good moisturizing components.
The assessment is simple: if plain "Alcohol" appears in the first three ingredients, the product has a meaningful volatile alcohol content — avoid if sensitive. If you see Cetyl Alcohol or Cetearyl Alcohol, these are safe to use.
This distinction is a basic skill in ingredient literacy, but it is sufficient to filter out a substantial proportion of unsuitable products on the market.