Rate My SPF

Sd Alcohol 40-B

What Sd Alcohol 40-B is & what it does

SD Alcohol 40-B is specially denatured ethanol, ethyl alcohol made unfit to drink by adding a small amount of a bittering or denaturing agent. In cosmetic and sunscreen formulas it works as a fast-evaporating solvent and helps products feel light, dry down quickly, and spread thinly. It can also improve the penetration of other ingredients, though high levels of volatile alcohol may feel drying on the skin.

What does SD Alcohol 40-B do in skincare?

SD Alcohol 40-B is denatured ethanol used as a fast-evaporating solvent in skincare and sunscreen formulas. It helps products dry down quickly, feel light, and spread thinly, and it can aid the delivery of other ingredients. Higher levels can feel drying, so it is balanced against the rest of the formula.

Is SD Alcohol 40-B safe?

SD Alcohol 40-B is widely used in cosmetics and is generally considered safe at the levels typically formulated. That said, high amounts of volatile alcohol may feel drying or be less comfortable for very dry or sensitive skin. If alcohol bothers your skin, you may prefer alcohol-free options.

Is SD Alcohol 40-B natural or synthetic?

SD Alcohol 40-B is ethyl alcohol that can be derived from fermentation of plant sugars, then specially denatured with a small added agent. The base alcohol is often plant-fermented, while the denaturing step is a processing step. It typically contains no animal-derived material and is generally suitable for vegan formulas.

Sunscreens with Sd Alcohol 40-B

We rate 43 sunscreens that contain it, showing the top 10 by overall score:

← All ingredients