Ethanol, also called alcohol, ethyl alcohol and grain alcohol, is a clear, colourless liquid and the principal ingredient in alcoholic beverages like beer, wine or brandy. Because it can readily dissolve in water and other organic compounds, ethanol also is an ingredient in a range of products, from personal care and beauty products to paints and varnishes to fuel.
Personal Care Products
Ethanol is a common ingredient in many cosmetics and beauty products. It acts as an astringent to help clean skin, as a preservative in lotions and to help ensure that lotion ingredients do not separate, and it helps hairspray adhere to hair. Because ethanol is effective in killing microorganisms like bacteria, fungi and viruses, it is a common ingredient in many hand sanitizers.
Household Products
Ethanol mixes easily with water and many organic compounds and makes an effective solvent for use in paints, lacquers and varnish. It is also used as an additive to cleaning products, because it is effective in knocking out organisms that could pose a danger.
Food Additives
As a food additive, ethanol can help evenly distribute food colouring, as well as enhance the flavour of food extracts. For example, vanilla extract, a common food flavouring, is made by curing and processing vanilla beans in a solution of ethanol and water.
Fuel
More than 98 percent of U.S. gasoline contains ethanol, typically in a mixture called E10, made up of 10 percent ethanol and 90 percent gasoline, to oxygenate the fuel and reduce air pollution. Ethanol has a higher-octane number than gasoline, providing premium blending properties, according to the U.S. Department of Energy.