Beauty Secrets Blog

Submitted by Beauty Brains Blog

Angie asks: I’m interested in trying a mousse cleanser. I was going to try the Olay Definity Mousse Cleanser, but I noticed that the 3rd ingredient was butane; is it ok to wash you face with lighter fluid?

Right Brain replies:
Thanks for this interesting question Angie.  It never occurred to me but butane is an ingredient found in some lighter fluids.  First, NO it is NOT OK to wash your face with lighter fluid!  However, it is OK to use Olay Definity Mousse Cleanser even though it contains butane.  To understand why, we’ll have to explain a bit about aerosols and butane chemistry.

What is an Aerosol?

Olay Definity Mousse Cleanser is an an aerosol.  It is a liquid product put in a pressurized can that is easily dispensed by pressing a button (or actuator).  For more about aerosols, go back and read our series called Adorable Aerosols or better yet, download the Free Beauty Brains Basic Cosmetic Science Report.

So, for an aerosol to work there needs to be a propellant that forces the product out of the container.  In Olay Definity Mousse Cleaner, the propellant is butane.

Butane pushes out the product

Butane is a hydrocarbon that exists as a gas at room temperature and normal pressures.  But when you increase the pressure, like they do in an aerosol, the butane becomes liquid and mixes with other cleanser ingredients like surfactants & moisturizers.  When you press the button, pressure is reduced and butane (along with the cleanser) comes rushing out.  Immediately, butane turns to gas and disappears into the atmosphere.  Very little, if any, gets on your face.

Why Lighter Fluid?

Butane also happens to be flammable like many other quick evaporating liquids like alcohol.  This makes it useful as an energy source for lighters.  Fortunately, it will only catch fire when you expose it to a flame. This is true of almost all aerosol propellants.  It’s also the reason why in the United States, the FDA requires the following warnings on all aerosol products.