Ethyl, my dear, 

I’ve had my eye on you, but you only have ears for me.
Let’s meet up somewhere romantic, like a local distillery.

I just know that this is the beginning of a long, spirited history.
We’ve already made a connection… some would call it chemistry.

Things might get a little steamy, and don’t take offense to this, please,
but if we’re truly going to make this work, we’ll need to change… chemically.

All will gather to celebrate our bond before things get too heated.
We’ll face the future hand in hand, no social distancing needed.

Ours is the perfect union, and the timing just makes sense.
This special formula is bound to succeed, not by luck, but Providence.

Love,
COMPEL

Food-Grade Alcohol

There are many types and grades of alcohol and the uses are almost as numerous. We intentionally sourced USDA Food-Grade ethyl alcohol rather than cosmetic or lab grade because it has fewer impurities and is highly effective.  In 1994, the FDA classified ethanol 60% --95% as a Category 1 agent, meaning it is generally regarded as safe and effective (GRAS) for use in antiseptic hand wash products due it its rapid germicidal properties.

Isopropyl has a very strong odor and is toxic when ingested.  It is derived from propene (not propane) gas which comes from fossil fuels.  Isopropyl is great for use as a household or industrial cleaner and perfect for removing that sticky residue from glue or tape, but we certainly didn’t want to use it often on our skin.

A local solution

But Ethyl.  Oh, Ethyl.  It’s just perfect for our formula.  It is derived from corn and the ethyl we source is made from 100% Indiana corn.  The natural scent is sweet and dissipates as it dries.  For those concerned about ingestion (I was!), rest assured that no matter how sweet dear Ethyl smells and no matter how much flavor the distilleries add, her role in the COMPEL formula is exceedingly bitter and unpalatable.* 

A bit of trivia

It may get confusing when everyone uses the terms ethanol and ethyl alcohol interchangeably.  According to the FDA, “alcohol is defined as ethanol (ethyl alcohol) in the United States Pharmacopeia and National Formulary (USP-NF) and as ethyl alcohol in the Food Chemical Codex (FCC).”
Unlike alcohol-based hand sanitizers, COMPEL won’t dry out your hands.  Alcohol is used as a sanitizer because it dissolves lipids, destroying many types of viral and bacterial microorganisms.  If a sanitizer has used a lipid-based moisturizer, then the alcohol destroys the moisturizer before it ever reaches your skin.  COMPEL’s humectant and emollient work with alcohol and effectively hydrate the skin barrier.

While you may not care for alcohol enough to write a poem, Ethyl is the basis of our formula and a pretty compelling reason to be a little…corny. 

Disclaimer

*COMPEL is not sold, nor labeled, nor used, nor recommended, nor intended for consumption.  Do NOT taste, drink, inhale, or in any manner under any circumstance ingest the COMPEL product.  Just don’t.