# UK PEOPLE - Where can we buy rubbing/isopropyl alcohol from?



## vocaltest (May 27, 2008)

I've found a website which you can buy it on, but I want to know if I can buy it in Boots or any pharmacy! Please let me know!


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## jasminbarley (May 27, 2008)

*****


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## nunu (May 27, 2008)

I got mine from ASDA.


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## Luceuk (May 28, 2008)

I got surgical spirit in Boots, it took ages to find though wasn't next to other things similar such as TCP. I had to ask in the end.


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## -moonflower- (May 28, 2008)

Anyone know how much it is in Boots? And how much is in the bottle?


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## Luceuk (May 28, 2008)

I think it was £3.49 and it's a 500ml bottle so you get quite a bit.


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## Shepherdess (May 28, 2008)

I brought mine from ebay. 

I didnt realise you could get it from Asda. I shall be buying some from there next time.


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## glam8babe (May 28, 2008)

ive always wanted to know this lol thanks for the answers


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## toparistonight (May 28, 2008)

I get mine in 200ml bottles from my local chemists, eg Moss/Lloyds etc.


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## vocaltest (May 28, 2008)

Quote:

   Originally Posted by *Luceuk* 

 
_I think it was £3.49 and it's a 500ml bottle so you get quite a bit._

 
I know you said you had to ask... but where did they find it in the end??


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## vocaltest (May 28, 2008)

Quote:

   Originally Posted by *nunu* 

 
_I got mine from ASDA._

 
Whereabouts in Asda was it??


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## nunu (May 28, 2008)

Quote:

   Originally Posted by *vocaltest* 

 
_Whereabouts in Asda was it??_

 
i found it by the DIY things like paint brushes and the home furninshings section.

Hope this helps


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## vocaltest (May 28, 2008)

Quote:

   Originally Posted by *nunu* 

 
_i found it by the DIY things like paint brushes and the home furninshings section.

Hope this helps 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 
ahh thank you! this is gonna sound so dumb... but is it the same as isopropyl alcohol?? and isn't surgical spirit the stuff you use to clean paintbrushes with? haha you can tell i did SO well in chemistry at school.


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## nunu (May 28, 2008)

Yep surgical spirit is the same as isopropyl alcohol and it is used to clean paint brushes.

Mine is called white spirit and i bought a 750ml bottle for 73p. I used it to depot my eyeshadows.

I hope i am talking about the same alcohol you are looking for


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## jasminbarley (May 29, 2008)

*****


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## madame_morbid (May 29, 2008)

Quote:

   Originally Posted by *nunu* 

 
_Yep surgical spirit is the same as isopropyl alcohol and it is used to clean paint brushes.

Mine is called white spirit and i bought a 750ml bottle for 73p. I used it to depot my eyeshadows.

I hope i am talking about the same alcohol you are looking for 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 
PLEASE don't use White Spirit...it is not the same thing AT ALL and would be very harmful if it came into contact with your skin or eyes!!!!


http://screenface.com/NewProdDets.asp?Products_Action=Find('Productid','  746')&Products_Position=FIL%3AMake%3D%27Pharmaceut  icals%27ORD%3AABS%3A6KEY%3A746PAR%3A

This is a good source for Isopropyl


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## Luceuk (May 29, 2008)

Quote:

   Originally Posted by *vocaltest* 

 
_I know you said you had to ask... but where did they find it in the end??_

 
 I can't remember I think it was next to the bandages, something like that. The Boots I went to is big so I think that made it harder to find.


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## jasminbarley (May 29, 2008)

*****


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## -moonflower- (May 29, 2008)

Right, you've lost me. 
Surgical spirits = rubbing alcohol and is ok for pressing pigments
or
Surgical spirits = white spirits and isn't alright? 

Can someone clear this up?


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## Luceuk (May 30, 2008)

Quote:

   Originally Posted by *-moonflower-* 

 
_Right, you've lost me. 
Surgical spirits = rubbing alcohol and is ok for pressing pigments
or
Surgical spirits = white spirits and isn't alright? 

Can someone clear this up?_

 
I think so, because Surgical Spirit is ok to clean wounds, so should be fine in pigments.


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## jasminbarley (May 30, 2008)

*****


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## elleread (Jun 9, 2008)

White Spirit is DEFINITELY not the same as surgical spirit!!
Don't use it on your skin, especially around the eyes- omg, that would be awful.

I'm an artist and I use white spirit to clean off my oil paint from brushes. It stinks to high heaven and makes my hands sore if I come into contact with it too often. It is quite good for cleaning sticky marks from things too (like where you've removed a sticky label or whatever).

Surgical spirit is safe for skin use and is what you want for pressing pigments, I believe!

On another note, does anyone know where you can buy the little metal pans to press pigments in so they fit in your palettes?


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## k.a.t (Jun 9, 2008)

OOh no, white spirit is very harmful...i think it's corrossive toy uor skin so it's a definite no no.. and it is different to surgical spirit, which is the kind that is used by hospitals and the like to sanitize hands, wounds etc. I'm not 100% sure if it's the same as Isopropyl alcohol though. I really need to get some as well to make my own brush cleanser but i don't know where to get it from :S

Is Surgical spirit the same as Isospopyl alcohol?


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## elleread (Jun 9, 2008)

OK, this whole topic has got my curiosity up! 

Here's what Wikipedia have to say about Rubbing (Isopropyl) Alcohol
Rubbing alcohol - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

And down the bottom, yes, it seems as though Surgical Spirit is near enough the same thing, along with one or two additives:

"In the UK the equivalent skin preparation is surgical spirit which is always based on an ethyl alcohol-methyl alcohol mixture, and which often has the addition of small quantities of iodoform as a topical bacteriocide.
A typical modern composition for Surgical Spirit BP is: ethanol, methanol, water, castor oil, methyl salicylate, diethyl phthalate. It has a strong smell of wintergreen due to the presence of the methyl salicylate."

I would have thought since Surgical Spirit is far easier to get hold of in the UK, we'd be best to look out for this for pressing pigments.


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## k.a.t (Jun 9, 2008)

Well i just got some of this surgical spirit thingy from my local Sainsbury's. i had to ask for it at the pharmacy bit and it came in a brown medicine bottle :S It was cheap too 82p for 200 ml.


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## User49 (Jun 9, 2008)

I was looking for this when I started doing freelance seriously and couldn't find it in boots or superdrug. You can get it from ScreenFace make up studio hire, chair hire, portable mirror hire 

http://WWW.SCREENFACE.COM/NewProdDets.asp?Products_Action=Find('Productid','  561')&Products_Position=FIL%3AMake%3D%27Pharmaceut  icals%27ORD%3AABS%3A12KEY%3A561PAR%3A


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## angi (Jun 9, 2008)

When I was looking to press my pigments a few months ago I went and looked for isopropyl alcohol pretty much everywhere I could think of. 

The general consensus in the major supermarkets/ stores was that they used to have it (in the pharmacy section), but because it is cheap, and alcohol, people were unfortunately buying it and drinking it 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





, so, most of them no longer stocked it (boots had it, but only on presoaked pads), and if they did have it, in most stores it would be behind the counter. 

I got mine from ebay in the end. I think it was about £3 for 200ml (90% purity).


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## Millgrove (Jun 10, 2008)

Quote:

   Originally Posted by *nunu* 

 
_Yep surgical spirit is the same as isopropyl alcohol and it is used to clean paint brushes.

Mine is called white spirit and i bought a 750ml bottle for 73p. I used it to depot my eyeshadows.

I hope i am talking about the same alcohol you are looking for 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

Um, just a note of caution everyone.

White Spirit is a hydrocarbon blend - (it is the same group as petrol, diesel etc) and not an alchohol blend. I would not use this as a substitute for iso propyl alcohol for anything that will be used on the skin as it can cause irritation. It is good for general cleaning of oil-based products such as gloss paints. You could use it for cleaning palettes etc if you clean off any residue/film (it will not fully evaporate like an alcohol does).

Rubbing alcohol or iso-propyl alcohol is in a different chemical group. Technically this should always be iso-propanol, but the term rubbing alcohol is often also used to refer to ethanol as well. Either will do the same job. (but should not be drunk!).

Surgical spirit is a mixture of ethanol and methanol (like methylated spirit but without the purple dye). It is similar to iso-propyl alcohol and will work almost as well, it just evaporates a bit slower and sometimes has an added odour to discourage drinking (not safe due to the included methanol which is toxic).

Hope this helps a little?

xx


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## vocaltest (Jun 10, 2008)

I bought me some surgical spirit today 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 It was only £1.05 in Tesco pharmacy! It STINKS though... I wanna re-press my sable eyeshadow but I'm scared its gonna make it stink/isn't gonna be eye safe. Blah. Why don't we have a chemist on hand? 

Also... when I depotted my Sushi Flower e/s today using the no heat method, I dropped a bit of the surgical spirit into the eyeshadow and it made it go darker? I haven't checked what its like now (too lazy to get off my bed haha) but yeah... Just a word of warning.


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## nunu (Jun 10, 2008)

i only use it to remove the glue from the pots when i depot my eyeshadows. I never use it anywhere by my eyes...I just use it for depotting.

Isn't it the same thing alcohol? i am getting really confused!


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## k.a.t (Jun 11, 2008)

Quote:

   Originally Posted by *vocaltest* 

 
_I bought me some surgical spirit today 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 It was only £1.05 in Tesco pharmacy! It STINKS though... I wanna re-press my sable eyeshadow but I'm scared its gonna make it stink/isn't gonna be eye safe. Blah. Why don't we have a chemist on hand? 

Also... when I depotted my Sushi Flower e/s today using the no heat method, I dropped a bit of the surgical spirit into the eyeshadow and it made it go darker? I haven't checked what its like now (too lazy to get off my bed haha) but yeah... Just a word of warning._

 
I actually think it smells rather nice 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 can't stop smelling it lol


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## Luceuk (Jun 11, 2008)

I pressed some of my pigments today with Surgical spirit and they turned out great. I need to buy some more palettes so I can do the rest.


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## vocaltest (Jun 11, 2008)

Ewww haha. It reminds of being a kid and grazing myself or something, its that 'medical'/'clean' smell, reminds me of hospitals and piercing/tattoo studios too, haha. 

 Quote:

   Originally Posted by *k.a.t* 

 
_I actually think it smells rather nice 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 can't stop smelling it lol_


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## k.a.t (Jun 11, 2008)

Quote:

   Originally Posted by *vocaltest* 

 
_Ewww haha. It reminds of being a kid and grazing myself or something, its that 'medical'/'clean' smell, reminds me of hospitals and piercing/tattoo studios too, haha._

 
Lol...mine smells....kind of grassy/mentholly (sp?) And then again i'm weird like that, i like weird smells


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## Mac_Wendy (Jun 11, 2008)

ive got surgical spirit, does it work just aswell as Isopropyl Alcohol?  do you need to leave the pigment to dry longer,  how long for about 4 hours in a warm room?

do you know where to buy isopropyl alcohol apart from online?  can it be purchased in any shops?

many thanks for taking the time to reply

xx


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## eskiepeskie (Jun 11, 2008)

I had real bother finding any in the UK.  I must have tried just about every chemist in my town and the amount of strange looks I got.. I would try to explain what I was using it for and the looks would just get stranger! 

I ended up getting mine (surgical spirit) from Sally's - was the only place I could find that sold it that didn't have an overly pungent smell or was purple! And I've used it for pressing my pigments and it works great


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## Mac_Wendy (Jun 11, 2008)

thanks eskie, i got some surgical spirits the other day, but it stinks, lol, will have a go with it and see how i get on.

thanks again


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## eskiepeskie (Jun 11, 2008)

No problem! I think if its just alcoholy smelling it will go away once its dried... but if its that menthol smell some of them have it will probably stay around - I've got a pressed vanilla pigment and it smells like some kind of cold remedy! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




I think I've tried just about everything in my search for something to press my pigments with - even tried Vodka at one point! I wouldn't recommend it... I ended up with watery gloop and had to drink the rest of the Vodka to console myself!


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## Mac_Wendy (Jun 11, 2008)

lol, i got the surgical sprits from boots,


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## Mac_Wendy (Jun 11, 2008)

was googling isopropyl alcohol and found you can buy it here

Ruthless-Effects.co.uk ESSENTIAL MAKEUP SUPPLIES


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## Millgrove (Jun 12, 2008)

Quote:

   Originally Posted by *nunu* 

 
_i only use it to remove the glue from the pots when i depot my eyeshadows. I never use it anywhere by my eyes...I just use it for depotting.

Isn't it the same thing alcohol? i am getting really confused!_

 
White spirit isn't a spirit (an alcohol) at all. It's a hydrocarbon mixture which can vary from batch to batch and manufacturer to manufacturer (that's why it's cheap). The name white spirit is just a common-use name, it doesn't refer to what it contains.

It will be fine for taking the glue of pans etc. Just don't use it for pressing pigments, or cleaning utensils or pans you are going to re-fill (unless you cleanse them off with something else afterwards). For those sorts of jobs use Surgical Spirit (if you don't mind the smell) or try and get iso propyl alcohol (what they use on the Mac counters).

White Spirit isn't really dangerous or anything like that. The most likely problem people experience is skin irritation if they use it much - redness, dryness, or contact dermatitis from skin contact. So as long as you wash your hands thoroughly after use or wear those disposeable latex gloves, and you just use it for cleaning off glue and not for anything that you will use on your skin later, you should have no problems.

Does this help any?

xx


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## lescooper (Mar 6, 2013)

Yes you can get it from BOOTS but its called Surgical Spirit, I asked my Boots and was unsure 3 minutes after getting home he called me and said that Surgical Spirit was the same and that he had some on the shelf (Last bottle)

hope it helps


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## deb40 (Jun 9, 2013)

rubbing alcohol is the american term
  	surgical spirit is the english term
  	isopropyl is the chemical term

  	white spirit is something completely different


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## Danny34 (Aug 7, 2013)

White Spirit is used to clean paint brushes etc.  Surgical Spirit is used to run on the skin to help prevent bedsores, Isopropyl Alcohol is used as a anti-bacterial wipe before injections etc.  For goodness sake don't go rubbing White Spirit on your skin.


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## Danny34 (Aug 7, 2013)

White Spirit is used to clean paint brushes etc.  Surgical Spirit is used to run on the skin to help prevent bedsores, Isopropyl Alcohol is used as a anti-bacterial wipe before injections etc.  For goodness sake don't go rubbing White Spirit on your skin.


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## Lin1018 (Oct 28, 2014)

vocaltest said:


> I've found a website which you can buy it on, but I want to know if I can buy it in Boots or any pharmacy! Please let me know!


  Look on eBay.co.uk  there are lots of sellers.   I'm sure you can get it in Boots as well.


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## Droog (Apr 24, 2015)

Surgical spirit in Boots is not pure Isopropyl - it contains castor oil. This might be good for your skin, but is not helpful when preparing motorbike bodywork for painting.


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