Went around town today and ended up coming home looking like a drowned rat and without surgical spirit which was part of the reason why I went in town in the first place... So decided to just cave and ask the people of Cosplay Island!!

I checked Boots and Superdrug. Boots brand had a 90% alcohol content and Superdrug had a 95% alcohol content. Both shops directed me to other shops which sold me things like white spirit or nothing at all. Also tried Tesco a few days back, couldn't find it but I didn't actually ask staff so if it is there, I'll go back and ask.

Was wondering where all you lovely people seem to acquire a decent 70% alcohol surgical spirit for wig dying?

I used the boots cheapest white label stuff. The tutorials I read said that the higher the content the better, but 70% min for a decent job. I haven't used any different percentages to compare though.

I actually got mine off eBay! It seems a little dangerous, but it was totally legit and really safely packaged and sent! It arrived in about 2 days, too, since it was sent recorded first... I'll see if I can dig up the shop...

http://stores.ebay.co.uk/1st-Chemical-Solutions-HypercleneUK?_trksid=p4340.l2563

That's the one! The 70% rubbing alcohol was what I bought!! I hope that helps?

Amy - Is the Boots one you have the 90% one? Because when I went in they only seemed to have that one brand when I asked. If it works for you though I may get it, just that the tutorials said that anything above 90% would just strip away the pigments too much so it wouldn't stick.

Felixie - Oooh, thank you!! I did think about buying online, but I thought it may be a bit dodgy seeing as any packages I get has to go through the reception and they may wonder what on earth I'm buying/being sent XD;;

If I can't find any in town then I shall just use that eBay link, thanks everyone!

I bought my 70% alcohol surgical spirit from eBay - http://stores.ebay.co.uk/apcpure - arrived very well packaged, and I also bought my spray bottles from the same place.

Just for the record, the stuff Superdrug sells has too high an alcohol % and won't work. We've tried and failed. XD

If the % is too high, is it not possible to dilute it?

If that's a silly idea, feel free to just... ignore the suggestion.

Just looking at the surgical spirit from Lloyd's Pharmacy website (which sells the same stuff as Superdrugs, btw), the ingredients are:

Virgin Castor Oil 2.5% v/v
Methyl Salicylate 0.5% v/v
Diethyl Phthalate 2.0% v/v
Industrial Methylated Spirit 95% v/v

So to dilute it you might have to use castor oil I guess. It's doable but probably more trouble than it's worth, having to calculate how much to dilute it by and all that. Theoretically could also just leave the bottle open and let some of the alcohol evaporate... but might as well just get a bottle that already has the right % alcohol to save the trouble.

I did this a long time ago and used the entire bottle, so I really have no way of knowing. It's entirely possible Boots have changed what they stock. I'm sure it was more than 70% though as I was having a tough time finding anything even that high and was very excited to find this one.

I'd be interested to see how different percentages affect the outcome.