Cetearyl Behenate ●
TL;DR. This ingredient is a waxy emollient and structuring agent that adds slip, body, and a smoother afterfeel to creams, balms, sticks, and color cosmetics. It also helps thicken oil phases and improve payoff in anhydrous formulas.
What does Cetearyl Behenate do in a cosmetic formula?
This ingredient is a waxy emollient and structuring agent that adds slip, body, and a smoother afterfeel to creams, balms, sticks, and color cosmetics. It also helps thicken oil phases and improve payoff in anhydrous formulas.
Is Cetearyl Behenate clean?
From a clean-beauty perspective, it is generally well tolerated, low in irritation potential, and not a common allergen. It does not have the restricted-list friction associated with many silicones, certain preservatives, or fragrance allergens.
Is Cetearyl Behenate sustainable?
This material is typically made from fatty raw materials that may be plant-derived, with possible palm, coconut, rapeseed, or other oil-crop inputs depending on the supplier. It is expected to be biodegradable, and the main sustainability question is traceable sourcing of the fatty feedstocks.
Is Cetearyl Behenate COSMOS-approved?
It is generally compatible with COSMOS-natural and COSMOS-organic frameworks when made from approved natural-origin fatty materials using allowed esterification chemistry. Its Green Chemistry profile is favorable because it can use renewable feedstocks, has low volatility, and breaks down more readily than persistent synthetic polymers.
How does Cetearyl Behenate work chemically?
The molecule is a high-molecular-weight, nonionic, saturated wax ester with long hydrocarbon chains, which explains its solid texture, lipophilicity, and cushiony skin feel. It is typically used around 1 to 10% in emulsions, balms, and sticks, is pH-insensitive in normal cosmetic ranges, and is more oxidation-stable than unsaturated plant oils.
Last updated 2026-05-13