Cetyl Stearyl Alcohol ●
TL;DR. This ingredient is a waxy structuring agent, co-emulsifier, and viscosity builder that gives creams and lotions body, slip, and emulsion stability. It also adds light emollience without functioning like a volatile drying alcohol.
What does Cetyl Stearyl Alcohol do in a cosmetic formula?
This ingredient is a waxy structuring agent, co-emulsifier, and viscosity builder that gives creams and lotions body, slip, and emulsion stability. It also adds light emollience without functioning like a volatile drying alcohol.
Is Cetyl Stearyl Alcohol clean?
It is generally well tolerated, low in sensitization concern, and widely accepted in clean-beauty frameworks. Clean-standard friction is usually limited to feedstock traceability rather than the molecule itself.
Is Cetyl Stearyl Alcohol sustainable?
This material is commonly sourced from palm, palm-kernel, coconut, or synthetic routes, so sustainability depends on feedstock certification and traceability. It is readily biodegradable and does not raise the persistence concerns associated with many silicone or fluorinated materials.
Is Cetyl Stearyl Alcohol COSMOS-approved?
It is permitted under COSMOS natural and organic formulations when the feedstock and processing route meet the standard. It aligns well with Green Chemistry when made from renewable oils, with a simple chemistry profile and good biodegradability.
How does Cetyl Stearyl Alcohol work chemically?
This material is a blend of saturated long-chain C16 and C18 alcohols, giving it a waxy solid form and a typical melting range around 49 to 56°C. It is commonly used around 0.5 to 10% in emulsions, is stable across typical cosmetic pH ranges, and helps form lamellar structures with emulsifiers for improved viscosity and skin feel.
Last updated 2026-08-16