Cetearyl Alcohol

Cetearyl alcohol is a mixture of cetyl and stearyl alcohols, making it a fatty alcohol. It can be derived naturally, as in coconut fatty alcohol, or made synthetically. Unlike the skin-aggravating/drying forms of alcohol in skin care (typically listed as SD alcohol, denatured alcohol, or isopropyl alcohol), cetearyl alcohol is not bad for skin. It’s an emollient that is gentle, safe, and good for skin’s health.

Beyond cetearyl alcohol’s emollient ability to provide a softening and smoothing effect, it is also used as a carrying agent for other ingredients. Additionally, it can be used to alter the thickness of a formula or to influence the foaming capacity of a cleanser.

It is almost always combined with similar-feeling ingredients to create a product’s texture and slip sensation when applied to skin. It is not considered pore-clogging.

According to the U.S. FDA, cosmetic products labeled “alcohol free” are allowed to contain cetearyl alcohol, because the effects are so different from skin-damaging forms of alcohol. We repeat: fatty alcohols like cetearyl alcohol do not pose a risk of sensitizing or drying out your skin.

As a raw material, cetearyl alcohol is a white, waxy solid (often in flake form). It is not soluble in water but is soluble in alcohol and oils. In the majority of skin care formulas, cetearyl alcohol is present in under a 5% concentration, although higher amounts are permissible.

The Cosmetic Ingredient Review has a long history of recognizing cetearyl alcohol as safe in the present practices of use.