Very Disliked
Cetyl Alcohol
Fatty Alcohol
Fatty alcohols may cause breakouts and/or clogged pores in those with sensitive skin.
Explained
Cetyl Alcohol is a fatty alcohol. Fatty Alcohols are most often used as an emollient or to thicken a product.
Its main roles are:
- Emollient: helping hydrate skin by trapping moisture
- Emulsifer: preventing ingredients from separating
- Thickening: making the product texture thicker
Though it has "alcohol" in the name, it is not related to SD alcohol, denatured alcohol, or ethyl alcohol. The FDA allows products labeled "alcohol-free" to have fatty alcohols.
See all 6,520 products with Cetyl Alcohol
What it does
Emollient
Having the quality of softening or soothing the skin.
Emulsifying
The act of emulsion: a suspension of small globules of one liquid in a second liquid with which the first will not mix
Emulsion Stabilising
Stabiliziing emulsion, making two non-mixable ingredients stable
Masking
Obscuring or blocking
Prevalence
Somewhat common
Percentage of products that contain it
8%
Top categories
Moisturizers
Treatments
Cleansers
Position
Predominant list placement
Top 25%
Concentration
Concentrations we've seen
2%
References
Products with Cetyl Alcohol
CosIng Data
CosIng ID
32596
INCI Name
CETYL ALCOHOL
INN Name
cetyl alcohol
EC #
 253-149-0
Ph. Eur. Name
alcohol cetylicus
All Functions
Emollient, Emulsifying, Emulsion Stabilising, Foam Boosting, Masking, Opa CI Fying, Surfactant, Viscosity Controlling
