Hexyldecanol

Hexyldecanol is a fatty alcohol that is basically the "light" version of cetyl alcohol. It is an emollient and skin conditioning agent that leaves a silky feeling on skin without tackiness.

Because it is stable across a wide pH range, it plays nicely with most actives. Typical use concentrations range from 1-10% and it can be either plant derived or synthetically created.

Overall, this is a well-tolerated ingredient and only a few cases of contact dermatitis have been reported.

Fungal acne

The closest tested cousin of this ingredient, Octyldodecanol, did not support Malassezia growth in vitro. The Malassezia yeast responsible for fungal acne prefers straight-chain substrates whereas Hexyldecanol and Octyldodecanol are branched. While this ingredient is unlikely to cause fungal acne, be sure to patch test if you're unsure.