CETEARYL Alcohol

Product Details
Description: All-purpose thickening agent. NF grade, 95% active components. Composed of fatty alcohols, 70:30 ratio. C18 weight percentage stearyl alcohol 60-75% and C16 weight percentage cetyl alcohol 25-35%. HLB 15.5 (creates oil-in-water emulsions but only to a limited degree). White flakes or pastilles, mild characteristic odor. Not soluble in water. Partially soluble in alcohol.

Benefits:
Non-gelling thickener, viscosity and consistency enhancer
Works also in water-free products like lipsticks
Acts as co-emulsifier at concentrations under 2%
Has emollient, moisturizing, and foam boosting properties
Use: Melt before use (54°C/129°F) or add to hot water phase. Usual concentration 0.5-10%. For external use only.
Applications: Lotions, creams, hair shampoos, conditioners, body washes, makeup products.
What is cetearyl alcohol?
Cetearyl alcohol is a chemical found in cosmetic products. It’s a white, waxy substance made from cetyl alcohol and stearyl alcohol, both fatty alcohols. They’re found in animals and plants, like coconut and palm oil. They can also be made in a laboratory.

They are used in personal care products, mainly skin lotions, hair products, and creams. They help create smoother creams, thicker lotions, and more stable foam products.

Fatty alcohols are sometimes called long-chain alcohols because of their chemical formula. They usually have an even number of carbon atoms, with a single alcohol group (–OH) attached to the last carbon.

Cetyl alcohol has 16 carbon atoms. Stearyl alcohol has 18. Cetearyl alcohol is a combination of the two, so it has 34 carbon atoms. Its molecular formula is C34H72O2.