Cetearyl alcohol is a chemical found in cosmetic products. It’s a white, waxy mixture of 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’re 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.

Is cetearyl alcohol safe?
You may have heard that you should avoid hair and skin products that contain alcohol. This is because many alcohols, like ethanol or rubbing alcohol, can be very drying. Using alcohol on your skin and hair could lead to itchiness, flaking, and skin peeling.

In fact, alcohols are commonly found in products like astringents, hand sanitizers, and aftershave due to their fast-drying and skin-tightening abilities.

But fatty alcohols, like cetearyl alcohol, don’t have the same effect on the skin as other alcohols due to their chemical structure.

The chemical makeup of cetearyl alcohol is different from more commonly known alcohols. In cetearyl alcohol, the alcohol group (-OH) is attached to a very long chain of hydrocarbons (fats). This feature allows fatty alcohols to trap water and provides a soothing feel to the skin.

Chemicals that make the skin feel smooth are referred to as emollients. They work by forming an oily layer on the top of the skin to keep the moisture inside.

The Cosmetic Ingredient Review (CIR) Expert Panel concluded in 1988 that fatty alcohols, including cetearyl alcohol, are safe for use in cosmetic products. A subsequent 2005 review confirmed these results.

In clinical studies, cetearyl alcohol was found to have no significant toxicity and was non-mutagenic.

A mutagen is a chemical agent that changes your DNA. DNA changes can cause certain diseases, like cancer.

It was also found not to irritate the skin. According to the FDATrusted Source, even cosmetic products labeled “alcohol-free” are allowed to contain cetearyl alcohol and other fatty alcohols. Cetearyl alcohol is also included on the FDA list of safe and permitted food additives.

As with many skin care products, there’s a small risk of allergic reaction to cetearyl alcohol.