Is cetearyl alcohol a bad ingredient?

Is cetearyl alcohol a bad ingredient?

The bottom line Not only is it considered safe and nontoxic for use on the skin and hair, but it’s also not drying or irritating like other types of alcohol. Due to its chemical structure, cetearyl alcohol is even permitted by the FDA as an ingredient in products labeled “alcohol-free.”

Is cetearyl alcohol safe for skin?

Cetearyl alcohol is completely safe for use in skin care! Unlike denatured alcohol or ethanol, which can dry out your skin, cetearyl alcohol actually acts as an emollient to soften skin and is safe to use.

Is cetyl alcohol biodegradable?

Cetearyl alcohol serves as providing consistency to cosmetic products. It is a mixture of fatty alcohols that is easily biodegradable.

Is cetearyl alcohol natural or synthetic?

Cetearyl alcohol is a waxy substance that’s derived naturally from plants, like palm oil or coconut oil, but can also be synthesized in a lab. Fusco says theoretically, it could be used in any product that you apply to your skin or hair and is commonly found in creams, lotions, moisturizers, and shampoos.

Is cetearyl alcohol actually alcohol?

Chemically speaking, cetearyl alcohol is a fatty alcohol. It’s made of cetyl alcohol and stearyl alcohol, two fatty alcohols also used in skin care. On ingredient labels, cetearyl alcohol is sometimes listed as cetostearyl alcohol, cetyl/stearyl alcohol, or C16-18 alcohol.

Is cetearyl alcohol a preservative?

Alcohols such as stearyl alcohol or cetyl alcohol are considered fatty alcohols and are non-drying. Many of these water-based products use phenoxyethanol as a preservative instead of benzyl alcohol. It is considered less irritating and does not release formaldehyde (a toxic substance) as do some other preservatives.

Is cetearyl alcohol Organic?

Cetearyl Alcohol (Cetyl + Stearyl Alcohol) is synthetically derived from Coconut oil or Petroleum derivatives. Oil and water do not normally mix well, but this ingredient works as an emulsifier (think mayonnaise) and is an inexpensive additive and this is why it’s use is so pervasive in commercial products.