Cosmetic Ingredient – Cetyl Alcohol

Cetyl Alcohol is a bit misleading. You hear the term “alcohol” and have instant visions of stripped skin and hellacious dryness. No worries here though, cetyl alcohol is not in the same family as those alcohols. You see, those alcohols are related to ethanol. Cetyl alcohol is related to plant oils. Big difference, right? Therefore, products can be sold as “alcohol-free” while containing cetyl alcohol. Confused? Don’t be. Just know that having cetyl alcohol in your makeup and skincare is most likely fine.

The thing is though is that cetyl alcohol does come from several different sources. It can be one of the end products of the petroleum industry, which sounds icky and I personally would choose not to use that particular brand of cetyl alcohol on my face. It can also be derived from sperm whales, but thankfully, our humanity kicked in and it is no longer sourced from whales. The best, in my personal opinion, is when cetyl alcohol is vegetable based and taken from oils such as palm and coconut. Much better for the face and much more preferable amiright?!

So what is the point of cetyl alcohol? Why does it exist in an array of products from lipstick to skin cream to conditioner? For one thing, it is a thickener for lotions, creams, and liquids and helps with the spreadability of a product. It can also be an emulsifier, helping the liquid and oil bind together and prevent separation of your product. It also is an emollient, so you can expect your skin and/or hair to feel softer with use.

It is a white waxy substance that only melts at higher temperatures, much like palm oil and coconut oil. In addition, it is safe for use in food. This has implications for cosmetics because that also means it is safe to use on the lips! Which means lipsticks, lip balms, glosses and much much more! It is a popular product to use in makeup because the higher melting rate and emollient properties help color bind to skin. Check out those cream blushers and lippie products. It probably contains cetyl alcohol.

And if it doesn’t say cetyl alcohol specifically? It is also known as 1-hexadecanol and palmityl alcohol. Cetyl alcohol is also a major component of cetearyl alcohol. It’s also highly affordable, costing about six dollars for one pound of product.

Cetyl alcohol can be a great ingredient most of the time, however there are exceptions. If you have irritated skin, refrain from using this product. If you have sensitive skin, you might try patch testing first as some people do experience contact irritation such as imflammation and redness. Be particularly conscious if you have rosacea or psoriasis. I repeat, PATCH TEST if this fits your skin! Otherwise, it is generally decent for the majority of the population.

So what have we learned today? Cetyl alcohol is a good alcohol. It’s emollient, emulsive, and thickening. It’s amazeballs in lipstick and *maybe* avoid if your skin is wonky. One more time, patch test if you have worries. Lesson over, and we’ll see what next time brings!

Products containing Cetyl Alcohol:
Paula’s Choice Skincare – Smooth Finish Conditioner