Quick answer

Fatty alcohol used as a moisturizer and cleansing agent; Ruled safe as a food additive and as used in cosmetics; Is a white, waxy substance in its raw form; Also known as 1-octadecanol

Stearyl Alcohol

Updated

Octadecan-1-ol

Purpose

Gentle multi-tasking fatty alcohol that acts as a moisturizer and cleansing agent in skin care and helps keep other ingredients intact in a formulation. It has been ruled safe as used in cosmetics

Rating

GOOD

Category

Texture Enhancer, Emulsifier, Cleansing Agent

INCI Purpose

EMULSION STABILISING, FRAGRANCE, OPACIFYING, REFATTING, SKIN CONDITIONING - EMOLLIENT, SURFACTANT - CLEANSING, SURFACTANT - EMULSIFYING, SURFACTANT - FOAM BOOSTING, VISCOSITY CONTROLLING

Alternative Names

Hair Profile

Functions

Fatty Alcohol

Helps With

Dry hair Frizz Tangling

Suitable For

All types

Role

Fatty alcohol (thickener/emollient). Adds creaminess, body, and slip to formulations; primary base for conditioners.

Universal

At a Glance

Fatty alcohol used as a moisturizer and cleansing agent

Ruled safe as a food additive and as used in cosmetics

Is a white, waxy substance in its raw form

Also known as 1-octadecanol

Article

Stearyl alcohol is a fatty alcohol used as an emollient and to help keep other ingredients intact in a formulation. It is not to be confused with the drying, irritating types of alcohol such as SD alcohol or denatured alcohol. This versatile ingredient also has cleansing and foam-boosting properties and isn’t considered drying on skin.

Stearyl alcohol is also known as 1-octadecanol, and in its raw form is a white, waxy substance. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has ruled stearyl alcohol safe as a food additive, and the independent Cosmetic Ingredient Review panel deems it safe as used in cosmetics.

See: Stearic Acid, Fatty Alcohol

References