The subject of alcohol in skin care is one of those topics that often stirs up controversy and debate. Questions about whether alcohol in skin care is safe, whether or not it will dry out skin, or even what kinds of alcohol should be used in skin care abound, and there is much confusing and misleading information on the topic. The answers to these questions depend a lot on what kind of alcohol we’re talking about and how it’s used.
Let’s talk about cetearyl alcohol. Whether it’s nourishing the skin as an emollient or binding other ingredients together, cetearyl alcohol plays a number of different skin care roles, which is why it’s so frequently found in everything from moisturizer to eye cream. For that reason, in this post, we’ll discuss cetearyl alcohol, what it is, why it’s in skin care, and whether it is safe. If you’ve ever stayed away from alcohol in skin care products, we think cetearyl alcohol may change your mind.
IN A NUTSHELL
Ingredient Category: Fatty Alcohol, Emollient
Main Benefit: As an emollient, it moisturizes and softens skin. It also acts as a thickener that helps creams feel more luxurious.
Find It In: Eyes Eyes Baby Anti-Aging Eye Cream, Crème de la Cream Brightening Moisturizer, and Prince Charcoal Detox Mask.
Cetearyl Alcohol: What It Is
Known as a “long tail” alcohol, cetearyl alcohol consists of a combination of cetyl (also known as 1-hexadecanol and palmityl alcohol) and stearyl (octadecyl alcohol or 1-octadecanol) alcohols. To throw it back to science class for a sec, its official formula is CH3(CH2)nCH2OH. You might find your ingredients list will include both alcohols separately, as cetyl alcohol and stearyl alcohol; together, these two ingredients form cetearyl alcohol.
Classified as a “fatty alcohol,” cetearyl alcohol is a white, waxy solid that makes a great emulsifier. Completely insoluble in water, it is soluble in alcohols and oils.
Cetearyl alcohol is found in nature, specifically from the coconut palm tree and the oil palm. Although long harvested from dolphins and whales, it can now also be made in synthetic form.
Cetearyl alcohol is a commonly used ingredient in all kinds of products, from moisturizers to lotions, to creams and hair conditioners.
Cetearyl Alcohol: Why It's in Skincare
Cetearyl alcohol acts as a backbone to many skin care products. It keeps formulas stable while also nourishing your skin.
Here are a few of the functions cetearyl alcohol performs in skin care:
- It’s an emollient: Cetearyl alcohol helps moisturize and soften the skin, not just by providing hydration, but by locking moisture into the skin.
- It’s a stabilizer: Cetearyl alcohol helps skin care formulas maintain their texture, consistency, and thickness.
- It’s an emulsifier: Cetearyl alcohol acts as a binding agent, helping to keep oil and water together.
- It’s a thickener: Not only does it bring ingredients together, it also is a thickening agent that makes products feel more luxurious.
- It’s safe: The Cosmetic Ingredient Review has determined that cetearyl alcohol is safe for use in cosmetics.
Cetearyl Alcohol: Is It Safe?
When used in skin care, cetearyl alcohol is completely safe for skin. Although some alcohol for skin can definitely be drying and irritating, fatty alcohols like cetearyl alcohol are the opposite. In fact, they help nourish and moisturize the skin and help give cosmetics their consistency.
What Alcohols for Skin Should I Avoid?
The alcohols you should stay away from are classified as “simple alcohols” and include alcohols like alcohol denat, ethanol, propanol, and methanol. Usually included in skin care because of their ability to suck the oil out of skin, they are extremely drying and can cause irritation.
How to Use Cetearyl Alcohol in Skin Care
As we mentioned, in addition to helping the ingredients in skin care products bind to each other properly, cetearyl alcohol is used in skin care as an emollient, softening and moisturizing the skin. Cetearyl alcohol is found in skin care products that range from hair conditioners to moisturizers, so you should have no trouble incorporating it into your skin care routine.
- As always, begin with a gentle facial cleanser.
- Refresh and balance your skin with a hydrating toner.
- Treat your skin with a brightening serum that contains vitamin C to restore your natural glow and diminish the look of fine lines and wrinkles.
- Apply a rich eye cream with cetearyl alcohol, like our Eyes Eyes Baby, to take care of that delicate skin around the eyes.
- Use a moisturizer with cetearyl alcohol, like our Crème de la Cream, to moisturize and soften skin.
- Add a detoxifying charcoal mask, like our Prince Charcoal, a few times a week- it not only draws out impurities, but nourishes the skin with cetearyl alcohol.
Frequently Asked Questions About Cetearyl Alcohol
What is cetearyl alcohol?
Cetearyl alcohol is a “fatty alcohol” consisting of cetyl and stearyl alcohols. Known as a “long-tail” alcohol, it is a white, waxy solid that is often used as an emollient in skin care products (meaning it helps moisturize the skin). It’s also used to help skin care products keep their consistency and texture.
Completely insoluble in water, it is soluble in alcohols and oils.
Is cetearyl alcohol safe?
Cetearyl alcohol is completely safe for use in skin care. Unlike denatured alcohol or ethanol, which can dry out your skin, cetearyl alcohol acts as an emollient to soften skin and is safe to use.
Is cetyl alcohol bad for skin?
No. Unlike “simple” alcohols like alcohol denat, ethanol, propanol, and methanol, a “fatty” alcohol like cetyl alcohol isn’t drying or irritating. On the contrary, it’s an emollient that helps the skin retain moisture.
That said, everyone’s skin is different; if you have super-sensitive skin or have a tendency to experience irritation from skin care products, check with your dermatologist before using.
Is cetearyl alcohol natural?
Yes, cetearyl alcohol is found in nature, specifically from the coconut palm tree and the oil palm, but can also be made in synthetic form.
Cetearyl alcohol vs. cetyl alcohol?
Cetyl alcohol is an ingredient in cetearyl alcohol. As such, cetyl alcohol has fewer atoms than cetearyl alcohol. In addition to helping bind ingredients together, it works as an emollient to soften the skin and hair.
Are there alternatives to cetearyl?
There are some alternatives to cetearyl as far as using it as an emollient in skin care products. Depending on what you’re combining it with, coconut oil, vitamin E, jojoba oil, aloe vera, almond oil, sunflower oil, avocado oil, and even olive oil are all great emollients. That said, if you’re looking into alternatives to cetearyl alcohol because you’re concerned about safety, there’s no reason to worry. Cetearyl alcohol in skin care is completely safe.
What we definitely wouldn’t recommend is using other, “simple” alcohols as alternatives to cetearyl alcohol, as they will likely have the opposite effect on the skin– drying it out instead of hydrating it.
So, that’s the skinny on cetearyl alcohol. If you’ve always shied away from any kind of alcohol in your skin care products, we hope this has helped change your mind about some of the myths and preconceived ideas about alcohol in skin care.
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