Cetyl Alcohol
The soft, waxy kind of alcohol.
What it does
A fatty alcohol that softens skin, thickens creams and helps oil and water stay mixed.
Good to know
Despite the name, it's a different kind of alcohol from the quick-drying one in hand sanitizer. It feels soft and creamy.
Often found in: Hand creams, Hair conditioners, Body lotions
Around the world
- United States: No FDA limit. The FDA doesn't approve cosmetic ingredients before sale. Source
- EU and UK: No special limit in the EU or UK. Source
- Canada: Not on Health Canada's Hotlist of restricted ingredients. Source
- Australia: Listed in the Poisons Standard as not needing any controls. Source
Sources
No independent safety review found. The only review is industry-funded.
- CIR: Final Report on Cetearyl Alcohol, Cetyl Alcohol and related fatty alcohols (1988) (Industry-funded)
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