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Cetearyl Alcohol
Cetearyl AlcoholBarrier
A waxy fatty alcohol that thickens lotions and softens skin — not the drying kind of alcohol, despite the name.
What it does
It’s a blend of two waxy fatty alcohols. Despite the name, it’s a soft solid that thickens lotions, keeps oil and water mixed and softens skin. It’s the opposite of denatured alcohol, which dries skin. It’s in many everyday moisturizers.
The EU’s ingredient database lists it as an emollient (gives skin a soft, smooth look), an emulsifier (helps oil and water mix) and a thickener (controls how thick the product is).European Commission, CosIng (© European Union, CC BY 4.0) · uses put in plain words by Drop ↗
Pairs worth knowing
Browse all 1238 ingredients — grouped by what they do, each with whatever evidence we can cite.
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