emollient · emulsifier

Cetyl Alcohol

Fearmongered, actually fine·Strong evidence

A fatty alcohol used to soften skin and stabilize creams. Despite the name, it does not dry the skin.

The myth vs the evidence

The "no alcohol" crowd flags it because of the word alcohol. Fatty alcohols like cetyl and cetearyl are waxy emollients, the opposite of the drying, volatile alcohols (like alcohol denat) people mean.

Products with Cetyl Alcohol

100
CeraVe
Hydrating Facial Cleanser
100
CeraVe
Moisturizing Cream
100
Cetaphil
Daily Hydrating Lotion with Hyaluronic Acid
100
Blue Lizard
Sensitive Mineral Sunscreen SPF 30+
97
EltaMD
UV Clear Facial Sunscreen Broad-Spectrum SPF 46
94
Vanicream
Gentle Body Wash
79
Aveeno
Daily Moisturizing Lotion
77
Bath & Body Works
Warm Vanilla Sugar Body Lotion

References

Cosmetic Ingredient Review ↗

Cosmetic information for general education, not medical advice. Concern is graded on cited evidence, never on hazard-score lists. See how we score.