Cetyl Alcohol is manufactured from plant sources like coconut or palm oils. It is a white, waxy solid. Completely insoluble in water, it is soluble in alcohols and oils. Cetyl alcohol is one of those skin care ingredients that really pulls double duty. Cetyl alcohol is found in all kinds of products from moisturizers to lotions to creams to hair conditioners and some make-up and perfume.
INCI Name: Cetyl Alcohol

CAS Number: 36653-82-4

EINECS Number: 253-149-0

TYPE: Oil-in-water co-emulsifier

SKIN TYPE: All skin types

HAIR TYPE: All hair types

QUALITY: Plant origin (coconut oil and palm oil)

PRESENTATION: Solid in the form of small white granules, easier to handle, packaged in an airtight box.

MAIN FEATURES
Dosage from 2% to 5% of the total weight of your preparation;

Soluble in oil and alcohol;

Insoluble in water.

Here are a few of the functions cetyl alcohol performs in skin care:
Emollient: Cetyl alcohol helps moisturize and soften the skin, not just by providing hydration, but by locking moisture in to the skin.

Stabilizer: Cetyl alcohol helps skin care formulas maintain their texture, consistency, and thickness.

Emulsifier: Cetyl alcohol is like the peacemaker of the skin care world, acting as a binding agent, helping to keep oil and water, which ordinarily have a hard time staying together, together.

Thickener: Without cetyl alcohol, a lot of your skin care would behave more like a soup than a cream.

Safe: The Cosmetic Ingredient Review has determined that cetyl alcohol is safe for use in cosmetics.