Barrier

Cetearyl Alcohol

INCI · Cetearyl Alcohol

Revelika safety grade

Overview

A blend of fatty alcohols that thickens and stabilizes creams while acting as an emollient that softens and smooths skin. It is a workhorse of lotion and cream formulation.

Who it's for

Most skin types, including dry skin.

Cautions

Non-drying despite the 'alcohol' name; a rare allergen for some.

Suitability
Suits skin type
Dry Oily Combination Sensitive Acne-prone Mature Normal
Targets
Concentration
Concentration0 – 10%
Effective from
Max safe
In the glossary
Frequently asked
What does Cetearyl Alcohol do in skincare?

A blend of fatty alcohols that thickens and stabilizes creams while acting as an emollient that softens and smooths skin. It is a workhorse of lotion and cream formulation.

Is Cetearyl Alcohol considered safe for skin?

Non-drying despite the 'alcohol' name; a rare allergen for some.

RRevelika

A science-forward beauty ingredient encyclopedia. Every entry is written from published research and graded conservatively before it publishes.

Editorial standard

Content is educational, not medical advice. When evidence is uncertain we say so — and we default to caution on pregnancy safety.

We use Google Analytics and Yandex Metrica (including Webvisor session recording) to understand how the site is used. In the EEA and UK these load only after you accept analytics cookies, and you can withdraw consent at any time by declining.

© 2026 REVELIKA · Built by ThirteenTabsEvidence-based · written from published research, graded conservatively