Barrier

Cetearyl Glucoside

INCI · Cetearyl Glucoside

Revelika safety grade

Overview

A non-ionic emulsifier that pairs a fatty alcohol with glucose, used to hold oil and water together in creams and lotions. It usually arrives as part of a blend with cetearyl alcohol, which is why the two so often appear in sequence on a label.

Who it's for

Anyone using a moisturiser — it is a structural ingredient rather than a choice, and the emulsions it builds tend to feel light and soft rather than waxy.

Cautions

It does nothing for skin directly, so a cream is not better for containing it. Emulsifier systems do influence how a product spreads, how it layers under sunscreen and how quickly it sinks in, all of which are texture questions rather than safety ones.

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

A non-ionic emulsifier that pairs a fatty alcohol with glucose, used to hold oil and water together in creams and lotions. It usually arrives as part of a blend with cetearyl alcohol, which is why the two so often appear in sequence on a label.

Is Cetearyl Glucoside considered safe for skin?

It does nothing for skin directly, so a cream is not better for containing it. Emulsifier systems do influence how a product spreads, how it layers under sunscreen and how quickly it sinks in, all of which are texture questions rather than safety ones.

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.

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