“Stearyl Alcohol?”Here!
Appears in 6 scanned products.
In personal care
Another fatty alcohol, closely related to cetyl alcohol but with a slightly longer carbon chain. It is typically derived from vegetable oils like palm or soy, or from animal tallow, then refined into a white waxy solid.
Why it’s used
It thickens formulas, helps stabilize emulsions, and contributes to the thick, rich feel of many creams and conditioners. It is frequently paired with cetyl alcohol because the two work well together to build texture.
What the evidence says
The Cosmetic Ingredient Review panel has found stearyl alcohol safe as used in cosmetics. Reports of irritation or allergy are uncommon and generally occur only in people with pre-existing skin conditions or very high, repeated exposure in medical contexts (e.g., wound dressings), not typical cosmetic use.
Context
Common in rinse-off conditioners and leave-on lotions alike, usually at low single-digit percentages. Its long history of use across product types has not turned up a concentration-dependent hazard at cosmetic levels.
Nothing here makes a claim to grade.
Where it shows up
- Aussie Fast Detangling
- Aussie Fast Detangling Conditioner
- PRO-V BLENDS ROSE WATER SULFATE FREE CONDITIONER
and 3 more products