Cetyl Alcohol (Vegetable)

• INCI Name: Cetyl Alcohol
• CAS Number: 36653-82-4
• Chemical Name: 1-Hexadecanol; n-Hexadecyl Alcohol
• Chemical Formula: CH₃(CH₂)₁₄CH₂OH
• Carbon Chain: C16 (hexadecanol) — 16-carbon straight chain primary alcohol
• Grade: Cosmetic Grade
• Source: Palm oil derived (not palm-free)
• Batch Number: PR0776-20260508
• Manufacture Date: May 2026
• Best Before Date: May 2028 (24-month shelf life)
• Appearance: White solid pellets or flakes — COA confirmed CONFORMS
• Odour: Faint characteristic waxy — essentially odourless in formulation
• Melting Point: 49–50°C
• Hydroxyl Value: 231 mgKOH/g (spec: 220–235) — COA confirmed
• Acid Value: 0.02 mgKOH/g (spec: <0.1) — COA confirmed
• Saponification Value: 0.12 mgKOH/g (spec: <0.5) — COA confirmed
• Iodine Value: 0.00 g I₂/100g (spec: <0.1) — COA confirmed; zero unsaturation
• Carbonyl Value: 13 mg/kg (spec: <70.0) — COA confirmed
• Hydrocarbon: 0.25% (spec: <0.4%) — COA confirmed
• Moisture: 0.03% (spec: <0.1%) — COA confirmed; exceptionally dry
• C14 content: 0.0% (spec: <1.0%) — COA confirmed
• C16 content: 98.99% (spec: >98.0%) — COA confirmed; near-maximum purity
• C18 content: 0.39% (spec: <1.0%) — COA confirmed
• Solubility: Insoluble in water; soluble in warm oils and organic solvents; dispersible in warm emulsions
• Phase: Oil phase — melt with other oil-phase waxes and emulsifiers at 70–75°C
• Shelf Life: 24 months from manufacture — best before May 2028 (current batch)
• Storage: Store in a tightly sealed, light-resistant container away from direct sunlight, moisture, and excessive heat

THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN FATTY ALCOHOLS AND DRYING ALCOHOLS

This is the most important clarification for any customer new to cosmetic formulation:

Drying alcohols (ethanol/SD alcohol, isopropanol, denatured alcohol) are short-chain volatile alcohols. They evaporate quickly, can strip the skin's natural oils, and are generally avoided in moisturising leave-on formulations. These are the alcohols that give astringent toners and hand sanitisers their distinctive feel.

Fatty alcohols (cetyl alcohol, cetearyl alcohol, stearyl alcohol, behenyl alcohol) are long-chain, waxy, solid alcohols derived from reduction of fatty acids. They are not volatile, do not evaporate, and do not strip skin. They moisturise, condition, thicken, and emulsify. Cetyl Alcohol is a fatty alcohol — it is fundamentally moisturising and conditioning in its mechanism, not drying.

When consumers see "alcohol" on an ingredient list and assume it is drying — if it's cetyl alcohol, cetearyl alcohol, or any other fatty alcohol, this concern does not apply.

HOW IT WORKS — THE FUNCTIONS IN FORMULATION

Co-emulsifier and emulsion stabiliser

Cetyl alcohol is amphiphilic — it has a water-attracting hydroxyl group and an oil-attracting carbon chain. This dual nature allows it to position itself at the oil-water interface in emulsions, reinforcing the emulsifier layer and stabilising the emulsion against separation. Used alongside primary emulsifiers (BTMS-50, BTMS-25, emulsifying wax), cetyl alcohol increases emulsion stability, extends shelf life, and reduces the tendency for phase separation.

Thickener and viscosity builder

Cetyl alcohol's waxy, solid structure creates a crystalline matrix in the cooled emulsion that dramatically increases viscosity. Even small additions (1–3%) noticeably thicken lotion and conditioner formulations. This is why commercial conditioners routinely include cetyl or cetearyl alcohol alongside BTMS — the fatty alcohol provides the thick, creamy body consumers expect, while the BTMS provides the conditioning.

Emollient and skin feel modifier

Cetyl alcohol contributes a smooth, slightly rich, non-greasy feel to skin and hair. In conditioners, it coats each hair fibre with a smooth, lubricating film that reduces friction, adds slip, and improves combability. In skin creams, it contributes a velvety after-feel without heaviness.

Opacifier

Cetyl alcohol creates an opaque, white appearance in water-based emulsions — the classic look of a commercial conditioner or rich body lotion. Without fatty alcohol, many emulsions appear translucent or thin. The crystalline structure that develops on cooling creates the opaque white colour and thick texture simultaneously.

RECOMMENDED USAGE RATES

Rinse-Off Hair Conditioner

• Cetyl Alcohol: 2–5% alongside BTMS-25 or BTMS-50
• At 2–3%: adds body and slip to lightweight conditioners
• At 4–5%: rich, creamy, thick conditioner with excellent slip and detangling
• Notes: Works synergistically with BTMS conditioning emulsifiers; together they produce the classic thick, opaque, creamy conditioner consistency

Leave-In Conditioner

• Cetyl Alcohol: 1–3%
• Lower rate to maintain a lighter, non-weighing texture for fine or oily hair types

Deep Conditioning Hair Mask

• Cetyl Alcohol: 3–6% for maximum richness and slip

Body Lotion (O/W emulsion)

• Cetyl Alcohol: 1–3% alongside primary emulsifier
• Increases viscosity from a thin, pourable lotion to a thicker, more luxurious body

Body Cream (rich O/W emulsion)

• Cetyl Alcohol: 3–6% for a thick, rich cream consistency

Facial Moisturiser

• Cetyl Alcohol: 1–3% — contributes smooth, velvety skin feel; well-tolerated in facial formulations

Shaving Cream

• Cetyl Alcohol: 3–5% for cushioning, glide, and thick creamy body

Natural Deodorant Stick

• Cetyl Alcohol: 5–15% as a structuring and hardening agent alongside beeswax or candelilla wax

Sunscreen Formulations

• Cetyl Alcohol: 1–3% for emulsion stabilisation and skin feel

TYPICAL APPLICATIONS

• Rinse-off hair conditioners
• Leave-in conditioners
• Deep conditioning hair masks
• Body lotions and body creams
• Facial moisturisers
• Shaving creams and post-shave balms
• Natural deodorant sticks
• Sunscreen emulsions
• Baby lotions and creams
• Hand creams
• Eye creams
• Colour cosmetics (foundation, BB cream)
• Anti-ageing creams

• Thickens and builds viscosity in conditioners, lotions, and creams — transforms thin emulsions into rich, luxurious products with minimal addition (1–5%)
• Creates the opaque white, creamy appearance of premium conditioners and body lotions — essential for the expected commercial aesthetics of hair and skin products
• Co-emulsifier — stabilises emulsions alongside primary emulsifiers, preventing phase separation and extending shelf life
• Smooth, velvety emollient feel — conditions hair and skin without heaviness or greasiness; contributes excellent slip and combability in hair conditioners
• Exceptionally high purity — COA batch verified at 98.99% C16 content; iodine value of 0.00 confirming zero unsaturation and maximum oxidative stability
• Moisture content of only 0.03% — exceptionally dry batch; consistent performance with no water activity contribution
• The standard co-ingredient with BTMS-25 and BTMS-50 — required for producing thick, creamy conditioners when using BTMS conditioning emulsifiers
• Stable in formulation — virtually no reactivity (saponification value 0.12, acid value 0.02); highly shelf stable in finished products
• Compatible with all cosmetic ingredients — anionic, cationic, non-ionic, and amphoteric systems; no compatibility concerns
• Wide formulation temperature range — melts at 49–50°C; easy to incorporate in standard oil-phase heating at 70–75°C

PRODUCT SAFETY

• Cosmetic grade — safe for direct skin and hair contact in all leave-on and rinse-off formulations
• Fatty alcohol — not a drying alcohol; does not strip skin or hair; moisturising and conditioning in action
• Palm oil derived — not palm-free; not vegan-certified in the strictest palm-free sense; disclose appropriately for palm-free product claims
• Not classified as hazardous — no significant health, physical, or environmental hazard classifications
• Avoid contact with eyes in melted form; if contact occurs rinse thoroughly with water
• Melt carefully — working temperature of 70–75°C presents burn risk; use heatproof equipment and double boiler
• Keep out of reach of children
• Store sealed at room temperature away from heat, direct sunlight, and moisture — melting point of 49–50°C means it will soften in very hot Australian conditions; store in a cool location in summer
• Generally non-comedogenic at cosmetic use concentrations — low comedogenic risk in most formulations

What is the INCI name for Cetyl Alcohol?

The INCI name is Cetyl Alcohol. This single name must appear on your finished cosmetic product ingredient list. Despite containing the word "alcohol," cetyl alcohol is a fatty alcohol — a fundamentally different chemical class from ethanol and other drying alcohols — and must not be confused with them by customers or in product labelling.

Is Cetyl Alcohol the same as Cetearyl Alcohol?

No — they are related but different. Cetyl Alcohol is purely C16 (hexadecanol). Cetearyl Alcohol is a commercial blend of approximately 70% C16 (cetyl) and 30% C18 (stearyl) alcohols. Cetearyl alcohol has a slightly higher melting point (49–56°C vs 49–50°C for cetyl) and contributes a marginally richer, slightly heavier texture. For most conditioner and lotion applications they are interchangeable — cetyl produces a slightly lighter feel, cetearyl a slightly richer one. In BTMS-25 the co-ingredient is specifically cetyl alcohol; in BTMS-50 it is cetearyl alcohol.

What percentage of Cetyl Alcohol should I use in a conditioner?

For a standard rinse-off conditioner using BTMS-25 or BTMS-50, add 2–5% additional cetyl alcohol alongside your conditioning emulsifier. At 2–3% you get a creamy, medium-weight conditioner; at 4–5% you get a thicker, richer product. For leave-in conditioners, 1–2% is more appropriate to avoid weighing hair down. Adjust based on your desired product thickness and target hair type.

Why does cetyl alcohol make my conditioner thicker?

Cetyl alcohol creates physical thickening through crystallisation. When the hot emulsion cools below 49–50°C, cetyl alcohol solidifies and forms a crystalline matrix throughout the emulsion. This crystalline structure physically increases the viscosity of the system — the same principle by which beeswax hardens a lip balm. The more cetyl alcohol you add, the thicker the final product. This is why commercial conditioners include fatty alcohols even when their primary emulsifier (like BTMS) could theoretically emulsify without them.

Can I use Cetyl Alcohol in a vegan product?

Our Cetyl Alcohol is palm oil derived. Palm cultivation is associated with deforestation and habitat destruction concerns, which is why some vegan and sustainable brands require palm-free certification. If your brand requires certified palm-free or sustainably sourced cetyl alcohol, please contact us to discuss. The product itself contains no animal-derived ingredients, so it is technically vegan in composition — the palm-free question is a separate sustainability consideration.

How do I melt Cetyl Alcohol for formulation?

Cetyl Alcohol melts at 49–50°C. Add to your oil phase in a double boiler or dedicated wax melter and heat to 70–75°C alongside your other oil-phase waxes and emulsifiers. It melts fully and cleanly at these temperatures. Ensure complete melting before adding the water phase — undissolved cetyl alcohol creates a lumpy texture in the finished emulsion that cannot be fixed once cooled. Keep the oil phase at 70–75°C until you are ready to combine with the matched-temperature water phase.

YOU MAY ALSO NEED

• BTMS-50 — primary cationic conditioning emulsifier; add cetyl alcohol alongside for thick, creamy conditioner body
• BTMS-25 — conditioning emulsifier that already contains cetyl alcohol as co-ingredient; add extra cetyl alcohol for increased thickness
• Shea Butter (Refined & Organic) — enriches cetyl alcohol-based creams and conditioners for deeper conditioning
• Castor Oil (Hexane Free) — adds shine and conditioning to cetyl alcohol hair conditioner formulations
• Sweet Almond Oil — lightweight oil-phase addition to cetyl alcohol-based body lotions
• Optiphen Plus Preservative — preservative for cetyl alcohol-containing conditioner and lotion formulations
• Phenoxyethanol Preservative — alternative broad pH-range preservative for cetyl alcohol formulations
• Allantoin Powder — soothing active to add to cetyl alcohol-based sensitive skin cream formulations
• Niacinamide Powder — brightening and barrier active for cetyl alcohol-containing facial moisturisers
• Hair Supplies Collection — shop all hair care emulsifiers, conditioners, and actives