A long-chain fatty alcohol used to thicken creams and improve emollient feel.
Sources: 1Octadecan-1-ol, 1-Octadecanol
Not assessed
No pregnancy- or breastfeeding-specific assessment has been completed for this record. A cosmetic safety review is not a pregnancy rating.
Not assessed
Stearyl Alcohol
What it does
Supports creamy texture, spread and emulsion structure. It behaves differently from volatile ethanol or Alcohol Denat.
Sources: 1Good for
- Cream texture
- Emollient formulations
How to use it
Use as part of the finished cream or lotion. This fatty alcohol is different from applying ethanol to skin.
Sources: 1Who should be careful
Contact allergy or irritation can occur in susceptible people. Do not classify it automatically as a drying alcohol because of its name.
Sources: 1Pairs well with
No supported pairings have been documented for this record.
Usage, safety and formulation details
Mechanism of action
Its long fatty chain participates in lipid and emulsion structures while the hydroxyl group contributes interfacial behavior.
Sources: 1Potential adverse effects
Contact reactions are possible in susceptible individuals; not every product reaction can be attributed to the fatty alcohol.
Sources: 1Formulation considerations
Amount, fatty-alcohol blend and crystallization influence viscosity and texture. Stearyl alcohol and cetearyl alcohol are related but not identical INCI materials.
Sources: 1Pregnancy and breastfeeding
Not assessed
No pregnancy- or breastfeeding-specific assessment has been completed for this record. A cosmetic safety review is not a pregnancy rating.
Safety tags
- Fragrance allergen
- Not assessed
Not separately assessed in this draft.
- Essential oil
- Not assessed
Not separately assessed in this draft.
- Drying alcohol
- Not assessed
Not separately assessed in this draft.
- May irritate sensitive skin
- Not assessed
Not separately assessed in this draft.
What remains uncertain
- Exact concentration, final pH and the full composition of any unprovided finished product
Clinical evidence and research
Clinical evidence
Evidence for its main benefitNot assessed
The cited references support identity, formulation role or safety context. No standalone clinical efficacy rating has been completed for the main benefit in this draft.
Sources: 1Regulation and ingredient label names
Regulatory information
No jurisdiction-specific assessment is recorded. An inventory listing is not blanket approval.
Names on ingredient lists
stearyl alcohol
Chemical identity and molecular structure
Chemical information
Chemical structure
| Detail | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| PubChem CID | 8221 | PubChem compound 8221: chemical identity |
| molecular formula | C18H38O | PubChem compound 8221: chemical identity |
| molecular weight | 270.5 g/mol | PubChem compound 8221: chemical identity |
Content updated 9 November 2026.
Sources (2)
Scientific sources
- CIR: Stearyl alcohol assessment recordsafety assessment
- PubChem compound 8221: chemical identitychemical identity
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