Home Cosmetic Science Talk Formulating Commodity Ingredients - Is Cetyl Alcohol, Cetyl Alcohol?

  • Commodity Ingredients - Is Cetyl Alcohol, Cetyl Alcohol?

    Posted by MarkBroussard on July 28, 2024 at 12:05 pm

    Indie Beaty Brands!

    Commodity Ingredients & Product Quality: Is Cetyl Alcohol, Cetyl Alcohol?

    I recently conducted an experiment on a client’s formula by substituting Cetyl Alcohol from 5 different suppliers, keeping all other ingredients constant. While all 5 performed similarly in terms of cream viscosity, one supplier’s Cetyl Alcohol stood out for its exceptional skin sensorials - smooth application, no drag, and immediate skin absorption. This highlights the importance of ingredient quality and sourcing in cosmetic formulations.

    The Winner: Crodacol C95 from Croda

    In the cosmetics industry, where ingredient supplier substitutions of commodity ingredients by contract manufacturers are not uncommon for cost efficiency, it’s crucial to be aware of potential differences in sensorials. Even with the same INCI, variations in suppliers can impact product performance. This experiment confirmed to me that not all Cetyl Alcohols are equal in performance, emphasizing the significance of ingredient selection for skin-enhancing formulations.

    For the great majority of commodity cosmetic ingredients, supplier substitutions of the same ingredient (same INCI) will not be noticeable.

    But, not a bad idea to inquire what supplier substitutions have been made in your formula by your contract manufacturer, if any, before you go to production.

    Graillotion replied 3 months, 3 weeks ago 2 Members · 1 Reply
  • 1 Reply
  • Graillotion

    Member
    July 28, 2024 at 3:12 pm

    Amen!

    I have done this with several ingredients…and OMG. CCT was one of the worst offenders…went from simply gross to elegant.

    The one that really surprised me…was a synthetic ingredient. C12-15 AB. That also went from gross to something Chemical Matt would dream about!

    For bonus points….I once tried a natural sourced or green butylene glycol….that was also pure vomit. 🤢

    Aloha

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