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Why does Cetearyl Alcohol rule the world?
As my mind wonders….I want to know why Cetylstearyl alcohol seems to rule the cosmetic world. I know the reason is often cost, but is there more?
But with the backdrop of emulsion stability… why would this be a better product than say my favorite, behenyl (C22)? Is the synergy of C16 and C18 a better tool that of a 22 carbon chain length? My very VERY elementary knowledge says that the longer the carbon chain….the more stable?
Would love to hear why the mixed chain length, yet shorter chains, makes a better (more stable) emulsion than C22.
Aloha….and eager to learn and hear your responses.
I actually have never owned Cetylstearyl alcohol, I guess….because I shy away from anything derived from stearic acid.
(No good reason…just feel like it is not an elegant ingredient). I also like dry feeling products, and C16 has always been a little too unctuous for me. -
7 Replies
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@Graillotion Because everybody cannot rule the world (sorry Tears for fears, for the terrible joke 😅).
I believe it has to do with sourcing rather than a technical reason. I believe C22’s sources are less available than C16-18…and also, C22 sources might be destined preferentially to manufacture quats, since the longer the alkyl chain, the more conditioning the quat (for instance, there’s shortage now of behentrimoniums).
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I think glyceryl stearate also rules the world of cosmetic.
Reason maybe because GMS and fatty alcohol are the least expensive and easiest to work surfactants to make LGN products.Behenyl is more expensive.
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I would say mainly because there are not a lot of good, plentiful sources of C22 fatty acids, while nearly every natural oil source is made up of some C18.
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The C16/18 blend has unique properties (probably the reason why it’s so abundant in nature) which makes it (until proven differently) the most stable and versatile of all. Besides, it’s the oldest one, has the most experience/proven formulations and longest tradition, it’s now also the one where science found proof for its greatness, and then there’s good old $: best availability, broadest choice of producers, biggest production plants, easiest synthesis and so on and so forth.
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Even more relevant is this: the C12/C14/C16/C18 “cut” is the most reliably ubiquitous fraction from coconut, palm and corn oil, the traditional renewable feedstocks for all saturated fatty acids, at least since beef tallow became unfashionable. The fraction mass ratio goes C18 (stearyl)>C16(cetyl)>C12 (lauryl)>C14(myristyl). Its just nature, folks! Plus the fact Proctor & Gamble has cut more of this than any other manufacturer on the planet for over a century. Until the Malaysian and Indonesian entities took shape 25 years ago, P&G ruled the market. I am a personal fan of cetyl alcohol for most formulating needs.
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Pharma said:The C16/18 blend has unique properties (probably the reason why it’s so abundant in nature) which makes it (until proven differently) the most stable and versatile of all. Besides, it’s the oldest one, has the most experience/proven formulations and longest tradition, it’s now also the one where science found proof for its greatness, and then there’s good old $: best availability, broadest choice of producers, biggest production plants, easiest synthesis and so on and so forth.Would you envision…any synergy with combining C16/18 with some C22? Or is that just watering things down into undetectable nuances? Too many ingredients in the soup?
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ketchito said:@Graillotion Because everybody cannot rule the world (sorry Tears for fears, for the terrible joke 😅).
I am EXACTLY the right age…to appreciate your comment!
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