CETYL ALCOHOL
Emulsion Stabilizer; Fragrance Ingredient; Opacifying Agent; Surfactant - Emulsifying Agent;Surfactant - Foam Booster; Viscosity Increasing Agent - Aqueous; Viscosity Increasing Agent -Nonaqueous; EMOLLIENT; EMULSION STABILISING; FOAM BOOSTING; MASKING; VISCOSITY CONTROLLING
Also listed as
CETANOL; 1-HEXADECANOL; N-HEXADECYL ALCOHOL; PALMITYL ALCOHOL; HEXADECAN-1-OL; ADOL; ADOL 52; ADOL 520; ADOL 54; ALCOHOL C-16; ATALCO C
Given the incomplete information made available by companies and the government, EWG provides additional information on personal care product ingredients from the published scientific literature. The chart below indicates that research studies have found that exposure to this ingredient -- not the products containing it -- caused the indicated health effect(s) in the studies reviewed by Skin Deep researchers. Actual health risks, if any, will vary based on the level of exposure to the ingredient and individual susceptibility -- information not available in Skin Deep.
| This ingredient: | |
 | Cancer |
| Developmental/reproductive toxicity |
| Violations, restrictions & warnings |
| Allergies/immunotoxicity |
| Contamination concerns |
 | Other moderate concerns for this ingredient: Organ system toxicity (non-reproductive), Irritation (skin, eyes, or lungs) |
 | Lesser or emerging concerns for this ingredient: Data gaps |
|
See products containing CETYL ALCOHOL | |
About CETYL ALCOHOL: Cetyl Alcohol is the fatty alcohol that conforms generally to the formula:
This ingredient may be derived from animals. From PETA's Caring Consumer: Wax found in spermaceti from sperm whales or dolphins. Alternatives: Vegetable cetyl alcohol (e.g., coconut), synthetic spermaceti.
CETYL ALCOHOL has reported used in the following product types: moisturizer (1319); facial moisturizer/treatment (1148); conditioner (871); anti-aging (677); hair color and bleaching (663); facial cleanser (329); sunscreen: SPF 15-30 (304); shampoo (288); lipstick (266); around-eye cream (239)
Organ system toxicity (non-reproductive)
| type of concern | product conditions | reference |
| Classified as expected to be toxic or harmful | Environmental Canada Domestic Substance List | |
| Classified as medium human health priority | Environmental Canada Domestic Substance List | |
| show more | ||
Irritation (skin, eyes, or lungs)
| type of concern | product conditions | reference |
| One or more animal studies show skin irritation at very low doses | RTECS®- Cosmetics and Toiletries 1979 | |
| show more | ||
Data gaps
| type of concern | product conditions | reference |
| Risk assessment method deficiencies and data gaps - Maximum reported "as used" concentration is basis of safety assessment by industry safety panel (Cosmetic Ingredient Review, CIR) - implicit safe concentration limit in product | Cosmetic Ingredient Review Assessments | |
| 91 studies on toxicity in PubMed see search results -> | PubMed |
Multiple, additive exposure sources
| type of concern | product conditions | reference |
| Designated as safe for general or specific, limited use in food | FDA Everything Added to Food |
Persistence and bioaccumulation
| type of concern | product conditions | reference |
| Not suspected to be bioaccumulative | Environmental Canada Domestic Substance List | |
| show more | ||
Ecotoxicology
| type of concern | product conditions | reference |
| Not suspected to be an environmental toxin | Environmental Canada Domestic Substance List |
Government, industry, academic studies and classifications
| government/industry list/academic study | appears on list as | classification(s) |
| Cosmetic Ingredient Review Assessments | CETYL ALCOHOL | •Safe as used in cosmetics according to industry panel (Cosmetic Ingredient Review, CIR) •Maximum reported "as used" concentration is basis of safety assessment by industry safety panel (Cosmetic Ingredient Review, CIR) - implicit safe concentration limit in product |
| FDA Everything Added to Food | CETYL ALCOHOL | • Fully up-to-date toxicology information has been sought. |
| Environmental Canada Domestic Substance List | 1-HEXADECANOL | •This chemical was deemed a moderate human health priority and was flagged by CEPA for further attention. The chemical was flagged for suspected aquatic toxicity. |
| IFRA Fragrance Ingredient List | 1-HEXADECANOL | •The chemical has been reported as used in fragrance compounds by IFRA affiliated member companies in 2008. |
| RTECS®- "Cutaneous Toxicity, Proceedings of the 3rd Conference, 1976," Drill, V 1977 | CETYL ALCOHOL | • skin - Primary skin irritant ( human ) |
| RTECS®- "Vrednie chemichescie veshestva, galogen I kislorod sodergashie organicheskie soedinenia" 1994 | CETYL ALCOHOL | • skin - Primary irritation ( human TDLo) |
| RTECS®- American Industrial Hygiene Association Journal 1973 | CETYL ALCOHOL | • sense organ - Primary eye irritant (rabbit ) • skin - Primary skin irritant (rabbit ) |
| RTECS®- American Industrial Hygiene Association Journal 1973 | CETYL ALCOHOL | • sense organ - Primary eye irritant (rabbit ) • skin - Primary skin irritant (rabbit ) |
| RTECS®- Cosmetics and Toiletries 1979 | CETYL ALCOHOL | • skin - Primary skin irritant (rat ) |
| RTECS®- Cosmetics and Toiletries 1979 | CETYL ALCOHOL | • skin - Primary skin irritant (rabbit ) |
| RTECS®- Food and Cosmetics Toxicology 1978 | CETYL ALCOHOL | • skin - Primary skin irritant (guinea pig ) |
| RTECS®- Journal of the American College of Toxicology 1988 | CETYL ALCOHOL | • cardiovascular - Other changes (rat LD50) |
references
| government/industry list/academic study | reference |
| Cosmetic Ingredient Review Assessments | CIR (Cosmetic Ingredient Review). 2006. CIR Compendium, containing abstracts, discussions, and conclusions of CIR cosmetic ingredient safety assessments. Washington DC. |
| FDA Everything Added to Food | FDA (U.S. Food and Drug Administration). 2008. EAFUS [Everything Added to Food]: A Food Additive Database. FDA Office of Food Safety and Applied Nutrition. |
| Environmental Canada Domestic Substance List | EC (Environment Canada). 2008. Domestic Substances List Categorization. Canadian Environmental Protection Act (CEPA) Environmental Registry. |
| IFRA Fragrance Ingredient List | IFRA (International Fragrance Assocication). 2010. IFRA Fragrance Ingredient List based on 2008 Use Survey. Accessed online 01/04/2010: http://www.ifraorg.org/Home/News/Latest-News/page.aspx/66?xf_itemId=43&xf_selectionDatapartId=25 |
| RTECS®- "Cutaneous Toxicity, Proceedings of the 3rd Conference, 1976," Drill, V 1977 | RTECS®- "Cutaneous Toxicity, Proceedings of the 3rd Conference, 1976," Drill, V.A., and P. Lazar, eds., New York, Academic Press, Inc. 1977 -,127,1977 |
| RTECS®- "Vrednie chemichescie veshestva, galogen I kislorod sodergashie organicheskie soedinenia" 1994 | RTECS®- "Vrednie chemichescie veshestva, galogen I kislorod sodergashie organicheskie soedinenia". (Hazardous substances. Galogen and oxygen containing substances), Bandman A.L. et al., Chimia, 1994 -,120,1994 |
| RTECS®- American Industrial Hygiene Association Journal 1973 | RTECS®- American Industrial Hygiene Association Journal. (AIHA, 475 Wolf Ledges Pkwy., Akron, OH 44311) V.19- 1958- 34,493,1973 |
| RTECS®- American Industrial Hygiene Association Journal 1973 | RTECS®- American Industrial Hygiene Association Journal. (AIHA, 475 Wolf Ledges Pkwy., Akron, OH 44311) V.19- 34,493,1973 |
| RTECS®- Cosmetics and Toiletries 1979 | RTECS®- Cosmetics and Toiletries. (Allured Pub. Corp., POB 318, Wheaton, IL 60189) V.91- 1976- 94(8),41,1979 |
| RTECS®- Cosmetics and Toiletries 1979 | RTECS®- Cosmetics and Toiletries. (Allured Pub. Corp., POB 318, Wheaton, IL 60189) V.91- 94(8),41,1979 |
| RTECS®- Food and Cosmetics Toxicology 1978 | RTECS®- Food and Cosmetics Toxicology. (London, UK) V.1-19, 1963-81. For publisher information, see FCTOD7. 16,683,1978 |
| RTECS®- Journal of the American College of Toxicology 1988 | RTECS®- Journal of the American College of Toxicology. (Mary Ann Liebert, Inc., 1651 Third Ave., New York, NY 10128) V.1-12, 1982-1993. Discontinued. 7(3),359,1988 |
"RTECS®" is a United States trademark owned and licensed under authority of the U.S. Government, by and through MDL Information Systems, Inc.
Copyright © 2010 by Environmental Working Group
All rights reserved.
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