Moisturizing vs. Drying Alcohols

I know what you’re thinking...“Alcohol on my hair? NO WAY. It goes against everything I stand for!” While it is true that some alcohols can contribute to dryness and frizz, did you know that there are types of alcohols, known as fatty alcohols, that do the complete opposite?

That’s right! Not to be confused with isopropyl (rubbing) alcohol, cetearyl alcohol contains fatty acids that add emollience and slip to hair products, aiding in detangling and moisturizing hair without causing build-up or greasiness.

Cetearyl alcohol (typically derived from coconut or palm kernel oil) also assists in thickening and emulsifying hair products, creating beautiful creams and ensuring that water and oil do not separate.

Here are some more examples of moisturizing (fatty) alcohols:

• Cetyl alcohol
• Cetearyl alcohol
• Stearyl alcohol
• Lauryl alcohol

Because cetearyl alcohol is such a crucial ingredient to hair-care formulations, you can find it in almost all of our products! Shop the collection here.