Cetyl Alcohol
Fatty alcohol / emollient · INCI: Cetyl Alcohol
Reviewed by Elysiana Aguilar, master esthetician
How we read it
Not a pore-clogger. Considered safe for acne-prone skin.
Is Cetyl Alcohol comedogenic?
No. Cetyl Alcohol isn't considered pore-clogging, and we read it as safe to use on acne-prone skin. That doesn't make it right for everyone, but congestion isn't the thing to watch for with it.
Why we read it this way
A fatty alcohol used to thicken and soften. Evidence is mixed: some acne-safe lists flag it, but it is well tolerated by many.
The nuance
Not a 'drying' alcohol. If your skin does well with it, there's usually no need to avoid it.
Names we read the same way
- Hexadecyl Alcohol
- Palmityl Alcohol
Related ingredients
One ingredient rarely tells the whole story. The acne ingredient checker reads everything in a product at once, and there is more on what comedogenic means. Also in the guides: What causes acne.