A white, waxy solid, in flake form, it is used in ointments, creams, conditioners and lotions as a mild vegetable emulsifier, skin softener, conditioner and thickener. This is a fatty acid chain derived from palm oil to which an alcohol has been added. It is a very effective thickener that helps form extremely stable emulsions in water-in-oil (full moisturizer) and oil-in-water (oil-free lotion) preparations. When one hears “alcohol” usually what comes to mind are rubbing alcohol or grain alcohol....both are very drying on the skin. Then there’s what are known as fatty alcohols which are usually produced from saturated fats in nuts and plants and their effects on the skin are quite different from ethyl alcohol; one of them is Cetyl Stearyl Alcohol. According to FDA, cosmetic products labeled "alcohol free" may contain cetyl, stearyl, cetearyl, or lanolin alcohols. Recommended usage: 1.5% to 5.5% of your lotion or cream recipe. May be used in conjunction with emulsifying wax. Other names for this product are Cetearyl Alcohol and Cetostearyl Alcohol. INCI: Cetyl Stearyl Alcohol. Product of U.S.A.. Sold by weight.