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CETYL ALCOHOL
Score
Data: Limited
CAS36653-82-4
moisturizer (889 products)
conditioner (567 products)
facial moisturizer/ treatment (529 products)
anti-aging (383 products)
hair color and bleaching (311 products)
Show all 3,933 products that contain CETYL ALCOHOL.
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CETYL ALCOHOL


image source: PubChem
Health concerns of ingredient
About the ratings
Cancer no information
Developmental & reproductive toxicity no information
Allergies & immunotoxicity no information
Use restrictions no information
Contamination concerns: none
Other MODERATE concerns: Organ system toxicity (non-reproductive)
Other LOW concerns: Ecotoxicology, Data gaps

About the ratings

EWG provides information on personal care product ingredients from the published scientific literature, to supplement incomplete data available from companies and the government. The ratings below indicate the relative level of concern posed by exposure to the ingredients in this product - not the product itself - compared to other product formulations. The ratings reflect potential health hazards but do not account for the level of exposure or individual susceptibility, factors which determine actual health risks, if any. Learn more | Legal Disclaimer

Function/use(s): 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

About CETYL ALCOHOL: Cetyl alcohol is a long chain organic alcohol; according to the PETA's Caring Consumer guide, this ingredient can be of either animal or plant origin.

Synonym(s): CETANOL; 1-HEXADECANOL; N-HEXADECYL ALCOHOL; PALMITYL ALCOHOL; HEXADECAN-1-OL; ADOL; ADOL 52; ADOL 520; ADOL 54; ALCOHOL C-16; ATALCO C

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.

Organ system toxicity (non-reproductive)

type of concern product conditions reference
Classified as expected to be toxic or harmful    Environment Canada Domestic Substance List
Classified as medium human health priority    Environment Canada Domestic Substance List

Ecotoxicology

type of concern product conditions reference
Suspected to be an environmental toxin    Environment Canada Domestic Substance List

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
419 studies in PubMed science library may include information on the toxicity of this chemical 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    Environment Canada Domestic Substance List
show more

Government, industry, academic studies and classifications
government/industry list/academic study appears on list as classification(s)
Cosmetic Ingredient Review AssessmentsCETYL ALCOHOLQQQ01,QQQ11
FDA Everything Added to FoodCETYL ALCOHOL• ASP
Environment Canada Domestic Substance List1-HEXADECANOLY-Categorization,Y-Human health,Moderate-Health Priority,,,Y-AquaticTox,,,,
IFRA Fragrance Ingredient List1-HEXADECANOLreported as used in fragrance compounds in 2008

Other RTECS® classifications [shown for informational purposes only]
government/industry list/academic study appears on list as classification(s)
RTECS®- "Cutaneous Toxicity, Proceedings of the 3rd Conference, 1976," Drill, V 1977CETYL ALCOHOL• skin - Primary skin irritant ( human )
RTECS®- "Vrednie chemichescie veshestva, galogen I kislorod sodergashie organicheskie soedinenia" 1994CETYL ALCOHOL• skin - Primary irritation ( human TDLo)
RTECS®- American Industrial Hygiene Association Journal 1973CETYL ALCOHOL• sense organ - Primary eye irritant (rabbit )
• skin - Primary skin irritant (rabbit )
RTECS®- American Industrial Hygiene Association Journal 1973CETYL ALCOHOL• sense organ - Primary eye irritant (rabbit )
• skin - Primary skin irritant (rabbit )
RTECS®- Cosmetics and Toiletries 1979CETYL ALCOHOL• skin - Primary skin irritant (rat )
RTECS®- Cosmetics and Toiletries 1979CETYL ALCOHOL• skin - Primary skin irritant (rabbit )
RTECS®- Food and Cosmetics Toxicology 1978CETYL ALCOHOL• skin - Primary skin irritant (guinea pig )
RTECS®- Journal of the American College of Toxicology 1988CETYL ALCOHOL• cardiovascular - Other changes (rat LD50)

references
government/industry list/academic study reference
Cosmetic Ingredient Review AssessmentsCIR (Cosmetic Ingredient Review). 2006. CIR Compendium, containing abstracts, discussions, and conclusions of CIR cosmetic ingredient safety assessments. Washington DC.
FDA Everything Added to FoodFDA (U.S. Food and Drug Administration). 2008. EAFUS [Everything Added to Food]: A Food Additive Database. FDA Office of Food Safety and Applied Nutrition.
Environment Canada Domestic Substance ListEC (Environment Canada). 2008. Domestic Substances List Categorization. Canadian Environmental Protection Act (CEPA) Environmental Registry.
IFRA Fragrance Ingredient ListIFRA (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 [shown for informational purposes only]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 [shown for informational purposes only]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 [shown for informational purposes only]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 [shown for informational purposes only]RTECS®- American Industrial Hygiene Association Journal. (AIHA, 475 Wolf Ledges Pkwy., Akron, OH 44311) V.19- 34,493,1973
RTECS®- Cosmetics and Toiletries 1979 [shown for informational purposes only]RTECS®- Cosmetics and Toiletries. (Allured Pub. Corp., POB 318, Wheaton, IL 60189) V.91- 1976- 94(8),41,1979
RTECS®- Cosmetics and Toiletries 1979 [shown for informational purposes only]RTECS®- Cosmetics and Toiletries. (Allured Pub. Corp., POB 318, Wheaton, IL 60189) V.91- 94(8),41,1979
RTECS®- Food and Cosmetics Toxicology 1978 [shown for informational purposes only]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 [shown for informational purposes only]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

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