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INCI ingredient

Stearic Acid

Also listed as: Vegetable Stearic Acid

A fatty acid that thickens creams and helps them hold together.

What it triggers

  • Vegan originNot sureplant or animal source
  • FragranceNonot a perfume ingredient
  • ParabenNonot a preservative of this family
  • SulfateNonot a sulfate surfactant
  • SiliconeNonot a silicone
  • AlcoholNonot a drying alcohol

What it does

Stearic acid is a waxy solid found in both plant oils and animal fats. It gives body to lotions and is the base of many soaps.

Its source is not stated on the label, so it makes the vegan check say not sure unless the product is labelled vegan.

Functions: thickener, emulsion stabiliser

Products with Stearic Acid

in 1,036 products

Showing 24 of 1,036 products with this ingredient, most scanned first.

In the EU ingredient database

Functions listed by CosIng
  • cleansing
  • surfactant - emulsifying
  • emulsion stabilising
  • fragrance
  • refatting
  • surfactant - cleansing
  • cleansing: Helping to keep the body surface clean.
  • surfactant - emulsifying: Helping suspensions or dispersions of liquids in a second liquid by reducing the surface tension of the substances to be emulsified.
  • emulsion stabilising: Helping the process of emulsification and improving emulsion stability and shelf-life.
  • fragrance: Imparting an odour or taste. Creating a perceivable pleasant smell and/or masking a bad smell.

CAS 57-11-4 · EC 200-313-4

EU regulation

Not on a restricted-substances annex. Listed as an allowed cosmetic ingredient.

Source: CosIng, European Commission. Informative, no legal value; the regulation text is the reference.

Classification from the INCI name; product lists from Open Beauty Facts.Report a mistake