CETEARETH-25
Ceteareth-25 is a blend of C16–C18 fatty alcohols modified through ethoxylation. The number 25 refers to the average number of ethylene oxide units attached to the fatty portion; it does not state how much of the ingredient is present in a cosmetic product.
CETEARETH-25: what it is
Ceteareth-25 is a blend of C16–C18 fatty alcohols modified through ethoxylation. The number 25 refers to the average number of ethylene oxide units attached to the fatty portion; it does not state how much of the ingredient is present in a cosmetic product.
The fatty alcohols behind this family can be made from plant-derived feedstocks or through synthetic routes. An ingredient list alone cannot identify which route was used for a particular product. Ethoxylation gives the material an affinity for both water and oil, a useful feature when a cream contains both phases.
CETEARETH-25: what it does in cosmetics
In creams, lotions, and other products that combine water with oils, Ceteareth-25 helps keep those parts evenly dispersed. In practical terms, it supports a stable texture that spreads without splitting into a watery layer and an oily layer. As a surfactant, it can also help disperse oily materials in water.
In a rinse-off formula, that property can contribute to lifting oil and residue during washing; in a leave-on cream, its role is more often to keep the emulsion together. Ceteareth-25 is not an active ingredient for treating acne, dark spots, or wrinkles. The CIR assessment places it among alkyl PEG ethers evaluated for cosmetic use and does not establish a treatment effect of the isolated ingredient on skin.
Products containing this ingredient
See which products include it and the name used in each composition.
