Cetearyl Ethylhexanoate
AKA “Hexadecyl 2-ethylhexanoate, Cetyl 2-ethylhexanoate, cetyl ethylhexanoate, Cetearyl octanoate, HEXANOIC ACID, HEXADECYL ESTER, EINECS 261-619-1”
Synthetic
Ingredient Facts
Cetearyl ethylhexanoate
AKA: Hexadecyl 2-ethylhexanoate, Cetyl 2-ethylhexanoate, Cetyl ethylhexanoate, Cetearyl octanoate, HEXANOIC ACID, HEXADECYL ESTER, EINECS 261-619-1
Synthetic · Emollient · EWG: 5
Synthetic
Emollient
Skin Conditioner
Synthetic
Clean
A lightweight conditioning agent that softens skin and hair while helping the product glide on smoothly. Leaves a silky, non-greasy feel.
Effective at 17.5%
Formula
C24H48O2
Mol. Weight
368.60
CAS #
90411-68-0
Form
Liquid
See origin →
Functions
Emollient
Fills in the tiny cracks between skin cells to make everything feel smooth and soft. The "silky finish" ingredient.
Conditioning
A catch-all term for ingredients that improve how skin looks and feels — softer, smoother, more supple. The workhorse behind most moisturizers.
Softens & Smooths
Conditions Hair
Smooths and softens skin
Softens and detangles hair
Traditional Use
A modern synthetic emollient ester developed in the 20th century cosmetics industry. Created to provide lightweight, non-greasy skin conditioning and improved spreadability in cosmetic formulations as an alternative to natural oils.
Skin Types
●all-skin-types
Best For
Dryness
Melanin-Rich Skin
Suitable
Pregnancy & Breastfeeding Safe
Yes
Verified Feb 2026
Data: PubChem · CosIng · EWG · CIR