Oleyl Alcohol is a fatty alcohol derived from natural sources such as fish oils and vegetable oils. It is widely used in the cosmetic and personal care industry for its emollient, skin conditioning, fragrance, solvent, and viscosity controlling properties, making it a beneficial component in various skincare, hair care, and fragrance products.

Chemical Composition and Structure
Oleyl Alcohol (chemical name: octadecenol) is an unsaturated fatty alcohol with the chemical formula C18H36O. It has a long hydrophobic hydrocarbon chain and a hydrophilic hydroxyl group, which imparts unique properties suitable for various cosmetic applications. The specific composition includes:

Hydrocarbon Chain: Provides emollient and skin conditioning properties.
Hydroxyl Group: Enhances solubility and improves the stability of formulations.
Physical Properties
Oleyl Alcohol typically appears as a colorless to pale yellow, odorless, or slightly fragrant liquid. It is insoluble in water but soluble in oils and organic solvents, making it ideal for use in a variety of formulations.

Cosmetic and Personal Care Applications
Skin Conditioning - Emollient: Provides a smooth, soft feel on the skin, improving texture and hydration. It helps to form a protective barrier that prevents moisture loss, making it suitable for dry and sensitive skin types.

Fragrance: Acts as a mild fragrance ingredient, adding a subtle, pleasant scent to cosmetic formulations.

Solvent: Enhances the solubility of other ingredients in formulations, aiding in the mixing and stabilization of various components.

Viscosity Controlling: Modifies the viscosity of formulations, helping to achieve the desired consistency and spreadability in products like creams, lotions, and serums.

Perfuming: Used in perfuming applications to impart a lasting fragrance to products, enhancing the overall sensory experience.

Environmental and Safety Considerations

Oleyl Alcohol is generally considered safe for use in cosmetic and personal care products. It is non-irritating and suitable for all skin types. As a natural derivative, it poses minimal risk to the environment when disposed of properly. Utilizing oleyl alcohol also supports sustainable practices by promoting the use of plant-based ingredients.

Cosmetics - INCI Functions


Skin conditioning agent - Emollient. Emollients have the characteristic of enhancing the skin barrier through a source of exogenous lipids that adhere to the skin, improving barrier properties by filling gaps in intercorneocyte clusters to improve hydration while protecting against inflammation. In practice, they have the ability to create a barrier that prevents transepidermal water loss. Emollients are described as degreasing or refreshing additives that improve the lipid content of the upper layers of the skin by preventing degreasing and drying of the skin. The problem with emollients is that many have a strong lipophilic character and are identified as occlusive ingredients; they are oily and fatty materials that remain on the skin surface and reduce transepidermal water loss. In cosmetics, emollients and moisturisers are often considered synonymous with humectants and occlusives.

Fragrance. It plays a very important role in the formulation of cosmetic products as it provides the possibility of enhancing, masking or adding fragrance to the final product, increasing its marketability. It is able to create a perceptible pleasant odour, masking a bad smell. The consumer always expects to find a pleasant or distinctive scent in a cosmetic product.

Solvent. It is the substance for dissolving or dispersing surfactants, oils, dyes, flavourings, bactericidal preservatives in solution.In fact, it dissolves other components present in a cosmetic formulation. Solvents are generally liquid (aqueous and non-aqueous).

Surfactant - Foam booster. It has the effect of introducing gas bubbles into the water and affects the cleaning process by helping to spread the cleanser. Since sebum has an inhibiting effect on the bubble, more foam is produced in the second shampoo.

Perfuming. Unlike fragrance, which can also contain slightly less pleasant or characteristic odours, the term perfume indicates only very pleasant fragrances. Used for perfumes and aromatic raw materials.
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CAS: 143-28-2 593-47-5 EC number 205-597-3 209-791-9