Can I use Myristyl Alcohol with Stearyl Alcohol?
Works well together
Myristyl Alcohol and Stearyl Alcohol are generally compatible and can be layered in the same routine. As always, introduce one new active at a time and watch how your skin responds.
Myristyl AlcoholEmollient
- ✓C14 fatty alcohol with a smooth, non-greasy skin feel — provides softer, lighter emolliency than stearyl (C18) or behenyl (C22) alcohols while still contributing to emulsion stability and opacity
- ✓Works as an emulsion co-emulsifier alongside fatty acid-based emulsifiers, stabilizing the lamellar liquid crystal structure that supports slow, even active ingredient release
- ✓Common in eye cream formulas where a rich-but-light emollient texture and good stability are required
- ⚠As a fatty alcohol, myristyl alcohol can be comedogenic for highly acne-prone individuals at higher concentrations in leave-on formulas — not a concern in the amounts typical for use as an emulsion stabilizer
Stearyl AlcoholEmollient
- ✓Softens and conditions skin
- ✓Stabilizes and thickens creams and lotions
