Cetyl Palmitate

Cetyl Palmitate at a glance

Cetyl Palmitate comes as white glossy wax-like lamellar crystals with very little taste or odor. Per the supplier specification, it melts into hot alcohol and essential oils and stays undissolved in water. It is a wax ester that gives body creams and lotions a satin texture and a smooth glide. The supplier specification lists body creams and lotions, masks for mature skin, deodorants and after-sun cosmetics. Confirm grade and melting point on the supplier CoA.

Texture builder for body care

Body products need to spread easily over large areas and absorb without feeling greasy. Cetyl palmitate adds body to lotions without heaviness and gives a soft, satin after-feel. In richer body creams it builds a thicker, buttery texture.

Stick deodorants

In stick deodorants, waxes create the structure. Cetyl palmitate helps make a stick that is firm in the container yet glides smoothly on the skin. It combines well with stearyl alcohol, plant butters and powders such as starch and baking soda.

Product formats

Body creams and lotions

Satin texture and easy spreading.

Masks for mature skin

Rich cream masks with a cushioning feel.

Deodorants

Firm, smooth-gliding sticks.

After-sun cosmetics

Comforting lotions with a light texture.

Processing

Melt it with the oil phase at about 70 to 75 °C and emulsify. In stick deodorants, melt it with the other waxes and butters, add powders and pour into tubes near the setting point.

Good partners

Vegetable spermaceti is a related wax. Rice bran wax adds firmness to sticks, and Pastelike phytosterols suit after-sun lotions. Browse more in the actives catalog.

Testing

Check stick hardness, glide and payoff. In lotions, check viscosity over time and at warm temperatures.

Claims

Satin texture; smooth glide; skin feels soft and cared for.

Characteristics

Form: wax-like lamellar crystals. Solubility: hot alcohol and essential oils; not water. Type: wax ester. Listed uses: body creams and lotions, masks for mature skin, deodorants, after-sun cosmetics. Grade: supplier CoA.

Original recipe: natural deodorant stick, 100 g

Coconut oil 25.00 g, shea butter 15.00 g, cetyl palmitate 12.00 g, candelilla wax 6.00 g, arrowroot starch 22.00 g, sodium bicarbonate 8.00 g, magnesium hydroxide 5.00 g, jojoba oil 5.00 g, tocopherol 0.50 g, essential oil blend 1.50 g. Melt the oils, butter and waxes, stir in the powders until smooth, cool slightly, add tocopherol and essential oils and pour into tubes.

Avoiding grainy sticks

Butters can turn grainy if cooled slowly. Pour sticks at a moderate temperature and cool them quickly in the fridge for a smooth texture.

Mature skin masks

Cream masks for mature skin benefit from a rich, cushioning texture. Cetyl palmitate helps build it together with butters and oils.

Lab tip

Use flakes or crushed crystals for faster, more even melting in small batches.

Batch consistency

Check the melting behavior of each new lot, since small differences affect stick hardness.

Lot records

Keep each CoA with the batch file and note the lot used.

Fine-tuning hardness

If a deodorant stick is too soft, raise the wax content slightly; if it drags, add a little more liquid oil. Small steps of half a gram make the difference clear in trial batches. Record the room temperature during pouring, as it influences the final texture.

After-sun lotions

After time in the sun, users want a light lotion that spreads quickly. A small amount of cetyl palmitate gives body without heaviness, especially combined with aloe and light oils.

Record the lot number in your batch log so every production run can be traced back to its certificate of analysis. Retain a small sample of each lot for at least the shelf life of the finished product, since it makes later quality questions much easier to answer.

Storage

Store closed in a cool place. Close the container after use.