cetearyl alcohol

Cetyl alcohol is used as a thickening agent and an emulsifier. It's primarily found in conditioners and lotions, but is also used in other products such as shampoos and cosmetics. It has properties that both attract and repel water, which is why it's so widely used in skin and hair care products.

Since cetyl alcohol can attract and repel water, it's often used in skin care products to moisturize dry, rough, scaly skin. Your skin becomes dry when water loss occurs; cetyl alcohol helps pull moisture back into your skin. Cetyl alcohol also helps protect your skin by shielding it from irritation, such as wetness. This is the very reason why diaper rash medications use cetyl alcohol in their formulations