Octadecanoic acid is a C18 straight-chain saturated fatty acid component of many animal and vegetable lipids.
How much products actually contain
1 products state the amountmedian 0.000004%
- under 0.01% 1
- 0.01–0.1% 0
- 0.1–1% 0
- 1% or more 0
Amounts are mostly stated by products named after the ingredient, so they may lean towards token amounts.
Of the products containing it, 1,525 list it before the 1% line and 816 after it (usually 1% or less).
Products using this ingredient
12 of 2,304 confirmed · likeliest to carry enough first · See all 2,304
wet n wildwet n wild Color Icon Lipliner | Fab Fuchsia
WSHDWSHD Facial Cleansing Bar
CLIOKill Brow Auto Hard Brow Pencil
SenkaPerfect Whip White Clay FA 120g
StridexMildly Alkaline Low Irritation Cleansing Foam
HimalayaNourishing Hand Cream 50ml
VTVT Cica Mild Foam Cleanser
JM solutionJM solution Skin Boost Retinol Cleansing Foam 1.5 150ml
JM solutionJM solution Skin Boost Peptide Cleansing Foam 1.5
JM solution[Overseas Exclusive] JM solution The Effect Vita C & Whitening Cleansing Foam 50ml
JM solutionJM solution Skin Boost Vita C Cleansing Foam 1.5 150ml
JM solutionJM solution Water Luminous Salmon Repair Cleansing Foam Special 120ml
Definition
Octadecanoic acid is a C18 straight-chain saturated fatty acid component of many animal and vegetable lipids. As well as in the diet, it is used in hardening soaps, softening plastics and in making cosmetics, candles and plastics. It has a role as a plant metabolite, a human metabolite, a Daphnia magna metabolite and an algal metabolite. It is a long-chain fatty acid, a saturated fatty acid and a straight-chain saturated fatty acid. It is a conjugate acid of an octadecanoate. It derives from a hydride of an octadecane.
Source: PubChem
US FDA substance register · UNII 4ELV7Z65AP · registered name Stearic acid · single chemical substance
Cosmetic roles
Safety & regulatory references
Not classified under Korea’s toxic-substance GHS list · existing chemical substance
Other restriction: ban substances that deplete the ozone layer
Source: EU CosIng ingredient list
Reviewed by CIR: Final Report on the Safety Assessment of Oleic Acid, Lauric Acid, Palmitic Acid, Myristic Acid, and Stearic Acid
Reviewed by CIR: Annual Review of Cosmetic Ingredient Safety Assessments - 2004/2005
Reviewed by CIR: Final Report: Safety Assessment of Fatty Acids and Fatty Acid Salts as Used in Cosmetics
More data — names, identifiers, properties, test records, literature
Official labels & definitions
JCIA labelling name ステアリン酸: 本品は、次の化学式で表される脂肪酸である。
Source: JCIA labelling names (Japan)
Names & identifiers
- CAS No.chemical registry number
- 57-11-4
- EC No.EU chemical inventory number
- 200-313-4
- DTXSIDUS EPA chemical ID
- DTXSID8021642
- DTXCIDUS EPA compound ID
- DTXCID301642
- IUPAC
- Octadecanoic acid
- Molecular formula
- C18H36O2
- Molecular weight
- 284.484 g/mol
Measured properties
- Appearance
- Stearic acid is a white solid with a mild odor. Floats on water. (USCG, 1999) · Liquid, Other Solid, Dry Powder, Wet Solid, Large Crystals
- Odour
- Slight odor suggesting tallow
- Boiling point
- 721 °F at 760 mmHg (NTP, 1992) · 383 °C
- Melting point
- 156.7 °F (NTP, 1992) · 68.8 °C
- Solubility
- 1 to 10 mg/mL at 73 °F (NTP, 1992) · 0.597 mg/L (at 25 °C)
- Density
- 0.86 at 68 °F (USCG, 1999) - Less dense than water, will float · 0.9408 g/cu cm at 20 °C
- Colour
- white
- Odour threshold
- 20 ppm
- Melting/freezing point
- 68.8 ℃
- Initial boiling point and range
- 383 ℃
- Flash point
- 196 ℃(c.c.)
- Flammability (solid, gas)
- combustible
- Upper/lower flammability or explosive limits
- 4.9 / 0.5 %
- Vapour pressure
- 133 ㎩ (174 ℃)
- Water solubility
- 0.597 ㎎/ℓ (25 ℃)
- Vapour density
- 9.82
- Relative density
- 0.9408 (20 ℃/4 ℃)
- n-Octanol/water partition coefficient (Kow)
- 8.23
- Auto-ignition temperature
- 395 ℃
- Viscosity
- 9.87 cP (70 ℃)
- Molecular weight
- 284.48
Values measured on the substance itself. The KOSHA data are a reference for writing and reviewing safety data sheets, not a specification for a commercial raw material.
Source: PubChem · KOSHA safety data sheets (Korea)
What products actually use it for
What the 296 products reported to the US EPA with this ingredient use it for. Products outside cosmetics are included, so the top few rows are its main uses.
- Emulsifier93
- Processing aids not otherwise specified29
- Surfactant (surface active agent)24
- Thickening agent22
- Lubricating agent14
- Softener and conditioner13
- Humectant10
- Anti-adhesive/cohesive9
28 other uses
- Binder9
- Plasticizer7
- No specific technical function6
- Cleaning agent6
- Chemical reaction regulator5
- Filler5
- pH regulating agent5
- Flavouring and nutrient4
- Pigment3
- Intermediate3
- Fragrance3
- Hardener3
- Monomers2
- Surface modifier2
- Anti-static agent2
- Deodorizer2
- Fuel2
- Dispersing agent2
- Soil amendments2
- Pharmaceutical excipient (EPA)1
- Anti-slip agent1
- Adhesion/cohesion promoter1
- Viscosity modifier1
- Elasticizer1
- Polymerization promoter1
- Catalyst1
- Heat stabilizer1
- Diluent1
Source: US EPA CompTox dashboard
Irritation and sensitisation studies
1 skin studies and 1 eye studies are on record.
The study conclusions largely agree (100%). These tests are on the raw material itself; irritation at the amount in a finished product is a different question.
See all 2 studies
- Studies Indicate No Significant Irritation
skin irritation: in vivo · Screening · other guideline: Patch test / Revised (1964) Federal Hazardous Substance Act according to - Studies Indicate No Significant Irritation
eye irritation: in vivo · Screening · other guideline: Regulation for the Enforcement of the Federal Hazardous Substances Act (Revised, Federal Register, September 17, 1964) according to other guideline: Title 49, Department of Transportation Code of Federal Regulation, Section 173, 240 (Federal Register, February 12, 1973) according to
Source: US EPA CompTox dashboard
Related literature
- Review:Medical Benefits Of Stearic Acid For Skin And Its Role In Treatment Of Some Diseases · 2024
- Synthesis of fatty amides from lauric acid and stearic acid for pharmaceutical and cosmetic applications · 2023
- Exploring Stearic-Acid-Based Nanoparticles for Skin Applications—Focusing on Stability and Cosmetic Benefits · 2023
- Formulation and Evaluation of Grape Seed Oil (Vitis Vinifera, L) Facial Cream with Variations in The Concentration of Stearic Acid as an Emulsifier · 2022
- Structuring of sunflower oil by stearic acid derivatives: Experimental and molecular modelling studies. · 2020
Linked databases 20
- Australian Industrial Chemicals Inventory (AICIS)
- ChEBI
- China inventory of existing ingredients (IECIC)
- EU CosIng ingredient list 2
- JCIA labelling names (Japan)
- Korea Cosmetic Association ingredient dictionary
- Korea toxic substances GHS register (NIER)
- KOSHA safety data sheets (Korea)
- MFDS (Korea) cosmetic ingredient register 2
- NIST Chemistry WebBook
- PubChem 2
- Tlooto literature search 2 3 4 5
- UniChem cross-reference IDs
- US Cosmetic Ingredient Review (CIR) 2 3 4
- US EPA CompTox dashboard 2
- US EPA DSSTox chemical database
- US FDA substance registration (GSRS)
- US FDA Unique Ingredient Identifier (UNII)
- Wikidata
- Wikipedia · Korean · English · Japanese · Chinese