Ingredient dictionary

Sodium Cetearyl Sulfate

Also listed as: Sodium Cetostearyl Sulfate

A salt made from cetearyl alcohol, a blend of fatty alcohols, that helps water and oil mix together. It is on the label of 19 products in our library. Checked against our library November 6, 2026.

The catch: our code groups this with sulfates, which are strong foaming cleansers; dry, curly, color-treated hair and sensitive skin often feel better with gentler cleansers.

Sulfates. Strong foaming cleansers such as sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS) and sodium laureth sulfate (SLES).

What Sodium Cetearyl Sulfate does

Emulsifies oil and water in creams
Helps lotions feel smooth and stable
Adds body and thickness to formulas
Produces light foam in some cleansers

Sodium cetearyl sulfate is made by taking cetearyl alcohol, a mix of cetyl and stearyl alcohols, and attaching a sulfate group, then neutralizing it with sodium. The result is a surfactant, a molecule with a water-loving end and an oil-loving end. That split lets it sit between oil and water and hold them together.

Formulators use it mainly in creams, lotions and sunscreens to keep oil and water blended and stable over time. It also adds body, so a lotion feels richer, and it can give a little foam in some cleansers. On skin it leaves a soft, smooth finish and helps the product spread evenly.

Good for

Suits everyday creams and lotions, like hand cream and body lotion, where a smooth, stable texture matters.

Frequently asked questions

Is sodium cetearyl sulfate the same as sodium lauryl sulfate?

No. Sodium lauryl sulfate is a strong foaming cleanser made from lauryl alcohol. Sodium cetearyl sulfate is built from a fatty alcohol blend and is mostly used as an emulsifier in creams and lotions. They are related, but they do different jobs in a formula.

Is sodium cetearyl sulfate irritating?

Many people use creams and lotions with this ingredient without trouble. Skin that is very sensitive or irritated can react to any surfactant, so a patch test on a small area is a sensible first step with new products.