Cetearyl Nonanoate

What Cetearyl Nonanoate is & what it does

Cetearyl Nonanoate is an emollient ester formed from cetearyl alcohol and nonanoic acid. In sunscreens and moisturizers it provides a light, smooth, non-greasy skin feel and acts as a conditioning agent. Esters like this are commonly used to improve spreadability and to give a product a silky, fast-absorbing texture.

What does Cetearyl Nonanoate do in skincare?

It is an emollient ester that gives products a light, smooth, non-greasy feel and acts as a conditioning agent. It also improves spreadability, helping a sunscreen or moisturizer glide on and absorb more easily.

Is Cetearyl Nonanoate comedogenic?

Cetearyl Nonanoate does not have a strong reputation as a pore-clogging ingredient, but emollient esters can vary in how they behave on acne-prone skin. If you are prone to breakouts, patch testing a finished product is a reasonable precaution.

Is Cetearyl Nonanoate natural or synthetic?

It is a synthesized ester made by combining cetearyl alcohol with nonanoic acid. The starting materials can be sourced from plant-derived feedstocks, but the ingredient itself is produced through chemical reaction.

Sunscreens with Cetearyl Nonanoate

We rate 15 sunscreens that contain it, showing the top 10 by overall score:

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