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Glyceryl Dibehenate

What Glyceryl Dibehenate is & what it does

A fatty, plant-derived emulsifier and texture-builder made from glycerin and behenic acid, a long-chain fatty acid. It helps blend oil and water and adds body and a smooth, stable feel to creams and sun lotions. It is gentle and conditions the skin surface lightly while it does its main structural job in the formula.

What is Glyceryl Dibehenate and what does it do in sunscreen?

Glyceryl Dibehenate is an emulsifier and texture agent. It helps blend the oil and water phases of a sunscreen and gives the lotion body and a smooth, stable feel. It is made from glycerin and behenic acid, a long-chain fatty acid, and is a PEG-free option common in gentle, naturally positioned formulas.

Is Glyceryl Dibehenate safe?

Yes. It is a mild, well-tolerated emulsifier widely used in skincare and sunscreen. It is built from glycerin and a plant-style fatty acid, works on the surface of the formula, and is used in small amounts, so it is non-irritating for most people. Being PEG-free, it also avoids the trace 1,4-dioxane question that comes up with ethoxylated emulsifiers.

Does Glyceryl Dibehenate clog pores?

Generally no. It is treated as low on the comedogenicity scale and is not a classic pore-clogging ingredient. It is a structuring emulsifier used in small amounts rather than a heavy free oil. If you are breaking out, the richer emollients and oils elsewhere in a formula are the more likely cause.

Is Glyceryl Dibehenate fungal-acne safe?

For most people it is fine, but if you are fungal-acne prone you may prefer to avoid it. It is built on a fatty (behenic) part that the malassezia yeast behind fungal acne can potentially use, which is why it appears on feeder lists. This is one specific skin concern, not a general safety issue, so it only matters if fungal acne is something you personally deal with.

Is Glyceryl Dibehenate vegan or natural?

It is usually plant-derived and is a common choice for vegan and naturally positioned formulas, though it is nature-derived rather than found ready-made in nature. It is built by joining glycerin with behenic acid, a fatty acid that typically comes from vegetable sources. If strict vegan sourcing matters to you, the brand can confirm the origin of its fatty acid.

Sunscreens with Glyceryl Dibehenate

We rate 107 sunscreens that contain it, showing the top 10 by overall score:

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