Stearic Acid
The question

Is Stearic Acid safe in makeup?

CautionMakeup

A saturated fatty acid used as an emollient and emulsifier. Inherently safe, but sourcing matters — palm oil-derived stearic acid raises deforestation concerns.

What the research flags

  • Sourcing concern — often palm-derived, linked to deforestation and habitat destruction
  • Comedogenic at higher concentrations
  • No toxicological concerns at cosmetic levels

Other makeup ingredients on file

Sources & references

  1. [1]
    DatabaseIngredient database — 706007-STEARIC_ACID
  2. [2]
    DatabaseIngredient database — stearic_acid_final_report.pdf
  3. [3]
    Peer-reviewedPubMed / NCBI — pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov · ref 24553900

Research disclaimer: Ratings reflect peer-reviewed research and regulatory assessments available at the time of publication, not the dose or formulation of any specific makeup product. This is not medical advice.