Our customer service representatives are available 24 hours a day, from Monday to Sunday.
| Catalog Number | CI-HC-0225 |
| Product Name | Behenyl Alcohol |
| CAS | 661-19-8 |
| Structure |  |
| Description | Behenyl alcohol, also known as docosanol, is a long-chain fatty alcohol derived from natural sources such as vegetable waxes or animal fats. It is a white, waxy solid that is odorless and tasteless. Behenyl alcohol is commonly used as an emollient and a thickener in cosmetic and personal care products, such as moisturizers, foundations, and lipsticks. It helps to improve the texture and consistency of these products while also providing moisture to the skin. |
| Appearance | white waxy or flaky solid at room temperature |
| Application | 1. Emulsifying agent: Behenyl alcohol is used as an emulsifying agent in various formulations in cosmetics and personal care products such as lotions, creams, and conditioners. 2. Stabilizer: It is used as a stabilizer in the production of PVC and other plastics. 3. Lubricant: Behenyl alcohol is also used as a lubricant in the production of tablets, capsules, and suppositories in the pharmaceutical industry. 4. Softening agent: It is added to hair care products to soften hair and increase manageability. 5. Viscosity enhancer: Behenyl alcohol is a viscosity enhancer and can be used as a thickener in cosmetic and personal care products. |
| Features And Benefits | 1. Behenyl Alcohol is a thickening agent in cosmetics 2. It improves the texture and consistency of emulsions 3. Behenyl Alcohol provides emollient and moisturizing properties to the skin 4. It helps to stabilize formulations and prevent separation of ingredients 5. Behenyl Alcohol may also have antimicrobial and preservative effects in cosmetic products. |
Behenyl Alcohol is a long-chain linear fatty alcohol, comprised of 22 carbon atoms, derived from natural sources such as rapeseed or coconut oils. It serves multiple purposes in skin and hair care formulations, functioning effectively as a thickener, emulsifier, binding agent, solubilizer, and enhancing agent. Renowned for its excellent emulsifying properties, Behenyl Alcohol is key to creating stable emulsions that maintain consistency and viscosity regardless of temperature fluctuations, while also providing superior mildness and safety for the skin. Additionally, it enhances the sensory experience, imparting a velvety-soft feel. When combined with Behenic acid, it forms stable waxy oleo-gels capable of dissolving and carrying natural oils and active ingredients. In decorative cosmetics, Behenyl Alcohol acts as a pigment dispersant and wetting agent, facilitating easy application and adhesion to the skin's surface. It also serves as an ideal base for dispersing abrasive particles in mechanical exfoliators. This versatile ingredient is extensively used in facial creams, masks, lotions, and various other care products, including hair, eye, and body applications. Moreover, Behenyl Alcohol is easily biodegradable and metabolized like regular fat, ensuring safety for both the skin and the environment.
Callau, Marion, et al. Journal of colloid and interface science, 2020, 560, 874-884.
Behenyl alcohol and behenic acid are fatty alcohols and fatty acids with relatively long alkyl chains, respectively. The weight ratio (R) between the two components in their mixture has a strong influence on the oleogels properties, which is very important for the cosmetic and pharmaceutical industries. In this work, the oleogels properties were described as a function of R in terms of structuring potential (hardness, oil loss, and gel stability). The results showed that two specific R ratios (8:2 and 7:3) close to a 3:1 (behenyl alcohol:behenic acid) molecular ratio gave the oleogels the highest hardness and stability.
Preparation of Behenyl Alcohol/Behenic Acid Oleogel Systems
· The structurant concentration remained constant at 10 wt% in 90 wt% of sunflower oil.
· The weight ratio (R) was determined as: R = wbehenyl alcohol/wbehenic acid, with w representing weight. The ratio R varied between behenyl alcohol (BO) and behenic acid (BA) from 0:10 to 10:0. In total, 7 different formulations were made and analyzed: 10:0, 8:2, 7:3, 5:5, 3:7, 2:8, 0:10.
· Oleogels were created by heating the structurant in the sunflower oil at 85 °C in a water bath. Once the structurant was fully dissolved, the sample was held at 85 °C for 5 minutes. Following heating, the samples were left to cool naturally at room temperature without any agitation.
Watanabe, Kei, et al. Journal of Oleo Science, 2012, 61(1), 29-34.
α-Gel (α-crystalline phase) behaves as a high-viscosity gel, and the system formed by it and excess water is widely used in cosmetic creams, shampoos, conditioners, topical drugs, etc. In this work, α-crystalline phase was prepared in sodium methyl stearoyl taurate (SMT)/behenyl alcohol/water system, and its actual long-term stability was studied.
The α-crystalline phase in SMT/behenyl alcohol/water system
· Various ratios of ingredients (SMT/behenyl alcohol/water) were poured into a 200 mL glass container and mixed at 90 °C using a homogenizer. The sample was then cooled to 30 °C in an ice/water bath to prepare a gel containing α-crystalline phase.
· In the ternary phase diagram, the α-crystalline phase region is clearly a large ellipsoid located on the straight center line, indicating that the molar ratio of behenyl alcohol/SMT is 3/1.
· Water was found to be absorbed in the interlayers of the α-crystalline phase in equilibrium, causing the interlayer distance to expand. Any water exceeding the 85% solubilization limit was trapped within the matrix of the α-crystalline phase in non-equilibrium, resulting in a two-phase system.
· The use of a Fourier transform pulsed gradient spin echo technique to analyze 1 H NMR spectra revealed a single self-diffusion coefficient for water molecules in the one-phase region, and two self-diffusion coefficients in the two-phase region. This indicates that the two self-diffusion coefficients represent the slow water solubilized in the interlayer and the fast water trapped in the α-crystalline phase matrix, respectively.
What additional benefit does Behenyl Alcohol offer when combined with Behenic acid?
When combined with Behenic acid, Behenyl alcohol forms waxy oleo-gels that have a pleasant feel and can dissolve and carry natural oils and active ingredients effectively.
What are the main applications of Behenyl Alcohol in cosmetic formulations?
Behenyl alcohol is used as a thickener, emulsifier, binding agent, solubilizer, and gallant in skin and hair care formulations. It is also employed in decorative cosmetics as a pigment dispersing and wetting agent, and as a base for dispersing abrasive particles in mechanical exfoliators.
How does Behenyl Alcohol enhance the texture of cosmetic products?
Behenyl alcohol improves the sensory profile of formulations by imparting a velvety-soft feel to the skin. It also thickens products and helps produce stable emulsions that maintain their properties despite changes in temperature.
Can Behenyl Alcohol handle temperature variations without compromising product stability?
Yes, Behenyl alcohol is noted for producing stable emulsions that remain unchanged in terms of viscosity despite temperature changes.
Is Behenyl Alcohol safe for the skin and the environment?
Yes, Behenyl alcohol is considered safe for the skin due to its mildness and is environmentally friendly, as it is readily biodegradable and metabolized like regular fat.
In what types of products is Behenyl Alcohol commonly used?
Behenyl alcohol is a multifunctional ingredient widely used in facial creams, masks, lotions, as well as hair, eye, and body care applications.
If you have any questions, please contact us. You will get a satisfactory answer.
