Question about C14-22 Alcohols

Naya

I've searched and can't find out if this ingredient will dry my hair or not. I've found information about what it is, but I can't find out if it'll be drying or cause adverse reactions on my hair.

I've found out that it's an emulsifier derived from raw plant material.

Any word if I should avoid this ingredient or not?

Thanks!

susana

I'm wondering about this question too. This ingredient is in Aveda's curl control which I use a lot. But I worry if it will dry my hair out over time?

hippychic

C14-22 Alcohols is a mixture of synthetic fatty alcohols with 14 to 22 carbons in the alkyl chain. fatty alcohols are moisturizing/conditioning... i.e., btms, cetyl alcohol, emulsifying wax etc.

DoubleDee513

I know this is like 12 years old, but I found this and hoped someone else that runs across this thread while searching may be helped by it... I found this on Twinkle.com - seems like these alcohols are ok for curlies and won't dry out our locks. "First up, we will be covering the definition and usage of C14-22 Alcohols which can be found in Twinkle’s Body Milk Natural. Like many of us, the sight of Alcohol on the ingredient label is enough to deter us from supporting a brand. However, the thing special about this particular chemical compound is that it is made up of a mixture of synthetic fatty alcohols with 14 to 22 carbons in the alkylchain. Unlike other chemical compounds like ethyl alcohol (also known as ethanol, or grain alcohol) which dries out hair and skin, C14-22 Alcohol acts as an emulsifier. Prior to this ingredient, cosmetic products that do not contain Ethyl alcohol are marked as “alcohol free”. Whilst this can lead to confusion amongst consumers, it is important to stay well-informed. While a product may be labelled “alcohol free” it is important to note that they may contain other alcohols such as cetyl, stearyl, cetearyl, or lanolin alcohol. These alcohols are known as “fatty alcohols” and their effects on the skin are vastly different from that of ethyl alcohol. C14-22 Alcohol also acts as an emulsifier. Due to its light feel and moisturizing effect, it’s highly used in various skincare and haircare products. Do know that an emulsifier is not akin to denatured alcohol. Denatured alcohol is often used as a solvent and acts a fuel for alcohol burners and camping stoves. It is also a bad-tasting, foul-smelling and poisonous making it unsafe for human consumption. Denaturing alcohol doesn’t automatically alter the ethanol molecule. As such, ethanol is infused with various kinds of chemicals to form an undrinkable solution. So, the next time you’re grocery shopping at your nearest supermarket, pick up a bottle of any kind of chemical product and check its contents. Compare it with a cosmetic product and see the difference of chemicals in it. Although this may seem all complicated, trust us when we say once you get the hang of differentiating the various forms of chemical products in a product, shopping for cosmetics will never be the same again. Also, don’t forget to pass the message to your friends. It never hurts to be a part of a well-informed clique. "