The ingredient, explained
Cetyl Phosphate
A published expert safety assessment covers this exact ingredient.
Ingredient guide
What it is and what it does
Hexadecyl dihydrogen phosphate
About this ingredient: EU CosIng ingredient registry (via Open Beauty Facts taxonomy) ↗
- Emulsifying
- Helps liquids that do not normally mix form a mixture.
- Surfactant
- Changes surface tension to help a product distribute or interact with other materials.
Function definitions: European Commission ingredient function definitions (SCCNFP/0299/00, pages 16 to 20) ↗
Registry functions describe possible formulation roles, not results for a finished product. A dictionary entry is not an approval or a safety assessment.
A closer look
What the research shows
Safety assessment
Panel judged assessed alkyl phosphates safe at current cosmetic-use concentrations when formulated to be non-irritating.
What this does not tell us
Group safety and read-across. Local lamellar-phase efficacy study uses potassium cetyl phosphate, not free cetyl phosphate.
Sources for this summary. PubMed 31522649 ↗
Research review checked Oct 1, 2026
Bounded review of local candidates, exact-name indexed primary journal/PubMed safety and topical searches; not a systematic review.
Ingredient research is not proof that a product containing this ingredient works.
Read the 1 selected study
Safety assessment
Safety Assessment of Alkyl Phosphates as Used in Cosmetics. ↗
International journal of toxicology · 2019
Follow the formula
Products containing this ingredient
From the wider catalogue. Linked by the ingredient list, without an efficacy ranking.
Names and identifiers
Registry identity
Hexadecyl dihydrogen phosphate
- INCI name on ingredient lists
- CETYL PHOSPHATE
- CAS registry number
- 3539-43-3
- EC number
- 222-581-1
Sources for this ingredient record
- EU CosIng ingredient registry (via Open Beauty Facts taxonomy) ↗ · ODbL 1.0 (Open Beauty Facts database) · Recorded Aug 8, 2026