The ingredient, explained

Myristyl Alcohol

A published safety assessment explicitly covers MYRISTYL ALCOHOL.

EmollientEmulsion stabilisingFoam boostingSkin conditioningViscosity controlling

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Ingredient guide

What it is and what it does

Tetradecanol

About this ingredient: EU CosIng ingredient registry (via Open Beauty Facts taxonomy) ↗

Emollient: Helps soften and smooth the skin surface.
Emulsion stabilising: Helps keep an emulsion from separating.
Foam boosting: Changes the amount, texture or stability of foam.
Skin conditioning: A broad cosmetic role for maintaining skin condition. It does not identify a particular clinical benefit.
Viscosity controlling: Adjusts how thick or fluid a product is.

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

The panel accepted the described cosmetic uses; tested 0.8% lotions were nonirritating to human skin, while some aerosol formulations caused animal-eye irritation.

What this does not tell us

Published safety assessment, not an efficacy trial. Its conclusion is limited to the reported cosmetic uses and concentrations, and relies partly on group read-across where individual data are missing. It does not establish current regulatory status or guarantee tolerance for every formulation. Historical formulation tests do not establish isolated ingredient efficacy or universal tolerance.

Sources for this summary. DOI 10.3109/10915818809023137 ↗

Research review checked Oct 1, 2026

Read exact local candidate abstracts first; select identity-relevant papers; targeted primary PubMed/publisher searches. This is not an exhaustive systematic review.

Ingredient research is not proof that a product containing this ingredient works.