is a saturated long-chain fatty acid with an 18-carbon backbone. Stearic acid is found in various animal and plant fats, and is a major component of cocoa butter and shea butter.

Stearic acid is a very common amino acid is used in the manufacturing of more than 3,200 skin and hair care products sold in the United States. On product labels, it is sometimes listed under other names, including Century 1240, cetylacetic acid, Emersol 120, Emersol 132, Emersol 150, Formula 300 and Glycon DP.


Stearic acid is one of many fatty acids that occur naturally in various plants and animal derivatives. It's found in such products as animal tallow, cocoa butter and vegetable fats. When it's used in cosmetic products, stearic acid primarily fulfills the role of a thickener or hardener.


stearic Acid is a fatty acid found primarily in animal derivatives, but in vegetable fats as well. It is used in a variety of cosmetics and personal care products, as a fragrance ingredient, surfactant and emulsifier. It is also used as the base for the manufacture of other fatty acid ingredients which are used as emulsifers, emollients and lubricants.


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Sources of Stearic Acid
Stearic acid is naturally present in many foods in far greater quantities than in supplements. Stearic acid is also the immediate precursor of oleic acid, an important fatty acid found in healthy olive oil.

Chemical structure of stearic acid

Stearic acid (18 carbon atoms), from the Greek word stéar, meaning tallow (also known as beef fat), was first described by Chevreul M.E. in 1823 in the course of his researches on fats.

Other names of stearic acid

cetylacetic acid
n-octadecanoic acid
18:0


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it can be used as natural rubber, synthetic rubber (except butyl rubber) and latex curing active agent. It can also be used as raw material of plastic plasticizer and stabilizer. Medicine: it can be used for the preparation of ointments, suppositories, etc., as well as being used in the manufacture of cosmetics, candles, waterproof agent and polishing agent.

Mean stearic acid intake is 5.7 g per day (2.3% of calories) for women and 8.2 g per day (2.8% of calories) for men, 20 years of age and older, based on data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), 2001-2002.16 Stearic acid accounts for approximately 18% to 26% of saturated fatty acid intake. 


Some of the other possible side effects of stearic acid are skin irritation, organ toxicity and neurotoxicity problems. The stearic acid can have unwanted effects on the respiratory system, nervous system and brain, and this was seen in studies conducted on animals. Also, skin irritation was detected