Fatty Acids Oral & topical

Stearic Acid

A fatty acid used as a lubricant and binder in supplements and beauty products.

Sci.octadecanoic acid non-hydrogenated vegetable stearate octadecanoic acid purified stearic acid stearate stearate acid stearates stearic acid stearic acid ester stearic acid food grade stearic acid, powdered stearic acid, purified stearine steric acid vegetable stearic acid vegetable stearine vegetarian stearine veg. stearic acid
3 forms
3.5 /5 avg.
Oral & topical

About Stearic Acid

Stearic acid is a saturated fatty acid commonly found in animal and plant fats. It serves as a lubricant and binder in supplement manufacturing and is also utilized in various beauty products for its emulsifying properties.

Official resources

Fact sheets from the NIH Office of Dietary Supplements related to this ingredient group.

Dietary Supplement Label Database

Ingredient group data in NutriNav is aligned with the NIH Dietary Supplement Label Database (DSLD).

DSLD group id
7

At a glance

Approval status

GRAS

Compare All Forms

3 forms

Compare supplement forms of Stearic Acid by absorption quality and what your body actually gets from each:

High Moderate Low
Form Absorption Steps to absorb Notes Action
Purified Stearic Acid
  • CAS: 57-11-4
 — — — View →
Stearic Acid
  • CAS: 57-11-4
  • Label category: Natural or Synthetic
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Vegetable Stearic Acid
  • CAS: 57-11-4
 — — — View →

Also appears on labels as

Additional names seen on supplement labels for forms of this ingredient (beyond the main aliases above).

Stearic acid (C18:0)

Type: Fatty Acids

Category for Fatty Acids ingredients

Potential Benefits

Benefits associated with Stearic Acid forms:

Emollient properties Stabilizer in formulations Skin Hydration Emulsification Skin Conditioning

Potential Side Effects

Side effects associated with Stearic Acid forms:

None How serious: None Skin Irritation How serious: Mild

What does the research say?

Numerous studies have investigated the properties and applications of stearic acid, particularly in relation to its role in skin care and its effects on human health.