Glycerol behenate / Eicosadioate

INCI: Glycerol behenate / Eicosadioate

What is Glycerol behenate / Eicosadioate?

Glycerol behenate / eicosadioate is an esterified mixture of acids behenic acid and eicosanoic with glycerin. Behenic acid is usually found naturally in coconut fats, rapeseed oil, and peanut oil. Eicosanoic acid/ arachidic acid is a saturated oil and mainly a component of peanut oil.   

Use & Benefits: 

Two fatty acids behenic and eicosanoic acid are beneficial to the skin, they get absorbed quickly and provide moisture to the skin. Glycerol behenate / eicosadioate forms a film over the skin that is occlusive. Hence, moisture cannot escape through this layer and stays within the skin. It conditions the skin, making it soft to touch. It has long alkyl chain and many -OH and -COO- groups as well, which makes it an ideal surfactant. A surfactant is responsible for decreasing the surface tension between oils and water. Can also be used as a foaming agent or cleansing agent, ideally should have both the groups which can bind both water-soluble and oil-soluble groups. Similarly, the emulsifying agent also serves the same purpose of mixing oil and water together, and this ingredient fits into the same criteria. It is used in skincare, haircare, and body care as well as in some makeup products.