A long-chain saturated fatty acid used in cleansing and emulsifying roles.
What it is
Behenic acid (docosanoic acid) is a saturated fatty acid with 22 carbon atoms. It occurs in plant oils such as ben (moringa) oil, from which it takes its name. CosIng lists it as a cleansing agent, an emulsifying and cleansing surfactant and an opacifier.
Where it is used
Used in creams, lotions, cleansers, hair conditioners, lipsticks and balms.
Limits of interpretation
The INCI list shows which ingredients are present, not how much of each. Above 1%, ingredients are listed in descending order of weight; below 1% the order is free.
The INCI name does not reveal whether the fatty acid comes from plant or other sources.
Functions
- Cleansing
- Helping to keep the body surface clean.
- Surfactant – emulsifying
- Helping suspensions or dispersions of liquids in a second liquid by reducing the surface tension of the substances to be emulsified.
- Opacifying
- Reducing transparency or translucency of cosmetics.
- Surfactant – cleansing
- Wetting body surfaces, emulsifying or solubilizing oils, and suspending soil (generally, such ingredients contribute to the foaming and lathering properties of cleansing products).
EU regulation
This ingredient is not listed in the annexes of Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009 in the CosIng data.
Products with this ingredient (82)
- Weightless Serum · Lumene
- Rich Eye Cream · Lumene
- Weightless Moisturizer · Lumene
- Rich Day Cream · Lumene
- Rich Night Balm · Lumene
- Crème CC Visage Skin-Perfecting SPF 30 · Inglot
- Skin-Perfecting CC Gesichtscreme SPF 30 · Inglot
- Skin-Perfecting CC Face Cream SPF 30 · Inglot
- Tusz do rzęs pogrubiający i wydłużający · Eveline Cosmetics
- Tusz do rzęs pogrubiająco-podkręcający false definition 4d · Eveline Cosmetics
- Tusz do rzęs eksplozja objętości explosion · Eveline Cosmetics
- Tusz do rzęs podkręcający · Eveline Cosmetics