Stearic Acid
Stearic Acid
Stearic Acid (Thickener, Co-Emulsifier and Hardener)
Our Stearic Acid is a plant-based, white, waxy fatty acid supplied as small beads or flakes. It thickens and stabilises creams and lotions, adds hardness to soap, solid shampoo bars and sticks, and is also used in candle making.
In lotions and creams it works as a co-emulsifier and stabiliser, and its melting point is well above body temperature, which helps products hold their shape. In soap it adds hardness and can give a creamier, more stable lather.
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Fatty acid White waxy beads or flakes |
Thickens and hardens Creams, soap, sticks |
Typical rates 3% in emulsions, 0.5-5% in soap |
100 g to 2 kg Five pack sizes |
Safety information: for external (cosmetic) use only. Keep out of reach of children, keep away from the eyes and avoid breathing in dust. Melted stearic acid is hot. See Safety below and the Safety Data Sheet in the Product Documents section at the end of this page.
Specifications
| Specification | Detail |
|---|---|
| Product | Stearic Acid |
| INCI | Stearic Acid |
| Type | Plant-based saturated fatty acid |
| Appearance | White to off-white waxy solid (beads or flakes) |
| Melting point | Typically about 55-70 °C, depending on grade |
| Solubility | Oil soluble. Insoluble in water |
| Typical use rate | About 1-25% depending on the product. Around 3% is a common starting point in an emulsion, and 0.5-5% in soap |
| Suitable for | Creams, lotions, deodorant bases, solid shampoo bars, sticks, soap, candles |
| Pack Sizes | 100 g, 200 g, 500 g, 1 kg, 2 kg |
| Storage | Sealed, cool and dry, away from heat and sunlight |
| Use | Raw material for makers. Formulation, safety assessment and labelling of finished products are the maker's responsibility. Not for internal use |
Uses
| Use | How it is used |
|---|---|
| Creams and lotions | Thickens and acts as a co-emulsifier. About 3% is a good starting point |
| Cold process soap | Adds hardness and a creamier lather. About 0.5-5% of the oils |
| Solid shampoo and body bars | Gives hardness and a pearly look |
| Deodorants and sticks | Gives a stable, firm base for sticks and balms |
| Candle blends | Used by some makers to harden wax. Test in your own wax |
| Pearly or opaque finishes | Gives shampoos and washes a pearly consistency |
How to Use Stearic Acid in a Cream or Lotion
- Weigh. Weigh the stearic acid along with the oil-phase ingredients. About 3% of the formula is a common starting point.
- Heat. Melt it into the oil phase at about 70-75 °C, stirring until fully dissolved.
- Combine. Heat the water phase to the same temperature and combine with an emulsifier such as Emulsifying Wax (Neowax B200).
- Blend and cool. Blend until smooth, then stir gently while it cools.
- Add the extras. Below about 40 °C, add heat-sensitive ingredients and your preservatives.
- Pack and test. Pour into clean containers and check the texture after 24 hours.
Tip: Stearic acid on its own will not emulsify oil and water. Use it with a proper emulsifier in creams and lotions.
Using It in Creams, Soap & Sticks ▼
These are common maker starting points, not fixed rules. Results vary with your recipe, so always test a small batch first.
| Use | Starting amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Creams and lotions | About 1-5%, often around 3% | Use as a co-emulsifier and thickener alongside an emulsifier. |
| Cold process soap | About 0.5-5% of the oils | Adds hardness. Include it in your lye calculation as an oil or fat and use a soap calculator. |
| Solid shampoo bars | As set by your recipe | Gives hardness and a pearly look. Test the bar. |
| Deodorant sticks and balms | Higher rates, up to about 25% | Gives a firm base. Test the stick hardness. |
| Candles | Test in your own wax | Some makers add small amounts to harden or whiten wax. |
Tips & Troubleshooting ▼
| Problem | Likely cause | What to try |
|---|---|---|
| Cream feels waxy or draggy | Too much stearic acid | Reduce the amount or add a light emollient. |
| Grainy or lumpy cream | Cooled too fast, or phases not matched in temperature | Reheat to about 75 °C, re-blend and cool slowly while stirring. |
| Cream too thin | Not enough thickener or emulsifier | Increase the stearic acid a little, or add a fatty alcohol. |
| Soap is soft | Not enough hardness | Increase stearic acid within the 0.5-5% range and test. |
| Cream spoils | Water-based products can grow mould | Add a suitable preservative and use clean tools. |
| Pearly film on shampoo | Stearic acid crystallising | Reduce the amount or adjust the temperature. |
Safety & Selling Your Products ▼
This product is a cosmetic raw material for external use only. Do not swallow it, keep it out of reach of children and keep it away from the eyes. Melted ingredients are hot and can burn, so never heat over a direct flame and never leave them unattended. Patch test finished products before first use and stop using a product if irritation occurs.
Stearic acid beads are slippery if spilled on the floor. Wipe up spills promptly.
Selling what you make? This is a raw material for makers. The formulation, preservation, safety assessment, labelling and any regulatory requirements for your finished cosmetics or soap (including the NZ cosmetic rules) are your responsibility, and health or treatment claims should not be made for your products. Contact us at info@purefx.co.nz if you need product information.
Frequently Asked Questions ▼
What does stearic acid do?
It thickens and stabilises creams and lotions, adds hardness to soap and sticks, and can give a pearly finish.
How much do I use?
About 1-25% depending on the product. Around 3% is a common starting point in a cream, and 0.5-5% in soap.
Can I use it as an emulsifier?
Not on its own. Use it together with an emulsifier such as Emulsifying Wax (Neowax B200).
Is it plant based or vegan?
Our stearic acid is plant based. If you are making a vegan product, check every other ingredient in your recipe as well.
Can I use it in soap?
Yes, at about 0.5-5% of the oils. Include it in your lye calculation.
What does it feel like?
It gives a firm, waxy structure. Too much can make a cream feel heavy.
How should I store it?
Sealed, in a cool, dry place away from heat and sunlight.
Is it for internal use?
No. It is sold for external cosmetic use only.
Sizes & Price
| Pack | Price | Price per 100 g |
|---|---|---|
| 100 g | $3.80 | $3.80 |
| 200 g | $6.50 | $3.25 |
| 500 g | $9.00 | $1.80 |
| 1 kg | $15.00 | $1.50 |
| 2 kg | $28.00 | $1.40 |
Pairs Well With
Pair with shea butter, cocoa butter and sweet almond oil, and add Castor Wax Flakes or beeswax. Use with Emulsifying Wax (Neowax B200) and thicken with xanthan gum. For soap, see our soap additives and melt and pour soap bases. Preserve creams with Geogard 221 or phenoxyethanol. Browse emulsifiers and thickeners. |
 Product Documents
|
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Stearic Acid (Thickener, Co-Emulsifier and Hardener)
Our Stearic Acid is a plant-based, white, waxy fatty acid supplied as small beads or flakes. It thickens and stabilises creams and lotions, adds hardness to soap, solid shampoo bars and sticks, and is also used in candle making.
In lotions and creams it works as a co-emulsifier and stabiliser, and its melting point is well above body temperature, which helps products hold their shape. In soap it adds hardness and can give a creamier, more stable lather.
|
Fatty acid White waxy beads or flakes |
Thickens and hardens Creams, soap, sticks |
Typical rates 3% in emulsions, 0.5-5% in soap |
100 g to 2 kg Five pack sizes |
Safety information: for external (cosmetic) use only. Keep out of reach of children, keep away from the eyes and avoid breathing in dust. Melted stearic acid is hot. See Safety below and the Safety Data Sheet in the Product Documents section at the end of this page.
Specifications
| Specification | Detail |
|---|---|
| Product | Stearic Acid |
| INCI | Stearic Acid |
| Type | Plant-based saturated fatty acid |
| Appearance | White to off-white waxy solid (beads or flakes) |
| Melting point | Typically about 55-70 °C, depending on grade |
| Solubility | Oil soluble. Insoluble in water |
| Typical use rate | About 1-25% depending on the product. Around 3% is a common starting point in an emulsion, and 0.5-5% in soap |
| Suitable for | Creams, lotions, deodorant bases, solid shampoo bars, sticks, soap, candles |
| Pack Sizes | 100 g, 200 g, 500 g, 1 kg, 2 kg |
| Storage | Sealed, cool and dry, away from heat and sunlight |
| Use | Raw material for makers. Formulation, safety assessment and labelling of finished products are the maker's responsibility. Not for internal use |
Uses
| Use | How it is used |
|---|---|
| Creams and lotions | Thickens and acts as a co-emulsifier. About 3% is a good starting point |
| Cold process soap | Adds hardness and a creamier lather. About 0.5-5% of the oils |
| Solid shampoo and body bars | Gives hardness and a pearly look |
| Deodorants and sticks | Gives a stable, firm base for sticks and balms |
| Candle blends | Used by some makers to harden wax. Test in your own wax |
| Pearly or opaque finishes | Gives shampoos and washes a pearly consistency |
How to Use Stearic Acid in a Cream or Lotion
- Weigh. Weigh the stearic acid along with the oil-phase ingredients. About 3% of the formula is a common starting point.
- Heat. Melt it into the oil phase at about 70-75 °C, stirring until fully dissolved.
- Combine. Heat the water phase to the same temperature and combine with an emulsifier such as Emulsifying Wax (Neowax B200).
- Blend and cool. Blend until smooth, then stir gently while it cools.
- Add the extras. Below about 40 °C, add heat-sensitive ingredients and your preservatives.
- Pack and test. Pour into clean containers and check the texture after 24 hours.
Tip: Stearic acid on its own will not emulsify oil and water. Use it with a proper emulsifier in creams and lotions.
Using It in Creams, Soap & Sticks ▼
These are common maker starting points, not fixed rules. Results vary with your recipe, so always test a small batch first.
| Use | Starting amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Creams and lotions | About 1-5%, often around 3% | Use as a co-emulsifier and thickener alongside an emulsifier. |
| Cold process soap | About 0.5-5% of the oils | Adds hardness. Include it in your lye calculation as an oil or fat and use a soap calculator. |
| Solid shampoo bars | As set by your recipe | Gives hardness and a pearly look. Test the bar. |
| Deodorant sticks and balms | Higher rates, up to about 25% | Gives a firm base. Test the stick hardness. |
| Candles | Test in your own wax | Some makers add small amounts to harden or whiten wax. |
Tips & Troubleshooting ▼
| Problem | Likely cause | What to try |
|---|---|---|
| Cream feels waxy or draggy | Too much stearic acid | Reduce the amount or add a light emollient. |
| Grainy or lumpy cream | Cooled too fast, or phases not matched in temperature | Reheat to about 75 °C, re-blend and cool slowly while stirring. |
| Cream too thin | Not enough thickener or emulsifier | Increase the stearic acid a little, or add a fatty alcohol. |
| Soap is soft | Not enough hardness | Increase stearic acid within the 0.5-5% range and test. |
| Cream spoils | Water-based products can grow mould | Add a suitable preservative and use clean tools. |
| Pearly film on shampoo | Stearic acid crystallising | Reduce the amount or adjust the temperature. |
Safety & Selling Your Products ▼
This product is a cosmetic raw material for external use only. Do not swallow it, keep it out of reach of children and keep it away from the eyes. Melted ingredients are hot and can burn, so never heat over a direct flame and never leave them unattended. Patch test finished products before first use and stop using a product if irritation occurs.
Stearic acid beads are slippery if spilled on the floor. Wipe up spills promptly.
Selling what you make? This is a raw material for makers. The formulation, preservation, safety assessment, labelling and any regulatory requirements for your finished cosmetics or soap (including the NZ cosmetic rules) are your responsibility, and health or treatment claims should not be made for your products. Contact us at info@purefx.co.nz if you need product information.
Frequently Asked Questions ▼
What does stearic acid do?
It thickens and stabilises creams and lotions, adds hardness to soap and sticks, and can give a pearly finish.
How much do I use?
About 1-25% depending on the product. Around 3% is a common starting point in a cream, and 0.5-5% in soap.
Can I use it as an emulsifier?
Not on its own. Use it together with an emulsifier such as Emulsifying Wax (Neowax B200).
Is it plant based or vegan?
Our stearic acid is plant based. If you are making a vegan product, check every other ingredient in your recipe as well.
Can I use it in soap?
Yes, at about 0.5-5% of the oils. Include it in your lye calculation.
What does it feel like?
It gives a firm, waxy structure. Too much can make a cream feel heavy.
How should I store it?
Sealed, in a cool, dry place away from heat and sunlight.
Is it for internal use?
No. It is sold for external cosmetic use only.
Sizes & Price
| Pack | Price | Price per 100 g |
|---|---|---|
| 100 g | $3.80 | $3.80 |
| 200 g | $6.50 | $3.25 |
| 500 g | $9.00 | $1.80 |
| 1 kg | $15.00 | $1.50 |
| 2 kg | $28.00 | $1.40 |
Pairs Well With
Pair with shea butter, cocoa butter and sweet almond oil, and add Castor Wax Flakes or beeswax. Use with Emulsifying Wax (Neowax B200) and thicken with xanthan gum. For soap, see our soap additives and melt and pour soap bases. Preserve creams with Geogard 221 or phenoxyethanol. Browse emulsifiers and thickeners. |
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Product Documents
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