Glyceryl Stearate on your skin: a safety profile

What is glyceryl stearate?

The IUPAC name is 2,3-dihydroxypropyl octadecanoate.

Also known as: 2,3-dihydroxypropyl octadecanoate, glycerol monostearate, GMS, monostearin.

IUPAC name

2,3-dihydroxypropyl octadecanoate

CAS number

31566-31-1

Molecular formula

C21H42O4

Molecular weight

358.6 g/mol

SMILES

CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCC(=O)OCC(CO)O

PubChem CID

24699

Regulatory consensus

1 regulatory bodyhas classified Glyceryl Stearate.

Regulators apply different standards of evidence — animal-data weighting, exposure-pattern assumptions, epidemiological power thresholds — which is why two scientific bodies can review the same data and reach different conclusions. The disagreement is the data.

Where you encounter glyceryl stearate

• Moisturizer — Lotions, Creams
• Sunscreen — Emulsion sunscreens

Safer alternatives

Lower-risk approaches that achieve a similar outcome to Glyceryl Stearate:

• Plant-derived oils with established safety profiles (jojoba, squalane, shea butter)
  Trade-offs: Consumer preference for 'natural' label; many natural fragrance compounds are potent allergens (limonene, linalool, eugenol); 'natural' ≠ 'safe'; often more expensive than synthetic equivalents.
  Relative cost: 2-5× conventional
• Ceramide-based formulations (biomimetic skin barrier repair)
  Trade-offs: Alternative emollient; skin feel, spreadability, and occlusion properties differ; comedogenicity should be assessed for facial use; stability in final formulation needs verification.
  Relative cost: 1.2-2×
• Glycerin-based humectant systems as partial replacement
  Trade-offs: Direct chemical substitution requires verification that the replacement does not introduce new hazards (regrettable substitution). Conduct full hazard assessment of proposed alternative before adoption.
  Relative cost: 1.2-2×

Frequently asked questions