Cetyl alcohol and cetearyl alcohol are fatty alcohols that are commonly used in cosmetics and personal care products. They are derived from natural sources, such as coconut oil and palm oil. Fatty alcohols are chemically different from the other drying alcohols from the blacklist. They are non-irritating and non-drying to the skin, they can even help to moisturize and protect the skin and hair. Drying alcohols, on the other hand, can irritate and dry out the skin, which is why we recommend avoiding them. If an ingredient is not in the blacklist, it means that it is a safe ingredient (unless you have specific allergies to it, in which case you should still avoid). If you want to learn more about product chemistry, we share our full haircare ingredients database with detail on hundreds of ingredients as part of the resources of Hairqare Lab.