What is Cetearyl Alcohol?
Cetearyl Alcohol is a fatty alcohol (a waxy conditioning ingredient, not a drying alcohol). A blend of cetyl and stearyl alcohols used as an emollient thickener. Rated 2/5; fatty alcohols are considered fungal-acne safe.
You may see it on labels as Cetearyl Alcohol, Cetostearyl Alcohol, so it can hide under more than one name in an ingredient list.
Where Cetearyl Alcohol shows up
You'll most often find Cetearyl Alcohol in creams, conditioners, and lotions, where it thickens and softens. Separately from clogging, its irritancy is rated 2/5 — low, so it's unlikely to sting or sensitise on its own.
Is Cetearyl Alcohol bad for acne-prone skin?
That low score makes Cetearyl Alcohol a reasonable choice even for acne-prone skin. As always, individual reactions vary, but it is not a likely cause of clogged pores.