What a 2/5 rating means
On the comedogenic scale, a 2 is still within the non-comedogenic range that dermatologists generally consider low-risk. That places Cetearyl Alcohol in the range most people, including many with acne-prone skin, tolerate well.
One thing the number cannot tell you is concentration. Ingredients are listed in descending order, so Cetearyl Alcohol near the end of a label is present in tiny amounts and matters far less than the same ingredient near the top.
About Cetearyl Alcohol
It is a fatty alcohol — a waxy, moisturising ingredient, not the drying kind of alcohol. A blend of cetyl and stearyl alcohols used as an emollient thickener. Rated 2/5; fatty alcohols are considered fungal-acne safe.
On a label it can read as Cetearyl Alcohol, Cetostearyl Alcohol — worth knowing when you scan an ingredient deck.
Cetearyl Alcohol in makeup and skincare
It thickens foundations, cream blushes, conditioners, and lotions. Its irritancy is rated separately at 2/5, which is low.