Ingredient deep-dive
Stearic Acid: Is It a Microplastic?
Not a microplastic. A fatty acid from plant or animal fats, used to thicken and stabilise. Like cetearyl alcohol, it is frequently mistaken for something synthetic because of the chemical-sounding name.
Where it appears
- Creams and lotions
- Soap
- Stick products
- Emulsion stabiliser
Regulatory status (2026)
European Union
Permitted.
United States
Permitted.
Cleaner alternatives
- No swap needed
Use the app
Scan any product for Stearic Acid in 5 seconds
The MicroPlastics iOS app flags this ingredient and 24 others instantly. Paste a label into the free web ingredient checker first if you want a no-install scan.
Download on the App StoreStearic Acid, common questions
Is Stearic Acid a microplastic?
Is Stearic Acid banned?
What can I use instead of Stearic Acid?
What products contain Stearic Acid?
Related ingredients
Silica
Cleared / not a microplastic · Not a microplastic
Not a microplastic. Silica is silicon dioxide, a mineral, chemically the same family as sand and glass. It is one of the main materials brands use to REPLACE plastic microbeads for oil absorption and soft focus.
Read moreMica
Cleared / not a microplastic · Not a microplastic
Not a microplastic. Mica is a naturally occurring mineral and the standard non-plastic alternative to polyester glitter. Its genuine issue is ethical rather than chemical: mica mining has documented child-labour problems, so look for responsibly sourced or synthetic fluorphlogopite.
Read moreCellulose
Cleared / not a microplastic · Not a microplastic
Not a microplastic. Cellulose is a plant polymer — the structural material of wood and cotton. It is a polymer, but not a synthetic one, and it biodegrades. Widely used as a plastic-bead replacement.
Read moreJojoba Esters (Jojoba Beads)
Cleared / not a microplastic · Not a microplastic
Not a microplastic, and the single best-known replacement for polyethylene microbeads. Naturally derived wax esters formed into soft spheres that exfoliate and then melt on the skin rather than washing into waterways.
Read more