While that is quite disturbing, I must say, as a chemist...
Many times chemicals like this are lab-synthesized, not naturally extracted. I don't know specifically about stearic acid, but generally, it's far less expensive to make a chemical in the lab from other chemical starting materials than it is to extract and purify a "naturally orccuring"chemical. Think of vitamins - you can get naturally derived vitamins, or synthesized vitamins. Naturally derived vitamins are always more expensive.
Like I said, I don't know specifics, but just because stearic acid may be in cosmetics, etc, it doesn't mean it's the naturally extracted form. Depending on the extraction procss, it may be too expensive to manufacture that way.
Sorry if I sounded clinical, I would just hope no naturally derived stearic acid is used in this stuff.
But on another note, though, given its (or a derivative of it) prevalance in almost all shampoos, deodarants, etc - would anyone actually
forego using that stuff because of it (with little to no alternative?)
Just curious...
Joanne
