Used primarily as an emollient in cosmetic and personal care formulations, where it improves texture and provides a smooth, non-greasy feel in creams, lotions, and ointments. It can aid in stabilizing emulsions by enhancing the oil phase consistency. Due to its high molecular weight and lipophilic nature, it functions as an effective moisture barrier, reducing transepidermal water loss from the skin. It also serves as a lubricant in topical products. In pharmaceuticals, it is occasionally used as an excipient in controlled-release formulations and in the preparation of lipid-based systems like liposomes for drug delivery. Its thermal stability suits it for high-temperature industrial processes as a processing aid, though it is not typically a defoaming agent.