Disclosed herein is a process for the preparation of a mixture of styrenated p-cresol species that is liquid at room temperature and has a viscosity of less than 40,000 cps at 25° C., wherein said process affords 2,6-distyrenated p-cresol assaying at 70% minimum by GC area percent, comprising reacting styrene with p-cresol at a molar ratio of 1.85 to 2.1:1, respectively, in the presence of an acid catalyst at elevated temperature, wherein said mixture comprises monostyrenated-p-cresol, distyrenated-p-cresol, and tristyrenated-p-cresol and exhibits an acid number of less than 0.1 mg KOH/gram.