Cetyltrimethylammonium chloride (C(16)CA) is added to a saturated solution containing an excess of aggregated spherical white solid globules of cetyl alcohol (C16OH) to give a semitranslucent gel (STG) spontaneously without stirring. Its internal structure was compared by morphology and thermal properties with a ternary mixture system (TMS) of the same composition but prepared by mixing and stirring at 75 degrees C. While dispersed particles in the TMS are multilamellar vesicles, the STG consists of anisotropic lamellae. The melting point is lower for lamellae than for vesicles because of the higher water content between lamellae. The interlamellar water content plays a critical role in the structural difference between the two assemblies.