A mild amino acid surfactant, regulated in Annex III.
What it is
TEA-cocoyl glutamate is the triethanolamine salt of the condensation product of coconut fatty acids with glutamic acid. CosIng lists it as a cleansing agent, hair-conditioning agent and cleansing surfactant. In the EU it is covered by the Annex III (substances subject to restrictions) entry for trialkanolamines and their salts.
Where it is used
Found in shampoos, facial cleansers, shower gels and cleansing foams.
Limits of interpretation
The INCI list shows which ingredients are present, not how much of each. Above 1%, ingredients are listed in descending order of weight; below 1% the order is free.
See the EU regulation section for the applicable limits; according to the Annex III entry, the conditions differ for leave-on and rinse-off products.
Functions
- Cleansing
- Helping to keep the body surface clean.
- Hair conditioning
- Enhancing the appearance and feel of hair. Leaving the hair easy to comb, supple, soft and shiny and/or imparting volume, lightness, gloss, texture, etc.
- Surfactant – cleansing
- Wetting body surfaces, emulsifying or solubilizing oils, and suspending soil (generally, such ingredients contribute to the foaming and lathering properties of cleansing products).
EU regulation
- Product type
- (a) Leave-on products (b) Rinse-off products
- Maximum concentration
- (a) 2.5%
- As of
- 3 November 2026 · (EC) 2009/1223