The triethanolamine salt of lauryl sulfate, a cleansing and foaming surfactant regulated in Annex III.
What it is
TEA-lauryl sulfate is tris(2-hydroxyethyl)ammonium dodecyl sulfate, the triethanolamine salt of lauryl sulfuric acid, an anionic surfactant. CosIng lists it as a cleansing agent, foaming agent and emulsifying and cleansing surfactant. In the EU it is covered by an entry in Annex III (substances subject to restrictions), which distinguishes leave-on and rinse-off products.
Where it is used
Found in shampoos, shower gels, bubble baths and other rinse-off cleansing products.
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 and conditions, which depend on whether the product is left on or rinsed off.
Functions
- Cleansing
- Helping to keep the body surface clean.
- Surfactant – emulsifying
- Helping suspensions or dispersions of liquids in a second liquid by reducing the surface tension of the substances to be emulsified.
- Foaming
- Traping numerous small bubbles of air or other gas within a small volume of liquid by modifying the surface tension of the liquid.
- 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