A salt of stearic acid and triethanolamine, used as a surfactant and regulated in Annex III.
What it is
TEA-stearate is the salt of stearic acid and triethanolamine (TEA) in a 1:1 ratio, a soap-like compound. CosIng lists it as a cleansing agent and an emulsifying and cleansing surfactant. In the EU it is covered by an entry in Annex III (substances subject to restrictions).
Where it is used
Found in creams, lotions, shaving products and other emulsions.
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 differ between leave-on and rinse-off products.
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.
- 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
EU · Annex III, entry 62Trialkylamines, trialkanolamines and their salts
- Product type
- (a) Leave-on products (b) Rinse-off products
- Maximum concentration
- (a) 2.5%
- As of
- 3 November 2026 · (EC) 2009/1223