Triethanolamine (TEA) – pH Balancer, Emulsifier & Surfactant

Triethanolamine (TEA), a compound with an ammonia-like odor, is used in the formulation of a range of cosmetic and personal care products. This clear, colorless, and thick liquid is used as an emulsifier, surfactant, and pH adjuster. TEA also helps to create harmonious blends of water-soluble and oil-soluble ingredients, ensuring stable emulsions and desired consistency across formulations. Triethanolamine’s ability to adjust pH levels, helps enhance the stability and usability of products, making TEA well known in the cosmetics industry for both functionality and product quality enhancement.

Triethanolamine is a coating ingredient for fresh fruit and vegetables and is widely used in surfactants and as a dispersing ingredient and detergent in hand and body lotions, shaving creams, soaps, shampoos, and bath powders.

Triethanolamine (TEA) is a thickening agent and is a highly functional product used for thickening, consistency adjustments, and stabilization. Formulating with this product is easy; simply add 1% Triethanolamine (TEA) to your water phase. Then add 1% Tylose HS 60000 and stir gently. This will thicken the water that you can add to your product. Recommended usage levels .5% to 1.5%.

Key Features of Triethanolamine (TEA):

• Usage: Used in a variety of products including hand and body lotions, shaving creams, soaps, shampoos, makeup (eyeliners, mascaras, eyeshadows, foundations), and more.
• Emulsion Formation: Helps to reduce surface tension, enabling the blending of water-soluble and oil-soluble ingredients for stable emulsions.
• pH Adjustment: Acts as a pH adjuster to maintain the desired acidity or alkalinity of cosmetic and personal care products.
• Surfactant Properties: Functions as a surfactant, improving the spreadability and texture of products.
• Consistency and Stabilization: Can be used for thickening, adjusting consistency, and stabilizing formulations.
• Easy Formulation: To thicken and stabilize, simply add 1% TEA to your water phase, followed by 1% Tylose HS 60000 for desired thickness.
• Recommended Concentration Levels: Typically used at concentrations ranging from 0.5% to 1.5% depending on the product formulation.

Why is Triethanolamine Used in Cosmetics and Personal Care Products?

TEA helps form emulsions by reducing the surface tension of the substances to be emulsified so water-soluble and oil-soluble ingredients can be blended together. It is also used to control the pH of cosmetics and personal care products. TEA is more commonly used in cosmetics, and functions as a surfactant or pH adjuster.

Other TEA-containing ingredients function as surfactants and hair- or skin-conditioning agents. Ethanolamine functions as a pH adjuster. The majority of its salts function as surfactants; some of the ethanolamine salts function as pH adjusters, hair fixatives, or preservatives.