Ingredient profile
Triethanol- amine
Raters disagreefragrancebufferingsurfactant - cleansingCAS 102-71-6
At least one of our safety lists speaks to this ingredient. Also written as TRIETHANOL AMINE, TRIETHANOL- AMINE, triethanol - amine.
Raters don't agree. Here's where each one stands
Safe
Greenlens Ingredient Scan
Independent
Greenlens Precautionary Screen
Independent
Greenlens Tolerance Screen
Independent
Caution
—
Concern
ANSES Endocrine Disruptors
Government
Where each list lands
Funding shown- Concern
ANSES Endocrine Disruptors
Government
An ANSES endocrine-disruptor candidate (SNPE2); a common pH-adjuster/emulsifier carrying a Repr. 2 classification. (ANSES — French national strategy on endocrine disruptors (SNPE2))
- Safe
Greenlens Ingredient Scan
Independent
No EU-regulated hazard recognized for this ingredient.
- Safe
Greenlens Precautionary Screen
Also screened — not on these lists
- Health Canada Ingredient Hotlist
- California Proposition 65
- US NTP Report on Carcinogens
- IARC Monographs
- EU Microplastics Restriction
- EU Harmonised Classification (CLP Annex VI)
Exposure context
Context, not a clearance
Triethanolamine is a small molecule (~149 g/mol), but it is an ionizable, water-loving amine that stays largely charged at skin and formulation pH, so very little of it crosses the skin from a cosmetic: measured dermal absorption is roughly 0.4–2% of the applied dose (about 0.43% at pH 7 over 24 hours), and lower, more acidic pH reduces it further. This is exposure context, not a clearance — the endocrine / hazard trait still applies.
Notes
- ANSES CMR-listed
