Is TEA-Lauryl Sulfate safe in cosmetics?
TEA-Lauryl Sulfate has a safety rating of "MODERATE" in our database. EU status: restricted. US status: permitted.
Moderate
Surfactant
TEA-Lauryl Sulfate
Also known as: Sulfuric acid, monododecyl ester, compd. with 2,2',2''-nitrilotris[ethanol] (1:1), EINECS 205-388-7, Elfan 4240 T, Emersal 6434, Melanol LP20T (+10 more)
INCI: TEA-LAURYL SULFATE
TEA-Lauryl Sulfate (CAS 139-96-8) is a cosmetic surfactant functioning as Cleansing, Foaming, Surfactant. EU Regulation 1223/2009 status: restricted, max Annex III: nitrosamine content ≤50 µg/kg; must not be used with N-nitrosating agents; secondary amine impurity limits apply. Industrial safety data is also available in the chemical safety database. Same-CAS public records also appear in industrial chemical safety and pharmaceutical data.
View industrial chemical safety profile for CAS 139-96-8 →
Auto-generated CPSR Part A draft with source citations
Cross-Vertical Regulatory Divergence
TEA-Lauryl Sulfate is classified GHS Danger (H315, H318, H319) in the chemicals database but is restricted in EU cosmetics at max Annex III: nitrosamine content ≤50 µg/kg; must not be used with N-nitrosating agents; secondary amine impurity limits apply.
Source: Cosmetics: ingredients.eu_status/eu_max; Chemicals: ghs_classifications.signal_word/hazard_statement_code
Function
Cleansing, Foaming, Surfactant
Safety Rating
MODERATE
Chemistry & Identifiers
IUPAC Name
2-[bis(2-hydroxyethyl)amino]ethanol;dodecyl hydrogen sulfate
InChIKey
JZKFHQMONDVVNF-UHFFFAOYSA-N
Regulatory Status
EU EU Status
restricted
EU Max Conc.
Annex III: nitrosamine content ≤50 µg/kg; must not be used with N-nitrosating agents; secondary amine impurity limits apply
US US Status
permitted
US Notes
CIR 1982 & 2013: safe at ≤10.5% when formulated to be nonirritating and free DEA within limits
For full compliance data across multiple jurisdictions, use the Substance Compliance tool.
Safety Data
Margin of Safety, dermal absorption, and sensitization profile summaries for TEA-Lauryl Sulfate.
Calculate MoS for your specific formulation with the MoS Calculator.
Additional Ingredient Properties
4 property records from structured ingredient metadata.
ecotoxicity
{"biodegradable": "yes", "biodegradation_days": "28-90", "bioaccumulative": "no", "aquatic_toxicity_level": "moderate", "coral_reef_safe": "yes", "marine_toxicity": "moderate aquatic toxicity", "freshwater_toxicity": "moderate toxicity", "endocrine_disruptor": "no", "persistent_organic_pollutant": "no", "microplastic": "no", "nano_particle": "no", "hawaii_banned": "no", "eu_restricted_environmenta…
hair_care
{"hair_function": "cleansing", "hair_type_suitability": "all", "curl_pattern_suitability": "all", "porosity_suitability": "all", "protein_sensitivity": "neutral", "moisture_protein_balance": "no", "cg_method_approved": "not-a-silicone", "silicone_type": "harsh", "sulfate_type": "no", "drying_alcohol": "no", "fatty_alcohol": "no", "heat_protectant": "no", "color_safe": "neutral", "keratin_bond": "y…
ph_stability
{"optimal_ph_min": "7.0", "optimal_ph_max": "9.0", "stable_ph_min": "6.5", "stable_ph_max": "10.0", "degrades_above_ph": "11.0", "degrades_below_ph": "6.0", "ph_dependent_function": "Triethanolamine salt", "formulation_note": "Less common; pH dependent", "source": "Formulation literature"}
surfactant
{"cas_number": "139-96-8", "surfactant_type": "anionic", "chemical_class": "sulfate", "charge_at_use_ph": "negative", "cmc_critical_micelle_concentration_mm": "7.5", "hlb_value": "35.0", "foam_volume_ml_ross_miles": "158", "foam_quality": "creamy", "foam_stability_5min_pct": "87", "cleansing_power_rating_1_to_10": "8.8", "oil_emulsification_capacity": "excellent", "sebum_removal_efficiency": "exce…
Function Categories & List Membership
Cosmetic/Chemical Function Categories
Cleaning agent
Defoamer
Emulsifier
Foamant
Surfactant (surface active agent)
Regulatory List Membership (1)
EU Restricted for Children (Cosmetics)
Expert Verdict
Expert safety assessment and concern-level summary for TEA-Lauryl Sulfate.
Regulatory Flags
EU_RESTRICTED
eu_children_restricted
Known Synonyms
Sulfuric acid, monododecyl ester, compd. with 2,2',2''-nitrilotris[ethanol] (1:1)
EINECS 205-388-7
Elfan 4240 T
Emersal 6434
Melanol LP20T
Sipon LT-40
Standapol TLS 40
Sulfuric acid, dodecyl ester, triethanolamine salt
Sulfuric acid, monododecyl ester, compd with 2,2',2''-nitrilotriethanol (1:1)
Sulfuric acid, monododecyl ester, compd. with 2,2',2''-nitrilotris(ethanol)
Sulfuric acid, monododecyl ester, compd with 2,2',2''-nitrilotris(ethanol) (1:1)
Tea lauryl sulfate
Texapon T-35
Texapon T-42
UNII-E8458C1KAA
Chemical Function
Surfactant (surface active agent)
Emulsifier
Cleaning agent
Foamant
Defoamer
Regulatory Lists
children; Europe; Personal care
inert_ingredient; non_food_use; Pesticides
Australian Status
AICIS status: listed
Cross-Vertical Safety Context
Same-CAS public records found in pharmaceutical data.
SOURCE
ChEMBL / DrugCentral / FAERS
DB_PHARMA CAS match
Pharmaceutical Data
Same-CAS rows from the pharmaceutical spoke database.
ChEMBL ID
CHEMBL3187366
Frequently Asked Questions
Is TEA-Lauryl Sulfate allowed in the EU?
TEA-Lauryl Sulfate EU regulatory status: restricted. Maximum allowed concentration: Annex III: nitrosamine content ≤50 µg/kg; must not be used with N-nitrosating agents; secondary amine impurity limits apply. This is based on EU Regulation 1223/2009 and its amendments.
What does TEA-Lauryl Sulfate do in cosmetics?
TEA-Lauryl Sulfate functions as: Cleansing, Foaming, Surfactant. It is classified as a Surfactant in our database. CAS number: 139-96-8.
Is TEA-Lauryl Sulfate used outside cosmetics?
TEA-Lauryl Sulfate also appears in industrial chemical safety and pharmaceutical data. The cross-vertical cards on this page render same-CAS public rows from the matched databases.
Does TEA-Lauryl Sulfate have different safety status in cosmetics vs industrial chemicals?
TEA-Lauryl Sulfate is classified GHS Danger (H315, H318, H319) in the chemicals database but is restricted in EU cosmetics at max Annex III: nitrosamine content ≤50 µg/kg; must not be used with N-nitrosating agents; secondary amine impurity limits apply.
Compliance Tools
Check TEA-Lauryl Sulfate compliance across multiple jurisdictions:
Ingredient Decoder
Paste a full ingredient list for instant analysis
82 Allergen Checker
Check for EU declarable fragrance allergens
Substance Compliance
Check compliance across multiple jurisdictions
MoS Calculator
Calculate Margin of Safety using SCCS methodology
Heavy Metal Limits
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