Is Triethanolamine safe in cosmetics?
Triethanolamine has a safety rating of "MODERATE" in our database. EU status: restricted. US status: permitted. 4 toxicological study endpoint(s) are available in our database.
Triethanolamine
Also known as: Ethanol, 2,2',2''-nitrilotris-, 2,2',2''-Nitrilotriethanol, Trolamine, Caswell No. 886, EINECS 203-049-8 (+12 more)
INCI: TRIETHANOLAMINE
Triethanolamine (CAS 102-71-6) is a cosmetic cosmetic ingredient functioning as pH adjuster, emulsifier. NOAEL 33.3333 mg/kg bw/day (cross-referenced against ToxValDB ECHA IUCLID); EU Regulation 1223/2009 status: restricted, max 2.5% free amine; pH of finished product must not exceed 11; must not be used with nitrosating agents. Industrial safety data is also available in the chemical safety database. Same-CAS public records also appear in industrial chemical safety and pharmaceutical data.
Function
pH adjuster, emulsifier
Editorial assessment
MODERATE
Preliminary editorial note — not a computed safety verdict.
Regulatory Status
EU EU Status
restricted
EU Max Conc.
2.5% free amine; pH of finished product must not exceed 11; must not be used with nitrosating agents
US US Status
permitted
US Notes
Permitted; industry guidance recommends avoiding formulation with nitrosating agents to prevent N-nitrosodiethanolamine (NDELA) formation; Cosmetic Ingredient Review (CIR) approved at ≤5%
For full compliance data across multiple jurisdictions, use the Substance Compliance tool.
Safety Data
Margin of Safety, dermal absorption, and sensitization profile summaries for Triethanolamine.
Calculate MoS for your specific formulation with the MoS Calculator.
Toxicological Studies
4 study endpoints found for Triethanolamine. NOAEL (No Observed Adverse Effect Level) values are used to calculate the Margin of Safety per SCCS methodology.
| Endpoint | Value | Route | Species | Study Type | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NOAEL | 170 mg/kg bw/day | oral | rat | Subchronic | COSMOS DB |
| NOAEL | 350 mg/kg bw/day | oral | rat | Subchronic | COSMOS DB |
| NOAEL | 1125 mg/kg bw/day | oral | mouse | Reproductive | COSMOS DB |
| NOAEL | 5000 mg/kg bw/day | oral | mouse | Chronic | COSMOS DB |
GHS Hazard Classification
Globally Harmonized System classification per ECHA C&L inventory and ILO/WHO International Chemical Safety Cards.
Short-term Exposure Effects
The substance is irritating to the eyes, skin and respiratory tract.
Long-term Exposure Effects
Repeated or prolonged contact may cause skin sensitization.
Routes of Exposure
The substance can be absorbed into the body by inhalation of its aerosol.
Pre-Calculated Safety Assessment
Pre-calculated NOAEL → SED → MoS audit trail for Triethanolamine across SCCS product categories, with measured dermal absorption where available.
Sensitization Profile
Contact sensitization data for Triethanolamine based on clinical patch test studies and IFRA standards.
Sensitization Rate
low
Allergen Class
surfactant
EU Allergen Listed
no
Patch Test Positive Rate
0.3%
Cross-reactivity Group
none
Reaction Type
contact-dermatitis
Source: NACDG; IVDK; ESSCA
IARC Carcinogenicity
International Agency for Research on Cancer (WHO) monograph evaluation.
IARC Group
3
Volume
77
Evaluation Year
2000
Sensitization AOP Dashboard
Adverse Outcome Pathway data across 5 assays (DPRA, KeratinoSens, hCLAT, LLNA, NESIL) aggregated from public sources.
DPRA Cys %
0%
DPRA Lys %
3.1%
KeratinoSens IC50
2000 µM
hCLAT CV75
4167 µg/mL
LLNA EC3
50%
NESIL
12500 µg/cm²
LLNA: Weak (1B)
GHS: 1B
Source: LLNA: Anderson et al. (2009); DPRA: Hoffmann et al., 2018; KS: No reference provided in NICEATM database; hCLAT: No reference provided in NICEATM database
Endocrine Disruptor Evidence (Expanded)
Cross-referenced EDC classifications, mechanism data, and dose-response evidence from EDLists, SIN List, and cosmetic-specific detail sources.
Cosmetic-Specific Mechanism
Category: other
Receptor targets: ERα (very weak, limited)
LOEC: N/A
EU status: restricted (max 2.5%)
weak modulator (pH adjuster; potential nitrosamine precursor)
ECHA REACH Registration
European Chemicals Agency REACH dossier and Substances of Very High Concern listing.
Registration Type
Full
Tonnage Band
10,000 - 100,000 tonnes
Substance Type
SUBSTANCE
SVHC Candidate
No
Typical Use Concentrations
Reported concentration ranges per product category from SCCS/CIR/industry sources.
| Product Category | Typical Range | Max Reported | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Face Cream | 0.1–1 | 3 | CIR Safety Assessment |
| Body Lotion | 0.1–1 | 3 | CIR Safety Assessment |
Function Categories & List Membership
Cosmetic/Chemical Function Categories
Adhesion/cohesion promoter
Catalyst
Chelating agent
Chemical reaction regulator
Cleaning agent
Corrosion inhibitor
Deodorizer
Emulsifier
Flavouring and nutrient
Fragrance
Regulatory List Membership (6)
EU Regulated in Personal Care
EU Restricted for Children (Cosmetics)
IFRA Fragrance Transparency List
EPA Safer Chemical Ingredients List (SCIL)
FDA Substances Added to Food (EAFUS)
Consumer Product Chemical
Editorial summary
Preliminary editorial summary for Triethanolamine — not a computed safety verdict. See the sourced toxicological data above.
Regulatory Flags
eu-restricted
nitrosamine-risk
ph-adjuster
endocrine_disruptor
eu_children_restricted
epa_safer_alternative
ifra_fragrance
fda_food_additive
NOAEL Studies Summary
View details ->Public NOAEL study rows linked to Triethanolamine by CAS number or substance name.
Studies
4
Lowest NOAEL
170 mg/kg bw/day
Highest NOAEL
5000 mg/kg bw/day
COSMOS DB
Known Synonyms
Ethanol, 2,2',2''-nitrilotris-
2,2',2''-Nitrilotriethanol
Trolamine
Caswell No. 886
EINECS 203-049-8
EPA Pesticide Chemical Code 004208
Thiofaco T-35
Triethylamine, 2,2',2''-trihydroxy-
Tri(hydroxyethyl)amine
Tris(beta-hydroxyethyl)amine
UNII-9O3K93S3TK
2,2',2''-nitrilotris(ethanol)
2-(bis(2-hydroxyethyl)amino)ethanol
H3tea
N(CH2CH2OH)3
TEA
nitrilo-2,2',2''-triethanol
Chemical Function
pH regulating agent
Cleaning agent
Surfactant (surface active agent)
Deodorizer
Emulsifier
Solvent
Regulatory Lists
Europe; plastic_additive
active_ingredient; Europe; Pesticides
Canada; consumer_product; Substances in Products - Canada (4/2014)
children; Europe; Personal care - general moisturizing - hand/body lotion
children; Europe; Personal care - body hygiene - body wash
children; Europe; Personal care - specialized bath products - bubble bath
detected; Europe; Other direct contact consumer goods
active_ingredient; Pesticides
active_ingredient; Pesticides
active_ingredient; Pesticides
active_ingredient; Pesticides
active_ingredient; Pesticides
active_ingredient; Pesticides
active_ingredient; Pesticides
active_ingredient; Pesticides
active_ingredient; Pesticides
active_ingredient; Pesticides
active_ingredient; 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.
Compound
TROLAMINE
ChEMBL ID
CHEMBL446061
Max Phase
2
Adverse Event Associations
56
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Triethanolamine allowed in the EU?
Triethanolamine EU regulatory status: restricted. Maximum allowed concentration: 2.5% free amine; pH of finished product must not exceed 11; must not be used with nitrosating agents. This is based on EU Regulation 1223/2009 and its amendments.
What does Triethanolamine do in cosmetics?
Triethanolamine functions as: pH adjuster, emulsifier. It is classified as a cosmetic ingredient in our database. CAS number: 102-71-6.
What is the NOAEL for Triethanolamine?
The NOAEL (No Observed Adverse Effect Level) for Triethanolamine is 170 mg/kg bw/day based on a Subchronic study via oral route in rat. A total of 4 study endpoints are available. Source: COSMOS DB.
Is Triethanolamine used outside cosmetics?
Triethanolamine 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.
Compliance Tools
Check Triethanolamine 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
Compare limits across jurisdictions
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