DEA is an ethanolamine compound used in industry and personal care products. It’s found in soaps, shampoos and conditioners.
Do you enjoy relaxing in a hot bath of fragrant bubbles after a tough day? Or cleaning your hands with a sudsy bar of soap after digging in the garden? Bubbles come from diethanolamine. An ethanolamine compound, DEA is found in a wide variety of personal care products. These include cosmetics, soaps, detergents, shampoo and hair conditioners.
DEA is found in shampoos and hair dyes in the range of 0.2 per cent to 10 per cent. In cosmetics, it’s used as an emulsifier. It’s used to adjust the acidity, or pH, of products. It’s also used in the textiles, industrial gas purification, agricultural, metalworking and pharmaceutical industries. It’s slightly absorbed through human skin.
Health and environmental hazards of DEA-related ingredients
Human health risks and concerns
DEA isn’t allowed in cosmetics in Canada. It can form harmful nitrosamines. These become known carcinogens when they react with nitrosating agents in cosmetic formulations.
Industry workers risk DEA exposure through metalworking, coolant fluids, textile processing and industrial gas purification. Studies show a greater risk of cancer among those exposed to metalworking fluids. DEA couldn’t be pinpointed as the culprit. A report in IARC Monographs, a journal that identifies carcinogenic environmental hazards, concluded that there was “inadequate evidence” that DEA is carcinogenic in humans. The evaluation was that DEA “is possibly carcinogenic to humans.”
Workplace exposure to DEA can be hazardous. It can burn skin, damage eyes, cause coughing and wheezing and nausea depending on concentration, duration and exposure. Long-term exposure may cause organ damage. If DEA is present in industrial settings, workers should wear personal protective equipment such as gloves, goggles and respiratory protection. Adequate ventilation is essential.
Environmental risks and concerns
In the environment, DEA is toxic to aquatic life. Although acute toxicity in fish is low, it’s toxic to algae and aquatic invertebrates. It Never dump it in sewers or waterways. Dispose only at an incineration plant or treat as a hazardous waste. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has conducted risk assessments to test DEA’s potential. It’s largely biodegradable and doesn’t bioaccumulate.
Regulatory status of DEA-related ingredients
Current regulatory status of DEA-related ingredients in Canada
DEA, along with any ingredient that can cause the formation of nitrosamines, must not be present in cosmetics sold in Canada. This is reflected in Canada’s Cosmetic Ingredient Hotlist.
Cocamide DEA is a fatty acid ethanolamine currently permitted for use in cosmetics. It doesn’t have the same nitrosamine-forming potential as DEA. To mitigate risks associated with the potential presence of DEA impurities, their use in combination with nitrosamine-forming agents isn’t accepted for use in cosmetics.
Current regulatory status of DEA-related ingredients in other countries
- United States. The U.S. Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel determined that DEA is acceptable for use in cosmetics so long as it isn’t used in combination with nitrosating agents, which may create carcinogenic nitrosamines. The Food and Drug Administration permits DEA in food packaging, as a component of uncoated or coated food contact surfaces of paper, and as an indirect food additive. In California, products that contain DEA must carry a warning label.
- European Union. Like Canada, the EU forbids the use of DEA in cosmetics.
Function of DEA-related ingredients
Manufacturers favour DEA-related ingredients as:
- Foaming agents. DEA acts as a foaming agent in cosmetics and adjusts a product’s pH (acidity).
- Surfactants. Helps to remove dirt and grease from skin and hair.
- Emulsifiers and emollients. Used to produce creams and lotions. Enables water and aqueous substances to mix with oil and remain stable over time. Enhances how creams and cosmetics feel on the skin.
DEA is one of several ethanolamine compounds often used in cosmetics and personal care products (where legal). Ethanolamine compounds, which includes DEA and triethanolamine (TEA), are found in:
- Cosmetics (e.g., eye shadow, mascara, blush, foundation and eyeliner)
- Fragrances
- Household cleaning products
- Lotions
- Soaps
- Shampoos and hair conditioners
- Shaving cream
- Pharmaceutical ointments
How to avoid DEA-related ingredients
Avoid cosmetics containing DEA or DEA-related ingredients. Check the label for:
- Triethanolamine
- DiethanolamineDEA
- TEA
- Cocamide DEA
- Cocamide MEA
- DEA-cetyl phosphate
- DEA oleth-3 phosphate
- Lauramide DEA
- Linoleamide MEA
- Myristamide DEA
- Oleamide DEA
- Stearamide MEA
- TEA-lauryl sulfate.
DEA is also used in combination with ingredients like coconut-based surfactants, called “cocamide DEA,” or fatty acids, called “lauramide DEA.”
DEA is often found in combination with parabens, preservatives in cosmetics. Choose products labelled “DEA-free” or “paraben-free.”
Substitutes and alternatives
Potential substitutes for DEA include:
- Surfactants. Choose plant-based soaps and detergents derived from coconut oil or sugar-based compounds. Or those made from amino acids like sodium lauroyl sarcosinate or sodium cocoyl glycinate. These are safe and non-irritating. Better yet — make your own!
- pH balancing. Glycerin and glycerol-based compounds, like glyceryl stearate or glyceryl oleate, can be used in moisturizers to adjust pH and as emulsifiers. Citric acid, lactic acid and their salts can also be used to adjust pH.
