Diethanolamine
Avoid
Official INCI name
DEA. Adjusts pH and helps foaming, but it can react with other ingredients to form nitrosamines, some of which cause cancer — so EU rules strictly limit it.
What it does
pH adjuster or chelator. Keeps acidity in range and binds metal ions so the formula stays stable.
Also written as
Scans recognise it under every one of these names.
DEA
“Diethanolamine” is its name in the EU glossary of common ingredient names (no. 8552), the names labels in the EU must use. © European Union, EUR-Lex.