Tea-c12-13 alkyl sulfates (inci)

"TEA" is the acronym for triethanolamine, a quaternary ammonium compound. Triethanolamine reacts easily with fatty acids to form triethanolamine soaps and is used as a basic component in soaps and other cosmetic products.

In general, "alkyl" describes the part of a molecule that consists of interconnected carbon and hydrogen atoms. The simplest alkyl group is the methyl group -CH3 or the ethyl group -CH2-CH3 etc. The prefixed numbers "C x-y" represent the range of carbon chain lengths (here C12-C13) of the alkyl group. "Sulfates" are salts/esters of sulfuric acid.

TEA-C12-13 alkyl sulfate is a substance which is used in cosmetic formulations where it acts as a surfactant (washing-active substance; improves the even distribution of the products during application).