Tea-hydrogenated tallow glutamate (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. "Hydrogenated" means treated with hydrogen (hydrogenated or hardened), tallow means predominantly solid fat of the animals, e.g. Sebum bovium (beef tallow) or Sebum ovile (mutton tallow), which is obtained by melting the fatty tissue of the animals concerned. Glutamates are the salts and esters of glutamic acid.

TEA-hydrogenated tallow glutamate is a substance used in cosmetic formulations where it acts as a surfactant (washing-active substance; improves the even distribution of the products during application) and hair conditioner (makes the hair easy to comb, smooth, soft and shiny and gives it volume).