Tea-myristates (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. Myristates are salts or esters of myristic acid (tetradecanoic acid).

TEA-myristate 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) and emulsifier (surface-active substance which is used in cosmetic products as an additive to combine two immiscible liquids - e.g. oil and water - into one emulsion).