Tipa-laureth sulfate (inci)

"TIPA" is the acronym for triisopropanolamine "laureth" a polyoxyethylene ether of lauric alcohol (for comparison see: cetethe as polyoxyethylene ether of cetylacohol; steareth as polyoxyethylene ether of stearyl alcohol and others). Polyalkylene glycol ethers are non-ionic surfactants whose lipophilic part consists of fatty alcohols (e.g. lauryl alcohol, palmitic alcohol, stearyl alcohols, etc.). The hydrophilic part is formed by short-chain polyethylene glycols (polyoxyethylene), "sulfate" salts/esters of sulfuric acid.

TIPA-laureth sulfate is used in cosmetic formulations. It acts as a detergent (cleans skin, hair or teeth), foaming agent (forms foam by trapping air (or other gases) in a liquid) and as a surfactant (washing-active substance/improves the even distribution of the products during application).