Home Cosmetic Science Talk Formulating TEA replacement

  • TEA replacement

    Posted by stammcclell on February 21, 2022 at 10:15 pm

    I have a colored brow gel formula that my customer is needing us to replace the triethanolamine in.  It is in at a .2%.  I have water, methocel, xanthan gum, PVP, glycerin, Vitamin E and BHT in the formula.  The TEA helps with the PH but it really brings the whole formula together and makes it nice and smooth.  What can we use to replace this with that would be about the same percenatge.

    josua replied 2 years, 10 months ago 4 Members · 5 Replies
  • 5 Replies
  • chemicalmatt

    Member
    February 22, 2022 at 1:43 pm

    Tromethamine (TRISamino from Angus Chemical) Use 80% of the amount calculated for TEA99%. Especially if you are formulating with stearic acid/TEA in lotions & creams.

  • stammcclell

    Member
    February 22, 2022 at 5:08 pm

     in my formula we have the TEA 99% at .2% so just to be clear, I would need to use .16% of the tromethamine in it’s place?  Will this work in the same way as the TEA?  Bringing everything together smoothly and also helping with the PH?

  • chemicalmatt

    Member
    February 22, 2022 at 8:55 pm

    Your mathematics are correct. This will incease pH - guaranteed. Now there’s one way to find out the answer to your other question: try it and find out.

  • crisbaysauli

    Member
    February 24, 2022 at 4:04 am

    Another one you might want to use is a solution of Sodium Hydroxide or Potassium Hydroxide. Dosage almost the same to thicken your formula :)

  • josua

    Member
    March 3, 2022 at 8:02 am

    try sodium hydroxide, Its use is almost the same as TEA

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