Cocamide DEA
كوكاميد ثنائي إيثانول أمين
Surfactant · INCI: Cocamide DEA · CAS: 68603-42-9
A foam booster with a real carcinogenicity flag - many brands avoid it.
Why this verdict
Permitted but with a real irritation/sensitisation/impurity caveat → caution.
What It Is
A coconut-derived foam booster and thickener.
A foam/viscosity booster with a genuine concern: it's a diethanolamine (DEA) compound that can form nitrosamines, and IARC classifies cocamide DEA as possibly carcinogenic (Group 2B); it's a California Prop 65-listed substance. Many brands have moved away from DEA surfactants. Worth flagging.
Evidence & Status
IARC Carcinogen Group
Group 2b
EU Status
Not regulated under Reg (EC) 1223/2009 - general cleansing use; CIR-reviewed.
US · FDA Status
Surfactant; CIR-reviewed
Cosmetic Safety
EU concentration limit
Not restricted under EU Cosmetics Regulation (general cleansing use).
Function
surfactant / cleansing agent
Halal Status: Halal
Often coconut/palm-derived; halal - confirm no animal-derived fatty acids if strict.
Worth Knowing
Primary Source
Evidence, not medical advice. You decide.
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