ACETAMIDE MEA

Substance information

Amides are generally conversion products of carbonic acids (carboxylic acids, mostly fatty acids) or other acids with nitrogen compounds (ammonia or alkyl and alkanol amines, amino acids etc). Examples: "stearamides" are amides of the stearic acid, "cocamides" are amides of coconut fatty acids. "MEA" refers to a monoethanolamine salt or an amide of monoethanolamine (2-aminoethanol).

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Function(s) of this ingredient in cosmetic products

HAIR CONDITIONING

Leaves the hair easy to comb, supple, soft and shiny and / or imparts volume

HUMECTANT

Holds and retains moisture in cosmetic products

SKIN CONDITIONING

Maintains the skin in good condition

SURFACTANT - CLEANSING

Surface-active agent to clean skin, hair and / or teeth

SURFACTANT - FOAM BOOSTING

Improves foam quality by increasing volume, structure and / or durability

VISCOSITY CONTROLLING

Increases or decreases the viscosity of cosmetic products

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Origin

synthetic

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Background information on use in cosmetics

Surfactants are so-called detergent substances and have a major significance in cosmetics for the cleansing of the skin and hair. Surfactants are substances which, based on their molecular structure, are able to reduce the surface tension of a liquid. In this way it is possible that two actually not mixable substances, such as oil and water, can be finely mixed. Because of their properties, surfactants have manifold uses in cosmetics: they can cleanse, produce foam and act as emulsifiers and mix substances with one another. In shampoos, shower gels and soaps, surfactants are, for instance, used to wash fat and soil particles with water off from the body. Surfactants are also used in toothpaste. Here they promote during tooth cleaning the rapid and full dissolution and distribution of the paste in the mouth. The surfactants used in cosmetic products are primarily produced synthetically on the basis of vegetable raw materials. Surfactants are often used in combination to equally meet all desired requirements – like dissolution of soil and formation of foam in combination with a good skin tolerance – in the best possible manner. Through a skilled combination of a surfactant – viewed on its own – with unfavourable skin tolerance but a very good soil removal property with a very mild, skin protecting surfactant altogether a product with good cleansing properties and the same good skin tolerances is obtained.

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Belongs to the following substance groups

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Regulating cosmetics

Cosmetics Ingredients are subject to regulation. Please note, different regulations may apply to cosmetic ingredients outside the EU.