Cocamide MEA
What It Is
Cocamide MEA (cocamide monoethanolamine, CAS 68140-00-1) is a nonionic surfactant made by
condensing fatty acids from coconut oil with monoethanolamine. It is a member of the fatty
acid alkanolamide family, alongside cocamide DEA and cocamide DIPA. In finished products it
functions mainly as a foam stabilizer and thickener.
Common Uses
It is commonly found in shampoos, body washes, bubble baths, dishwashing liquids, and other
cleansing products. Formulators add it to boost and stabilize foam, increase viscosity, and
improve the feel of a lather. It is typically used at low percentages alongside primary
surfactants.
How It Works
As a coconut-derived fatty acid condensed with monoethanolamine, cocamide MEA carries both
water-loving and oil-loving regions, which lets it gather at air-water interfaces and
support foam. Its long fatty chains help build a network that thickens the liquid and slows
the drainage of foam bubbles, making lather last longer. It works cooperatively with anionic
surfactants such as sulfates rather than serving as the main cleansing agent. Because it is
derived from coconut fatty acids, its exact composition depends on the chain-length mix of
the source oil.
Safety and Regulation
The Cosmetic Ingredient Review (CIR) has assessed fatty acid alkanolamides, including
cocamide MEA, and addressed the concern that ethanolamides can contain or form nitrosamines
if combined with nitrosating agents; CIR set conditions of safe use that include not using
them in products where such reactions could occur. California's Proposition 65 list (OEHHA)
includes cocamide diethanolamine (cocamide DEA), a related compound; cocamide MEA is a
distinct substance. PubChem catalogs cocamide MEA under CAS 68140-00-1. Because
alkanolamides are a related family, they are frequently reviewed together.
Why Natural Flower Power Does Not Use It
We do not use cocamide MEA in our formulas. Our cleaning products are built as plant-derived
concentrates preserved with benzisothiazolinone (BIT), and we meet foam and feel goals
through our own surfactant choices. Keeping the ethanolamide family off our ingredient list
aligns with how we have formulated in-house since 2012.
Related Ingredients
Cocamide MEA sits in the ethanolamine and alkanolamide families; compare cocamide DEA and cocamide DIPA, or the base amine monoethanolamine. See also the ethanolamines family hub.
Sources
- Cosmetic Ingredient Review (CIR). "Fatty Acid Alkanolamides." Accessed 2026.
- California OEHHA. "Proposition 65 List." Accessed 2026.
- PubChem, National Library of Medicine (NIH). "Cocamide MEA" record (CAS 68140-00-1). Accessed 2026.
