What is TEA-Stearate?
TEA-Stearate falls into the emulsifier category — an emulsifier that helps oil and water mix. A soap-based emulsifier formed from stearic acid and triethanolamine, named on comedogenic lists in the moderate range.
You may see it on labels as Tea Stearate, Tea-Stearate, Stearic Acid Tea, Triethanolamine Stearate, so it can hide under more than one name in an ingredient list.
Where TEA-Stearate shows up
As an emulsifier that helps oil and water mix, TEA-Stearate typically appears in almost any lotion or cream, where it keeps the oil and water phases blended. Separately from clogging, its irritancy is rated 2/5 — low, so it's unlikely to sting or sensitise on its own.
Is TEA-Stearate bad for acne-prone skin?
A moderate rating means TEA-Stearate clogs some people and not others. If you're prone to congestion, patch-test a product that features it prominently before committing.
Worth flagging: TEA-Stearate's rating is disputed. Credible sources land on different numbers, which is why we show a range rather than a single score — and why your own experience is the best tiebreaker.
Note for fungal-acne (malassezia) sufferers: TEA-Stearate is commonly avoided in fungal-acne routines, since it falls into the fatty-acid or ester families the yeast can feed on. The evidence there is looser than for comedogenicity — see our fungal-acne checker for context.
Non-comedogenic alternatives
If you're avoiding TEA-Stearate, these lower-risk ingredients serve a similar role and are gentler on pore-prone skin:
- Glyceryl Stearate — rated 1/5 (Low risk).
- Cetearyl Alcohol — rated 2/5 (Low risk).