Compoatlas

MEA-BORATE (Monoethanolamine borate)

Official label name (INCI name, EU glossary of cosmetic ingredient names), No 16072

MEA-BORATE (Monoethanolamine borate): Prohibited in cosmetics (Annex II, entry 1396); cited as an example in a rule, no rule of its own (Annex III, entry 61), under Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009.

In plain words

What it is used for

Functions declared by manufacturers:

Buffering: stabilises the pH of cosmetics.

What the rules say

It is prohibited to use it in a cosmetic product sold in the European Union, whatever the dose. If it appears on the ingredient list of a recent product, this needs checking: the record may be old or wrong, or the product intended for another market.

This name is only cited as an example in an entry of Annex III, which covers a family of substances: the exact conditions depend on the form used.

The text of the annexes

Prohibited in cosmetics

CosIng links the name MEA-BORATE to this Annex II entry.

Entry
Annex II, No 1396
Substance
Borates, tetraborates, octaborates and boric acid salts and esters, including: Disodium octaborate anhydrous [1] Disodium octaborate tetrahydrate [2] 2-Aminoethanol, monoester with boric acid [3] 2-Hydroxypropyl ammonium dihydrogen orthoborate [4] Potassium borate, boric acid potassium salt [5] Trioctyldodecyl borate [6] Zinc borate [7] Sodium borate, disodium tetraborate anhydrous; boric acid, sodium salt [8] Tetraboron disodium heptaoxide, hydrate [9] Orthoboric acid, sodium salt [10] Disodium tetraborate decahydrate; borax decahydrate [11] Disodium tetraborate pentahydrate; borax pentahydrate [12]
CAS
12008-41-2 [1]/ 12280-03-4 [2]/ 10377-81-8 [3]/ 68003-13-4 [4]/ 12712-38-8 [5]/ -[6]/ 1332-07-6 [7]/ 1330-43-4 [8]/ 12267-73-1 [9]/ 13840-56-7 [10]/ 1303-96-4 [11]/ 12179-04-3 [12]
EC
234-541-0 [1]/ 234-541-0 [2]/ 233-829-3 [3]/ 268-109-8 [4]/ 603-184-6 [5]/ -[6]/ 215-566-6 [7]/ 215-540-4 [8]/ 235-541-3 [9]/ 237-560-2 [10]/ 215-540-4 [11]/ 215-540-4 [12]
Dates in the act (5)
  • Application from 11 June 2019
    Points (1)(a) and (2)(b) of Annex II shall apply from 11 June 2019.
  • Entry into force on 11 June 2019
  • Entry into force on 18 December 2019
  • Application from 1 May 2020
    Article 1 shall apply from 1 May 2020.
  • Entry into force on 1 May 2020

Excerpts from the English text published in the Official Journal. A date may concern only some substances of the act: the excerpt says so.

Allowed with restrictions

CosIng cites the name MEA-BORATE in this entry, whose regulated name is “Monoalkylamines, monoalkanolamines and their salts”: the title below says which form or use it covers.

Entry
Annex III, No 61
Substance
Monoalkylamines, monoalkanolamines and their salts
Maximum concentration
Maximum secondary amine content: 0.5%
Other conditions
- Do not use with nitrosating systems - Minimum purity: 99% - Maximum secondary amine content: 0.5% (applies to raw materials) - Maximum nitrosamine content: 50 microgram/kg - Keep in nitrite-free containers
Dates in the act (10)
  • Entry into force on 11 January 2010
  • Application from 1 December 2010
    It shall apply from 11 July 2013, with the exception of: — Article 15(1) and (2) which shall apply from 1 December 2010, as well as Articles 14, 31 and 32 to the extent that they are necessary to apply Article 15(1) and (2); and — Article 16(3) second subparagraph, which shall apply from 11 January 2013.
  • Entry into force on 1 December 2010
  • Condition applicable from 11 January 2012
    As from 11 January 2012, by way of derogation from Directive 76/768/EEC, notification carried out in accordance with Article 13 of this Regulation shall be considered to comply with Article 7(3) and Article 7a(4) of that Directive
  • Application from 11 January 2013
    July 2013, with the exception of: — Article 15(1) and (2) which shall apply from 1 December 2010, as well as Articles 14, 31 and 32 to the extent that they are necessary to apply Article 15(1) and (2); and — Article 16(3) second subparagraph, which shall apply from 11 January 2013.
  • Entry into force on 11 January 2013
  • Application from 11 July 2013
    It shall apply from 11 July 2013, with the exception of: — Article 15(1) and (2) which shall apply from 1 December 2010, as well as Articles 14, 31 and 32 to the extent that they are necessary to apply Article 15(1) and (2); and — Article 16(3) second subparagraph, which shall appl
  • Entry into force on 11 July 2013
  • Placing on the market before 11 July 2013
    Article 39 Transitional provisions By way of derogation from Directive 76/768/EEC, cosmetic products which comply with this Regulation may be placed on the market before 11 July 2013.
  • Placing on the market from 11 July 2013
    As from 11 July 2013, a distributor who makes available in a Member State a cosmetic product already placed on the market in another Member State and translates, on his own initiative, any element of the labelling of that product in order to comply with national law, shall submit, by electronic means, the following info

Excerpts from the English text published in the Official Journal. A date may concern only some substances of the act: the excerpt says so.

Identity

CosIng identifier
35181
CAS (according to CosIng)
10377-81-8, 26038-87-9, 68130-12-1
EC (according to CosIng)
233-829-3
Declared functions
Buffering
Wikidata
Q27262267
ECHA InfoCard
100.030.742

CosIng cites 3 CAS numbers for this name: it covers several substances.

Elsewhere in the world

Information on other jurisdictions. What is covered, and what is not yet.

United Kingdom (Great Britain)

  • Prohibited in cosmetics (Annex II)
  • Cited as an example in a rule, no rule of its own (Annex III)

Same entries as in the European Union. Conditions (concentrations, warnings) may differ: they are not compared here.

Switzerland

Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009 applies in Switzerland (Article 54 of the Ordinance on Foodstuffs and Utility Articles).

United States, federal rules

None of the integrated sections of the federal code (21 CFR 700.11 to 700.27 and 250.250) targets this name. The FDA does not publish a list of allowed ingredients.

China

  • Prohibited: 硼酸盐和四硼酸盐 (Borates and tetraborates （CAS No. 1330-43-4 / CAS No. 1303-96-4 / CAS No. 10377-81-8 / CAS No. 68003-13-4）)

    表1 化妆品禁用原料目录 (prohibited substances, 2021年第74号), entry 1267, page 附件2 (.doc) table row 1267 ; TID reprint p.47.

Brazil

  • Prohibited: Boratos, tetraboratos, octaboratos e sais e ésteres do ácido bórico, incluindo: Octaborato dissódico anidro (DISODIUM OCTABORATE ANHYDROUS) Octaborato dissódico tetra-hidratado (DISODIUM OCTABORATE TETRAHYDRATE) 2-Aminoetanol, monoéster com ácido bórico (MEA-BORATE) Di-hidrogenoortoborato de (2-hidroxipropil) amônio (MIPA-BORATE) Borato de potássio, sal de potássio do ácido bórico (POTASSIUM BORATE, BORIC ACID POTASSIUM SALT) Borato de trioctildodecila (TRIOCTYLDODECYL BORATE) Borato de zinco (ZINC BORATE) Borato de sódio, tetraborato de dissódio anidro; ácido bórico, sal de sódio (SODIUM BORATE, DISODIUM TETRABORATE ANHYDROUS; BORIC ACID, SODIUM SALT) Heptóxido de tetraboro e dissódio hidratado (TETRABORON DISODIUM HEPTAOXIDE, HYDRATE) Ácido ortobórico, sal de sódio (ORTHOBORIC ACID, SODIUM SALT) Tetraborato dissódico deca-hidratado; bórax deca-hidratado (DISODIUM TETRABORATE DECAHYDRATE; BORAX DECAHYDRATE) Tetraborato dissódico penta-hidratado; bórax penta-hidratado (DISODIUM TETRABORATE PENTAHYDRATE; BORAX PENTAHYDRATE) Borato fenil mercúrico (PHENYL MERCURIC BORATE)

    RDC 529/2021, Anexo (prohibited substances): inclusões by RDC 1.030/2026, Art. 2º, entry 1407, page 1;2;3. Conditions (source text, in Portuguese): Nº UE: 1396

Glossary: Commission Implementing Decision (EU) 2025/1175. Page updated on 21 October 2026.