Lauramide DEA is a compound made from a saturated fatty acid called lauric acid and diethanolamine or DEA, an ingredient in some cosmetic products that functions as a wetting agent. Combinations of fatty acids and DEA like lauramide DEA are referred to as diethanolamides. The diethanolamide lauramide DEA is an ingredient in some personal care products including shampoo, hair coloring products, hand soap, bubble baths, bath gels and lotions. In cosmetic and personal care products, lauramide DEA enhances a product’s ability to form and maintain foam. It also increases the viscosity or thickness of products. This gives them a more substantial feel. Without a viscosity-enhancing agent, shampoos and other personal care products would be considered too “runny” by some. Viscosity increasing agents like lauramide DEA are often combined with surfactants to maximize the texture and performance of cosmetic and personal care products that foam like shampoo and bubble bath. Lauramide DEA also serves as an emulsion stabilizer that helps to keep water-soluble and oil-soluble ingredients together in a product. Diethanolamides like lauramide DEA are found in cosmetic and personal care products in concentrations of between 1 and 10%. At these concentrations, the Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel, a group of independent experts that looks at the safety of cosmetic ingredients, deems lauramide DEA to be safe. This assumes that lauramide DEA isn’t contamined with other ingredients called nitrosating agents. Nitrosating agents interact with lauramide DEA to form nitrosamines, chemicals linked with an increased risk of cancer. This can happen during the manufacture of a product or during storage. Such ingredients must be excluded from products that contain diethanolamides like lauramide DEA, although there are still concerns about contamination. Topically, lauramide DEA can cause mild skin irritation. There are also reports of contact dermatitis and allergic reactions in some people.