Cocamidopropyl betainamide MEA chloride is a chemical compound, a blend of  N ethanolamides of the fatty acids by-product of coconut oil. Ethanolamides consist of carboxylic acid and amides.
MEA (2-aminoethanol) or Monoethanolamine belongs to the first generation of ethanolamines, is a primary amine and is a strongly alkaline agent, corrosion inhibitor and chemical intermediate.
Safety. MEA should not be included in products formulated as aerosols and in products containing N-nitroso. Scientific literature agrees that MEA can penetrate and absorb into the skin and cause skin irritation, particularly on the scalp.
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What it is used for and where
Cosmetics
Surfactant - Cleansing agent. Cosmetic products used to cleanse the skin utilise the surface-active action that produces a lowering of the surface tension of the stratum corneum, facilitating the removal of dirt and impurities.

Surfactant - Foam booster. Its function is to introduce gas bubbles into the water for a purely aesthetic factor, which does not affect the cleaning process, but only satisfies the commercial aspect of the detergent by helping to spread the detergent on the hair. This helps in the commercial success of a shampoo formulation. Since sebum has an inhibiting action on the bubble, more foam is produced in the second shampoo.
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CAS: 164288-56-6