Starch Diethylaminoethyl Ether
AKA: DEAE Starch, Modified Starch
Synthetic
Occlusive
Skin Conditioner
Not Clean
Starch, 2-(diethylamino)ethyl ether
CAS #
9041-94-5
Form
Powder
Functions
Antistatic
Film Forming
Creates a physical seal on skin to lock moisture in and keep irritants out. The "slugging" ingredient — barrier protection.
Skin Conditioning
A catch-all term for ingredients that improve how skin looks and feels — softer, smoother, more supple. The workhorse behind most moisturizers.
Locks in moisture
Traditional Use
Modern starch derivative created through chemical modification. Developed as a conditioning and thickening agent for cosmetics, designed to improve the sensory feel and stability of formulations while leveraging starch's traditional use as a natural thickener.
EWG
4
CIR
Safe as used
Pregnancy
Yes
CIR Safety Findings
Not a Sensitizer
medical-approval
all-shades-safe
Concentration Guide
Dermal absorption: 2%. Source: CIR Safety Assessment (CIR Seq 680).
Regulatory Agencies
Skin Types
●all-skin-types
Best For
General
Pregnancy & Breastfeeding Safe
Yes
The paper trail
🔬Peer-reviewednone on file
⚖️Regulatory1 listing →
🛡️Safety-assessed1 review →
Counts, not a verdict. A listing isn't a study. The trail, you decide.
Verified Jun 2026
Data: CosIng · EWG · CIR