Triethyl Citrate
Triethyl citrate
- Role
- A citric acid ester used in deodorants against sweat odor.
- Catalog formulas
- 22
- Type
- Odor
- Verified
- 06.11.2026
What does this ingredient do in an antiperspirant?
As COSMILE Europe describes it, skin bacteria break down triethyl citrate instead of sweat components, producing low-odor substances. CosIng also lists it as a plasticizer and a functional fragrance ingredient.
Part of a system, not a label in isolation
It is common in roll-ons, aerosols and foot products, including alongside an aluminum salt. It works on odor, not on the amount of sweat.
In 2014 the CIR included triethyl citrate in its review of citric acid and alkyl citrates and found these ingredients safe in the present practices of use and concentration.
The cited sources contain no specific irritation data for triethyl citrate; as with any ingredient, an individual reaction is possible.
It is not the same as Citric Acid: citric acid adjusts the pH, while triethyl citrate is an oily ester with a deodorant role. Nor is it an antiperspirant active.
Products containing Triethyl Citrate
Links are based on the complete published INCI list for the exact product version.
Sources
The conclusions apply to the stated conditions and jurisdictions, not automatically to every concentration or product.
- COSMILE Europe (CosIng data): Triethyl Citrate Supports: function, use in deodorants
- CIR: Safety Assessment of Citric Acid, Inorganic Citrate Salts, and Alkyl Citrate Esters (2014) Supports: safety assessment