HYDRATOR
Sodium PCA
Sodium PCA
A water-loving humectant based on PCA, one of the natural moisturising factors found in skin, used to help skin feel hydrated and hair feel soft.
Source
Sodium salt of pyrrolidone carboxylic acid, from plant sources or synthesis
Used for
Hydration, skin and hair
How it works
Part of skin's own moisture kit.
Sodium PCA is the sodium salt of pyrrolidone carboxylic acid, also called pyroglutamic acid. PCA itself is one of the skin's natural moisturising factors, the mix of water-attracting compounds in the outer layer of skin that helps keep it hydrated.
Those natural moisturising factors, which include amino acids, urea, lactate and PCA, help regulate the water content of the outer skin layer and contribute to how supple and comfortable skin feels. Sodium PCA works in the same way in a formula: it is a humectant, drawing in and holding moisture.
Because it is also a hair conditioning and antistatic ingredient, sodium PCA turns up in shampoos, conditioners and hair masks as well as in toners, gels and creams. It suits every skin type, morning or night.
Those natural moisturising factors, which include amino acids, urea, lactate and PCA, help regulate the water content of the outer skin layer and contribute to how supple and comfortable skin feels. Sodium PCA works in the same way in a formula: it is a humectant, drawing in and holding moisture.
Because it is also a hair conditioning and antistatic ingredient, sodium PCA turns up in shampoos, conditioners and hair masks as well as in toners, gels and creams. It suits every skin type, morning or night.
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01
A humectant that draws in and holds moisture
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02
Based on PCA, one of skin's own natural moisturising factors
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03
Helps hair feel soft and easy to comb
Questions
What does PCA stand for?
PCA is short for pyrrolidone carboxylic acid, also known as pyroglutamic acid or 5-oxoproline. Sodium PCA is its sodium salt, a form that dissolves readily in water-based formulas. (COSMILE Europe; PubChem)
Is PCA naturally found in skin?
Yes. PCA is one of the skin's natural moisturising factors, alongside amino acids, urea, lactate and minerals. Together they help regulate the water content of the skin's outer layer and contribute to its suppleness. PCA has been measured directly in samples of the outer skin layer taken from volunteers. (Baldwin and Del Rosso, 2024; Tsurumachi et al., 2023)
Why is sodium PCA used in hair care?
As well as being a humectant, it is listed as a hair conditioning and antistatic ingredient. It helps leave hair easy to comb, soft and shiny, and reduces static, which is why it appears in shampoos, conditioners and masks. (COSMILE Europe)
Where it comes from
Sodium PCA is the sodium salt of pyrrolidone carboxylic acid (PCA), also called sodium pyroglutamate. (PubChem)
Cosmetic sodium PCA may be of plant or synthetic origin. The European cosmetic ingredient database groups it with humectants, hair conditioning agents and skincare ingredients, and lists PCA itself as a humectant and moisturising ingredient. (COSMILE Europe)
Cosmetic sodium PCA may be of plant or synthetic origin. The European cosmetic ingredient database groups it with humectants, hair conditioning agents and skincare ingredients, and lists PCA itself as a humectant and moisturising ingredient. (COSMILE Europe)
The research
- Baldwin H, Del Rosso J. Going Beyond Ceramides in Moisturizers: The Role of Natural Moisturizing Factors. Journal of Drugs in Dermatology. 2024;23(6):466-471. PMID: 38834224. (opens in a new tab)
- Tsurumachi M, Kamata Y, Tominaga M, Ishikawa J, Hideshima T, Shimizu E, Kaneko T, Suga Y, Takamori K. Increased production of natural moisturizing factors and bleomycin hydrolase activity in elderly human skin. Journal of Dermatological Science. 2023;110(1):2-9. PMID: 37003921. (opens in a new tab)
- COSMILE Europe (Cosmetics Europe) cosmetic ingredient database: Sodium PCA (sodium salt of pyrrolidone carboxylic acid; functions: antistatic, hair conditioning, humectant, skin conditioning; origin: plant/synthetic) (opens in a new tab)
- COSMILE Europe (Cosmetics Europe) cosmetic ingredient database: PCA (Pyrrolidone Carboxylic Acid; Pyroglutamic Acid, 5-Oxoproline; functions: humectant, moisturising) (opens in a new tab)
- National Center for Biotechnology Information. PubChem Compound Summary for CID 23668602, Sodium Pidolate (sodium L-pyroglutamate, sodium pyrrolidone-5-carboxylate, C5H6NNaO3) (opens in a new tab)
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