Database/Humectant/Magnesium PCA
100% natural origin · ISO 16128

Is Magnesium PCA natural?

Yes. PCA is made from fermentation-derived glutamic acid by ring closure; magnesium counter-ion counts as natural mineral origin.

INCI nameMagnesium PCA
CAS5819-47-6
FormulaC10H12MgN2O6 · 280.52 Da
FunctionHumectant · Skin Conditioning
FeedstockManufactured by cyclising L-glutamic acid, an amino acid…

How we scored it

Pyrrolidone carboxylic acid (from fermentation-derived glutamic acid, cyclised losing water) + Mg counter-ion (natural mineral) = 1.0
What counts. ISO 16128-2 scores the atoms that remain in the final ingredient. Reagents, solvents, catalysts and protecting groups used during manufacture leave no mass behind and are not counted.

Where it comes from

Manufactured by cyclising L-glutamic acid, an amino acid produced by fermentation of plant sugars, then neutralising with magnesium hydroxide. No petrochemical fragment remains in the product.

In plain English

A humectant that mimics part of skin's own natural moisturising factor. It's made from a fermented amino acid (glutamic acid) combined with a natural magnesium mineral salt.

Structure

2D structure of Magnesium PCA

magnesium bis((2S)-5-oxopyrrolidine-2-carboxylate)

PubChem CID 18601084 ↗

References

  1. 1ISO 16128-1:2016 and ISO 16128-2:2017 — Guidelines on technical definitions and criteria for natural and organic cosmetic ingredients and products. ISO, Geneva.
  2. 2Magnesium PCA. PubChem CID 18601084. National Center for Biotechnology Information. pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov ↗
  3. 3MAGNESIUM PCA. CosIng — European Commission cosmetic ingredient database. ec.europa.eu/cosing ↗
  4. 4MAGNESIUM PCA. CosIng u2014 European Commission database for information on cosmetic substances and ingredients. https://ec.europa.eu/growth/tools-databases/cosing/search?search=MAGNESIUM%20PCA