How we scored it
Where it comes from
PCA (pyroglutamic acid) is made from fermentation-derived L-glutamic acid, then esterified with a synthetic methylsilanetriol from organosilicon chemistry.
In plain English
A moisture-binding ingredient combining a natural amino-acid derivative, made from fermented glutamic acid, with a small silicon-based molecule made through industrial chemistry.
Natural alternatives with the same function
A stabilised, water-soluble form of vitamin C used as an antioxidant and humectant in skincare. It is made…
Acer Saccharum Sap 100% natural originSap tapped straight from sugar maple trees, used as a humectant to help skin hold onto moisture. It's…
Achillea Millefolium Flower Extract 100% natural originAn extract made from yarrow flowers, a plant long used in traditional herbal preparations. Used to help condition…
Acorus Gramineus Extract 100% natural originAn extract from the whole grass-leaved sweet flag plant, used to help skin retain moisture. It is a…
Acronychia Acidula Fruit Extract 100% natural originAn extract of lemon aspen, an Australian native fruit, used to condition skin and hair and help hold…
Adansonia Grandidieri Seed Oil 100% natural originA nourishing oil pressed from the seeds of the Madagascar baobab tree. It's used to condition skin and…
Structure
[dihydroxy(methyl)silyl] (2S)-5-oxopyrrolidine-2-carboxylate
References
- 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.
- 2Methylsilanol PCA. PubChem CID 72941639. National Center for Biotechnology Information. pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov ↗
- 3METHYLSILANOL PCA. CosIng — European Commission cosmetic ingredient database. ec.europa.eu/cosing ↗
- 4METHYLSILANOL PCA. CosIng u2014 European Commission database for information on cosmetic substances and ingredients. https://ec.europa.eu/growth/tools-databases/cosing/search?search=METHYLSILANOL%20PCA