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

Is Zinc PCA natural?

Yes. Both the zinc mineral and the PCA, made from fermented glutamic acid, are natural origin.

INCI nameZinc PCA
CAS68107-75-5
FormulaC10H12N2O6Zn · 321.6 Da
FunctionHumectant · Skin Conditioning
FeedstockMade by neutralising pyrrolidone carboxylic acid, produced from…

How we scored it

Zinc salt of PCA (from fermented glutamic acid): mineral zinc + natural amino-acid-derived anion → total/total = 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.

How it’s made

Cyclisation of glutamic acid to pyroglutamic acid (lactam), then zinc salt. The film draws the key step and names the steps after it. Each curved arrow moves one electron pair, and the film ends on the score above.

Where it comes from

Made by neutralising pyrrolidone carboxylic acid, produced from fermented glutamic acid, with a zinc mineral salt. Both building blocks are natural origin.

In plain English

A humectant that helps skin draw in and hold moisture, with mild oil-balancing properties. It is made by combining zinc with PCA, a natural derivative of the amino acid glutamic acid.

Structure

2D structure of Zinc PCA

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

PubChem CID 11602214 ↗

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. 2Zinc PCA. PubChem CID 11602214. National Center for Biotechnology Information. pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov ↗
  3. 3ZINC PCA. CosIng — European Commission cosmetic ingredient database. ec.europa.eu/cosing ↗
  4. 4ZINC PCA. CosIng u2014 European Commission database for information on cosmetic substances and ingredients. https://ec.europa.eu/growth/tools-databases/cosing/search?search=ZINC%20PCA