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Sodium PCA

NaPCA

Well toleratedHumectanthumectantskin conditioning

No meaningful concern for most people; irritation is possible but rare.

Also written as: Sodium Pyrrolidone Carboxylic Acid · Sodium Pyroglutamate · NaPCA

What it is

Sodium PCA is the sodium salt of pyrrolidone carboxylic acid, which the skin produces itself when it breaks down the protein filaggrin. It is one of the largest components of natural moisturising factor, the mix of small molecules that keeps the outer skin layer flexible. Cosmetic Sodium PCA is made by fermentation and is chemically the same as the skin's own.

What it does well

  • Binds water very efficiently and mirrors the skin's own moisturising system

    Sodium PCA is more water-attracting than glycerin by weight and works by replenishing a compound the skin already relies on. Levels of it are known to be reduced in dry and eczema-prone skin.

    Moderate evidence

Worth knowing

  • No meaningful safety concerns

    Sodium PCA is a natural skin constituent, is not a recognised sensitiser, and carries no EU restriction.

    Matters most toNo specific group.

Where the EU stands

No specific restriction

Permitted in EU cosmetics with no concentration limit. It is not listed in the banned, restricted or preservative annexes of the Cosmetics Regulation.

Masks that contain Sodium PCA