Ingredient guide · S

Sodium PCA

Sodium PCA is a naturally derived humectant commonly used in UK skincare and haircare to attract and hold moisture. It helps keep skin and hair feeling soft, smooth and hydrated without any greasy residue. You’ll often find it in moisturisers, serums, masks and conditioners.

Sodium PCA — Sodium PCA is derived from glutamic acid, an amino acid typically sourced from fermente… | UK Lips ingredient guide

How it works in skincare

In cosmetics Sodium PCA functions as a highly effective humectant that draws water from the air and the deeper layers of the skin to the surface, helping to maintain optimal hydration levels. It is a derivative of pyrrolidone carboxylic acid, a component naturally present in the skin’s natural moisturising factor, allowing it to integrate seamlessly into formulations and improve the texture and feel of creams, lotions and hair products.

Key benefits

  • Attracts and binds moisture to the skin
  • Improves skin softness and smoothness
  • Enhances product texture and spreadability
  • Helps reduce feelings of tightness in dry skin
  • Conditions and hydrates hair without weighing it down
  • Boosts overall skin hydration in lightweight formulas

Best for

dry skin, dehydrated skin, normal skin, sensitive skin, mature skin

Where it comes from

Sodium PCA is derived from glutamic acid, an amino acid typically sourced from fermented plant sugars such as sugar beet or corn.

Products with Sodium PCA

Not every product on UK Lips lists a full ingredient breakdown — so there may be many more formulas that contain Sodium PCA than we can show here. These are the comparisons where we’ve confirmed it in the listed ingredients.

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