Polyglutamic acid

Polyglutamic acid is a water-soluble humectant capable of attracting and holding water within skin and on its surface. It’s a polymer of the amino acid glutamic acid that’s made via bacterial fermentation using various types of skin-friendly Bacillus, a gram-positive, rod-shaped bacteria. The resulting ingredient has been shown to rival hydrating results of hyaluronic acid; in fact, some studies indicate it surpasses hyaluronic acid, although it does not have that ingredient’s antioxidant or skin-soothing properties, nor is polyglutamic acid naturally found in skin.

Although it’s not as well-rounded in the benefits-for-skin department as hyaluronic acid, polyglutamic acid remains a worthwhile ingredient. Just like hyaluronic acid, it’s available in various molecular weights, some capable of penetrating skin’s uppermost layers for multi-level hydration and prevention of water loss that leads to dehydration.

Another aspect of polyglutamic acid that it shares with hyaluronic acid is that it forms what’s described as a hydrogel mesh network. This network expands to attract and hold water plus aid delivery of antioxidants (such as quercetin and ferulic acid) to skin that would otherwise prove difficult.