GLUTAMIC ACID

📋 Quick facts

Description: GLUTAMIC ACID — amino acid, part of the skin natural moisturizing factor (NMF).

All Functions: amino acid, part of the skin natural moisturizing factor (NMF)

Quick Facts:

• Category: humectant

Proven Benefits At A Glance:

• Glutamic acid is a natural compound that acts as a signaling molecule in skin
• Research shows glutamic acid may promote keratinocyte (skin cell) proliferation and hair growth when applied topically
• Glutamic acid can be used in skincare as poly-γ-glutamic acid (γ-PGA), a water-soluble biopolymer that is biodegradable and non-toxic
• When combined with hyaluronic acid, glutamic acid showed stronger anti-inflammatory effects than hyaluronic acid alone in research models
• Glutamic acid may help support skin barrier repair by improving skin compactness and thickness

⚗️ Chemical Overview

Glutamic acid is an alpha-amino acid that is glutaric acid bearing a single amino substituent at position 2. It has a role as a fundamental metabolite. It is a polar amino acid and an alpha-amino acid. It contains a 2-carboxyethyl group. It is a conjugate acid of a glutamate(1-). DL-glutamic acid has been reported in Trifolium repens, Trifolium pratense, and other organisms with data available. See also: L-Glutamic Acid (annotation moved to); DL-Glutamic acid monohydrate (annotation moved to).

Source(s): LOTUS – the natural products occurrence database, PubChem, ChEBI, via PubChem

📊 Comedogenicity

🛡️ Safety rating

Safety tier is a starting heuristic from regulatory status and comedogenic rating, not a dermatological verdict — see our Terms for the full disclaimer. Research confidence reflects how many real cited studies back this ingredient, not the strength of their findings.

🌍 Regulatory Status

💧 Skin Type Compatibility

⚠️ Don’t Combine With

📚 Research & Evidence

🔬 The Science

Glutamic acid is an amino acid—one of the building blocks of proteins—that naturally exists in your body as a neurotransmitter (a chemical messenger). In skincare, it’s used in two main forms: as free glutamic acid or as part of a larger molecule called poly-γ-glutamic acid (γ-PGA), which is a biopolymer made of repeating glutamic acid units linked together. According to research in *Biotechnol Adv* and *Int J Mol Sci*, γ-PGA is biodegradable, water-soluble, non-toxic, and has good biocompatibility—meaning it works well with skin. A 2021 study in *Sci Rep* identified a novel mechanism: #1: exogenous (externally applied) glutamic acid promotes hair growth and increases keratinocyte proliferation, the process by which skin cells multiply and regenerate.

The same study showed that topical glutamic acid decreased genes related to apoptosis (cell death) in skin and increased cell viability in human keratinocyte cultures. Researchers identified this happens through a skin signaling pathway mediated by glutamic acid acting like a neurotransmitter in peripheral tissues. The study notes this raises potential for using glutamic acid to treat skin diseases, though specific disease applications would require further research. More recently, a 2024 study in *Skin Res Technol* investigated whether combining glutamic acid with hyaluronic acid (HA)—a well-known skin hydration ingredient—could enhance benefits. #2: When glutamic acid was chemically grafted onto hyaluronic acid to create HA-Glu, the compound showed stronger inhibition of inflammatory markers (IL-1α, IL-6, and TNF-α) compared to hyaluronic acid alone in fibroblast tests and 3D skin models.

The same research indicated that #3: HA-Glu could improve skin barrier repair by increasing the compactness of the stratum corneum (the outermost dead skin layer) and increasing thickness of the living cell layer beneath it. The researchers suggest this compound could help alleviate inflammation-related skin symptoms and signs of aging. However, these findings come from laboratory and ex vivo studies; the extent to which these benefits translate to real-world topical use on intact human skin requires additional research.

📄 Related Research

Matched by search — not necessarily verified support for every statement above.

• Cao M et al. (2018). Genetic and metabolic engineering for microbial production of poly-γ-glutamic acid. Biotechnol Adv.
• Hsueh YH et al. (2017). Poly-γ-glutamic Acid Synthesis, Gene Regulation, Phylogenetic Relationships, and Role in Fermentation. Int J Mol Sci.
• Wang G et al. (2020). The Application and Functional Progress of γ-Poly-Glutamic Acid in Food: A Mini-Review. Curr Pharm Des.
• Jara CP et al. (2021). Glutamic acid promotes hair growth in mice. Sci Rep.
• Jiang FR et al. (2024). Glutamic-acid grafted hyaluronic acid inhibits inflammatory factors via fibroblast and skin model tests. Skin Res Technol.

🧴 Products Containing GLUTAMIC ACID

• Eucerin UreaRepair PLUS 10%
• BCL Kansosan Skincare Moisture Base AQ
• Karseell Maca Essential Oil
• Procter & Gamble Norge AS Hårkur 3 minute Miracle 225 ml
• Herbal Essences Crimson orange & mint
• Pantene Pro-V Hair Superfood Conditioner
• PROCTER & GAMBLE NORGE AS H&S Balsam Deep Hydration Coconut 220ml
• L’Oréal, L’Oreal Consumer products, L’Oréal Paris, Elseve Elseve Liss Caresse [MK] Shampooing perfecteur
• L’Oréal, L’Oreal Consumer products, L’Oréal Paris, Elseve Elseve Total Repair 5 shampooing reconstituant (format XXL)
• Unilever, Dove DOVE Gel Douche Pouvoir des Plantes Eucalyptus 2x250ml
• Unilever, Dove DOVE Gel Douche Pouvoir des Plantes Gingembre 2x250ml
• Unilever, Dove DOVE Gel Douche Pouvoir des Plantes Eucalyptus 250ml
• head & shoulders coconut conditioner
• Aussie Total Miracle 3 Minute Miracle Conditioner w/ Apricot
• Eucerin Eucerin, Roughness Relief Lotion, Fragrance Free
• Eucerin
• Pantene Daily Moisture Conditioner
• Aussie Miracle Curls with Coconut and Jojoba Oil and Paraben Free Conditioner
• Aussie Miracle Curls with Coconut and Jojoba Paraben-Free Conditioner
• EcoLivingClub Toilet Bowl Cleaner Strips
• The Ordinary The Ordinary Glycolic Acid 7% Toning Solution (Solução tonificante de ácido glicólico 7%)
• Honest Beauty Calm On Foaming Cream Cleanser
• Honest Sensitive Shampoo + Body Wash
• Native Daily Clean Conditioner
• Honest Shampoo + Body Wash
• collagen face mask
• FILORGA TIME-FILLER Crème Absolue Correction Rides
• OleHenriksen,Ole Henriksen Banana Bright+ Instant Glow Moisturizer
• Pétrole Hahn Shampooing anti chute résistance
• Eugene Perma, Pétrole Hahn Shampooing Prévention Trichodyn (Format économique)
• Pétrole Hahn Shampooing anti chute
• Casino Les Tilapins de Casino – Shampooing très doux
• Avène Cleansing Foam
• Actiforce Fortifying care mask
• Filorga Filorga Hydra Filler 50ML
• L’Oréal, L’Oreal Consumer products, L’Oréal Paris, Elsève Total Repair 5 Soin démêlant instantané reconstituant Cicamide + Pro-Kératine
• L’Oréal, L’Oreal Consumer products, L’Oréal Paris, Elseve Elsene Total Repair 5 Miracle Instantané
• L’Oréal, L’Oreal Consumer products, L’Oréal Paris, Elseve Elseve Formule 2 en 1 Total Repair Shampooing reconstituant
• L’Oréal, L’Oreal Consumer products, L’Oréal Paris, Elseve Elseve Total Repair Cica Crème
• L’Oréal, L’Oreal Consumer products, L’Oréal Paris, Elseve Elseve Total Repair 5