SODIUM PCA

📋 Quick facts

Description: SODIUM PCA — hydration, natural moisturizing factor component.

All Functions: hydration, natural moisturizing factor component

Quick Facts:

• Category: humectant

Proven Benefits At A Glance:

• Sodium PCA is a humectant and skin conditioning agent used in cosmetics
• It’s considered safe for cosmetic use at current concentrations by the Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel
• Naturally present in skin, it helps skin retain moisture
• Research shows it may help restore the skin’s lipid (fat) barrier structure
• In a study of eczema-prone skin, a moisturizer containing sodium PCA plus other ingredients improved hydration by 44%

⚗️ Chemical Overview

The CIR Expert Panel concluded that PCA (i.e., 2-pyrrolidone-5-carboxylic acid), calcium PCA, magnesium PCA, potassium PCA, and sodium PCA are safe in cosmetics in the present practices of use and concentration described in this safety assessment. PCA and its salts should not be used in cosmetic products in which N-nitroso compounds can be formed. See also: Aluminum Chloride (related); Calcium Sulfate (related); Monosodium Glutamate (related) … View More …

Source(s): PubChem, Cosmetic Ingredient Review (CIR), 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

Sodium PCA is the sodium salt form of pyrrolidone carboxylic acid (PCA), a compound that functions as both a humectant—meaning it draws water into the skin—and a skin conditioning agent (Int J Toxicol, 2019). The ingredient is noteworthy because it’s actually present naturally in human skin as part of the skin’s natural moisturizing factor. #1: Safety: The Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel has concluded that PCA and its sodium salt are safe for use in cosmetics at current concentrations and practices (Int J Toxicol, 2019). However, these ingredients should not be used in products where N-nitroso compounds might form. #2: Moisture retention: When researchers tested sodium PCA on skin samples, they found it helped restore order to the skin’s lipid (fat) structures that had become disordered.

The mechanism appears to involve sodium PCA penetrating skin and absorbing water, which then helps reorganize the lipid bilayer—essentially the structural scaffolding of the outermost skin layer (Biomed Mater Eng, 1995). This restoration ability was most effective when the skin’s lipids had been loosened by water displacement rather than direct structural damage. #3: Real-world performance in eczema: In a 2-week study of 25 people with mild-to-moderate eczema, a moisturizer formulation containing sodium PCA (alongside other humectants like glycerin and sodium hyaluronate, barrier-repair ingredients like ceramides, and botanical anti-inflammatories) showed a 44% increase in skin hydration measured objectively, plus a 79% reduction in itching (J Cosmet Dermatol, 2016).

It’s important to note this was a multi-ingredient product, so sodium PCA’s individual contribution cannot be isolated from the formula. #4: Delivery challenges: Recent research indicates that while sodium PCA is effective, getting it to concentrate specifically where it’s most useful—in the corneocytes (the dead skin cells that make up the stratum corneum)—has been technically difficult (Int J Pharm, 2025). Scientists are exploring complexation techniques to improve how much sodium PCA accumulates in these skin cells, suggesting this remains an area of active development.

📄 Related Research

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

• Fiume MM et al. (2019). Safety Assessment of PCA (2-Pyrrolidone-5-Carboxylic Acid) and Its Salts as Used in Cosmetics. Int J Toxicol.
• Draelos ZD (2016). A pilot study investigating the efficacy of botanical anti-inflammatory agents in an OTC eczema therapy. J Cosmet Dermatol.
• Lin SY et al. (1995). Direct or indirect skin lipid-ordering effect of pyrrolidone carboxylate sodium after topical treatment with penetration enhancers. Biomed Mater Eng.
• Fujii MY et al. (2025). Novel design of pyrrolidonecarboxylic acid and sodium dilauramidoglutamide lysine complex for targeted drug delivery to human stratum corneum. Int J Pharm.

🧴 Products Containing SODIUM PCA

• Alverde alverde coffein shampoo
• DM alverde Active Nature Shampoo
• alverde Naturkosmetik Repair Spülung strapaziertes & brüchiges Haar
• Alverde Rough Nature Bartserum
• ANNEMARIE BÖRLIND mild shampoo
• Logona Naturkosmetik Anti-Schuppenshampoo
• Logona Shampoing Logona BIO Aloe + Verveine Daily Care
• Logona Shampooing soin brillance
• Lavera Glanz & Geschmeidigkeit
• Sante Naturokosmetik Gel douche Ananas bio & Citron vert
• alverde Volumen-Kick Shampoo Bio-Kiwi Bio-Apfelminze
• Alverde Repair Shampoo
• DM Alverde Naturkosmetik Shampoo Feuchtigkeit Aloe Vera & Hyaluron
• Elkos for Men Gesichtscreme
• RETINOL RETINOL SKIN CREAM
• inecto naturals
• MyProtein Hair & body wash
• Charlotte Tilbury magic eye
• L’OREAL NORGE AS Preferance 1 Napoli
• L’OREAL NORGE AS Preferance 4.15 Caracas
• L’OREAL NORGE AS Excellence 5.5 Lys Mahognibrun
• L’OREAL NORGE AS Excellence 6 MørkeBlond
• Luksja Kremowe mydło w płynie
• Bioélixire Odżywka do włosów zniszczonych
• Elmiplant Skin Moisture
• Crema de masajes
• Madre Tierra shampoo nutritivo
• Bagovit Emulsión hidratante revitalizante, efecto luminoso
• Idraet Pro Reti-C Retinol & Vitamin C
• Coop, Io Sapone liquido con glicerina naturale e aloe
• Winni’s, naturel Sapone mani Thè verde
• neutro roberts idratante con glicerina naturale
• Eau thermale Jonzac Gel Lavant Douceur
• Borotalco, Manetti & Roberts Sapone idratante Original
• Borotalco Idratante
• Caudalie Soin corps nourrissant Thé des Vignes
• queen queen
• Vidal Berries & Musk
• Natural Honey Gel de baño hidratante
• Eucerin UreaRepair PLUS 10%