l-glycine ●
TL;DR. This ingredient is used mainly as a humectant and skin-conditioning agent, helping formulas bind water and support a smoother feel. It can also contribute mild buffering and hair-conditioning benefits in rinse-off products.
What does l-glycine do in a cosmetic formula?
This ingredient is used mainly as a humectant and skin-conditioning agent, helping formulas bind water and support a smoother feel. It can also contribute mild buffering and hair-conditioning benefits in rinse-off products.
Is l-glycine clean?
This ingredient has a strong clean-standard profile, with low irritation potential and no common restricted-list concerns. It is a simple body-identical building block, so it is generally viewed as well tolerated in skin and hair care.
Is l-glycine sustainable?
This ingredient can be made by fermentation, protein hydrolysis, or chemical synthesis, so its sustainability depends on the production route. It is water-soluble, readily biodegradable, and not associated with environmental persistence or bioaccumulation concerns.
Is l-glycine COSMOS-approved?
This ingredient can be compatible with COSMOS-natural and COSMOS-organic standards when made from permitted natural, fermentation-derived, or otherwise compliant feedstocks and processes. From a Green Chemistry view, it scores well for biodegradability and low persistence, while renewable sourcing improves its alignment further.
How does l-glycine work chemically?
The molecule is a small zwitterionic amino acid with acidic and basic functional groups, with pKa values around 2.3 and 9.6 and an isoelectric point near pH 6. It is typically used at about 0.1% to 2% in cosmetic formulas, is stable across normal cosmetic pH ranges, and can interact with reducing sugars under heat through browning-type reactions.
Last updated 2026-05-14