Alanine is an amino acid permanently produced in the human body. It is included in beauty formulations as an effective skin humectant.
Amino acids
Amino acids are organic compounds produced from the amine and carboxylic acid functional group. The key elements of amino acids are carbon, oxygen, nitrogen, and hydrogen. There are about 500 amino acids that can be classified in six main ways -- The Aliphatic, Hydroxyl, Cyclic, Aromatic, Basic, and Acidic plus their amide. Further, other non-protein amino acids act as metabolic intermediates.
Amino acids have not only found their uses in human nutrition but also in the cosmetic industry. In human nutrition, amino acids are used to synthesize proteins and additional biomolecules thus they are vastly found in the human body. These compounds are the building blocks our organism uses to build its proteins, enzymes, and peptides.
Famous skin proteins collagen, elastin, and keratin are also made of amino acids. In addition, they are oxidized to urea and carbon dioxide to generate energy.
However, the function of amino acids is not limited to just being building material for dermal proteins. They are also involved in regulating a large number of processes associated with skin healing, moisture retention (NMFs), and protection from UV irradiation. Due to their comprehensive beneficial features, safety, and insensibility, amino acids are common ingredients in many beauty concoctions.
Mild cleaning amino acid agent; cleans in a mild, gentle, skin-friendly way and leaves the skin feeling silky and pleasant.
Arginine is an amino acid found in red algae, buckwheat, and human skin. Arginine supports the regeneration of the skin's moisture-binding system and has a relaxing effect on the skin.
A amino acid derived from beets that increases hydration and offers skin protection. Improves mitochondrial activity and balances moisture, reduces skin irritation.
Capryloyl glycine is an amide of Glycine (amino acid) and Caprylic acid (a fatty acid that contains eight carbon atoms in the chain). It's a member of the N-acyl glycines family, normally occurring in human tissues, so it's a safe component for skin care formulations.
Carnitine Isomerized Linoleate is a conjugate of L-Carnitine with linoleic acid, a lipolytic, energizing, and anti-cellulite ingredient. This slimming agent delivers a notable reduction of body fat and the development of thin mass.
Creatine is an amino acid derivative (non-proteinogenic amino acid) found naturally in the skin. It acts as an energy reservoir essential for the energy supply and function of the cells, participating in ATP production, which is a universal fuel molecule.
Dihydroxyphenyl Benzimidazole Carboxylic Acid is a functional ingredient with anti-pollution, anti-oxidant, anti-aging, and sun filter booster activity. It can compensate for damaging factors involved in environmental pollution.
Disodium EDTA (Edetate disodium) is a sodium salt of a water-solvable amino acid that stabilizes emulsions and increases formulations' shelf-life, preventing reactions between ingredients. It is also a strong anionic chelating agent that binds metal ions (cations) like Calcium, Nickel, Chromium, Iron, and etc., from the outer layer of the skin.
Ectoin supports the moisture-binding capacity of the skin, has a moisturizing and anti-inflammatory effect and stabilises the cell structures by protecting cell membranes.
This substance, produced naturally in the body and evident as OCTN-1 transporter in dermal fibroblasts, is an extremely stable colorless and odorless antioxidant.
Glycine is a small-molecule nonessential amino acid. It's a proteinogenic amino acid, an important precursor of collagen which contains about 35% glycine in the chain.
Merging of various amino acids for a moisturizing base complex that further optimizes the moistening and deep penetration of moisture of the skin.
Alpha-MSH (melanocyte-stimulating hormone), is best known as a major factor in the regulation of pigmentation through its unique mechanism. Alpha-MSH is involved in the control of tyrosinase activity, melanin synthesis, and melanosome transfer.
Palmitoyl glycine is a pearly delicate surfactant ingredient, a product of the condensation of palmitic acid with glycine amino acid. Derived from natural raw materials, it has unique characteristics:
PCA or Pyrrolidone Carboxylic Acid, naturally occurring in the skin, is an amino acid, a metabolite of Filaggrin. Pyrrolidone Carboxylic Acid is one of the most important NMFs (natural moisturizing factors) of the skin.
Potassium Olivoyl PCA is a vegetal softening lipo-amino acid as a fatty acid vehicle an emollient, and moisturizing agent, and a softening surfactant.
Proline is the main building block of dermal collagen. Due to its significant role in skin structure maintenance and easy absorbance proline is a prominent ingredient of anti-aging skin care formulations.
Sarcosine (N-methyl glycine) is a natural amino acid found in human body tissues and ubiquitous in raw food such as egg yolks, meat, vegetables, and legume seeds.
Sepicalm™ S is a lipo-aminoacid-based complex enriched minerals and vectorized essential amino acids for all-around protection against stress, a genuine feeling of well-being, and skin comfort.
Serine is a small-molecule nonessential amino acid, the precursor of Glycine, thus involved in the synthesis of collagen. It also a part of essential NMFs (natural moisturizing factors) preventing transepidermal water loss.
Silk Amino Acids is a mixture obtained from pure silk fibers by hydrolysis to their free amino acids under carefully controlled conditions. The principal amino acids in this ingredient are glycine, alanine, and serine.
Sodium (disodium) Cocoyl Glutamate is a conjugate of coconut oil fatty acids and glutamic acid present in the collagen. It is a mild anionic surfactant and detergent used in cleansing formulations based on mostly botanical ingredients.
Sodium PCA is contained abundantly in the skin and plays the role of a "natural moisturizing factor" (NMF) ingredient. It is extremely hygroscopic and imparts a pleasant moist feeling to skin and hair.
Sodium stearoyl glutamate is derived from L-Glutamic acid and natural fatty acid (stearoyl acid), an anionic surfactant with a pH similar to human skin
Tetrasodium EDTA is a sodium salt of ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (diamine amino acid), a widely used chelating agent against metal ions.
Voluform™ (Palmitoyl Isoleucine) is a lipo-amino acid, an active ingredient that acts on every layer of the skin, providing volume, firming, and detoxifying dermal tissues.
Zinc has a critical role in the metabolism of one of the most important proteins in the epidermis called Filaggrin (filament aggregating protein). Metabolites of Filaggrin are NMFs (natural moisturizing factors) attracting water molecules and improving skin hydration.