Polyglutamic Acid: Why you need this NOW

In what feels like the never ending quest to look great, there is an endless line of new miracle products and treatments always being touted.  Sometimes I think skincare has an even shorter shelf life than technology. By the time I finish my first tube of the latest “miracle product” there’s another one on the market. Few products truly stand the test of time with so many new products constantly coming out. No wonder so many women find this overwhelming. Its exhausting.  But there are new products that are worth talking about and polyglutamic acid is one of them.  

What is Polyglutamic Acid? 

Turns out that polyglutamic acid  could be a skin savior if added to your skin care routine.  Besides being our new BFF for the upcoming winter months, polyglutamic acid shares a lot of properties with hyualronic acid. Polyglutamic acid comes from fermented soybeans making it edible, water-soluble, non-toxic and biodegradable. ( Who knew that your soy latte and skin care were cousins??)

Like I mentioned before, it is similar to hyaluronic acid. And by now we all know about the amazing qualities in hyaluronic acid and its Goliath ability to retain moisture in our skin.  While polyglutamic acid is similar to hyaluronic acid, it actually has the ability to retain even more moisture! The exact amount depends on who you ask. Some say it holds 4 times the moisture of HA and still others say it can hold up to 10 times more. I’ll take either one. :-)  

This is a welcome bit of news as the cooler weather sets in and we can all use some more moisture in our skin. Not to mention that more moisture will plump our skin and reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. And all of this without an injection. 

Polyglutamic Acid is not exactly  like hyaluronic acid though. HA has a smaller molecular structure and can penetrate deeper than polyglutamic acid can.  But another key difference, is that polyglutamic acid forms a protective  film on your skin that actually keeps all of this moisture from evaporating! HA gets into the deeper layers of the skin and moisturizes but PGA hangs closer to the outer  layers of skin where it also moisturizes and keeps the moisture right where it belongs… On our faces, making us look our best.

This little gem not only maintains mountains of moisture, it also carries anti-aging, anti-wrinkle and face rejuvenating properties.  Turns out polyglutamic acid has quite the goody bag when it comes to our skin. And if that’s not enough, PGA has been found to be effective in very low concentrations, as low as 0.1%

I’m personally super excited about polyglutamic acid as winter skin is THE worst for me. I have always had a little dry skin which wasn’t a huge problem growing up down south. NO ONE has dry skin in the summer with the humidity. And I learned that what I thought was “winter skin” down south, was truly nothing more than a nuisance. I learned this by experiencing a REAL winter, as in a massive-snowstorm-with-5-foot-snow-drifts kind of winter my first winter living above the Mason Dixon. So needless to say, I found a whole new layer to my winter skin issue. 

But I digress, back to polyglutamic acid.

A 2015 report from Microbiology Society showed that polyglutamic acid improved elasticity of the skin moreso than collagen and HA over a 28 day period.

And if that weren’t enough, it may also be preventative in the formation of fine lines and wrinkles, not just reducing their appearance.

Another reason I have fallen for polyglutamic acid, is that it improves absorption and quality of my other skin care products. I love any product that not only has its own redeeming qualities, but makes my other products more effective too.

Due to its larger molecular size and the fact that it forms a protective layer on our skin, layering polyglutamic acid into your skin care routine must be done in the right order to be effective. I use my aloe vera gel first, then I layer any serums or facial oils, followed by polyglutamic acid, then my moisturizer and sunscreen (if doing my morning routine.) Basically, polyglutamic acid is the last step before moisturizer as you want to trap all the goodness you just poured into your skin. 

There are no known negative reactions to polyglutamic acid but if you are concerned or have sensitive skin, a patch test is always a good idea.  

Ok, so you’re sold. Now, where to find this stuff?

There are several lines with polyglutamic acid in their serums and they range anywhere from $50-$220 a bottle. But my absolute favorite PGA product is The Inkey List Polyglutamic Acid Hydrating Serum @ Sephora for $15. WIth a concentration of 3%, I have seen  noticeable results after about a week of using this product. Honestly, I haven't been able to find another product that is solely PGA, so if you know of one or have one for sell, please drop me a line in the comments and let me know! 

Polyglutamic AcidvHighlights: 

• Polyglutamic acid is water-soluble, non-toxic and biodegradeable
• PGA retains anywhere from 4-10 times more moisture than hyaluronic acid (Depending on the source)
• Polyglutamic Acid forms a protective film that keeps moisture from evaporating from our face
• PGA has anti-aging, anti-wrinkle, and face rejuvenating properties
• Polyglutamic Acid improves absorption and quality of other skin care products in our skincare routine

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