Polyglutamic Acid is a water-soluble polymeric cosmetic ingredient composed of repeating glutamic acid units. In cosmetic applications, poly-γ-glutamic acid (γ-PGA) is particularly important because of its humectant and film-forming characteristics. The recognized cosmetic ingredient name POLYGAMMA-GLUTAMIC ACID is associated with film-forming, hair-conditioning and humectant functions.
Polyglutamic Acid is commonly produced through microbial fermentation followed by purification and separation processes. Depending on the manufacturing process, molecular weight, stereochemical composition and final form can vary considerably. This is why molecular weight and assay specifications should be defined for the exact commercial cosmetic grade rather than treated as universal values.
The ingredient is generally available as a white to off-white or pale-colored powder and is soluble in water. Its combination of water affinity and polymeric film formation makes it useful in modern moisturising, skin-care and hair-care formulations.
The INCI name is POLYGLUTAMIC ACID, while POLYGAMMA-GLUTAMIC ACID is also recognized as a cosmetic ingredient designation. The commonly referenced CAS Number is 25513-46-6.
Polyglutamic Acid is a polymer, so it does not have one fixed molecular weight like a small organic molecule. A representative repeating-unit formula is (C₅H₇NO₃)ₙ, with a repeating-unit molecular mass of approximately 129.11 g/mol.
Commercial γ-PGA materials can have molecular weights ranging from thousands to millions of Daltons. Published technical literature describes γ-PGA molecular weights from approximately 50 kDa to 2,000 kDa, while individual cosmetic grades may be specifically manufactured around 5 kDa, 700 kDa or other molecular-weight ranges.
Polyglutamic Acid should also be distinguished from Sodium Polyglutamate, which is the sodium salt and has its own INCI identity.
Polyglutamic Acid functions primarily as a humectant and film-forming cosmetic ingredient. Its polymer structure can associate with water and help maintain moisture within a cosmetic formulation and on the application surface.
Its film-forming property enables the ingredient to create a continuous polymeric layer on the skin or hair. This characteristic makes γ-PGA useful in moisturising formulations where both water retention and surface conditioning are desired.
Recognized cosmetic functionality for polygamma-glutamic acid includes humectant, film forming and hair conditioning. These functions make it relevant to both skin-care and hair-care formulation development.
Performance depends strongly on molecular weight, concentration, polymer grade, pH and the other ingredients present in the formulation.
Polyglutamic Acid Cosmetic Ingredient can be incorporated into facial serums, moisturising creams, lotions, gels, facial masks, toners, essences, eye-care products and other hydration-focused skin-care formulations.
Its film-forming and hair-conditioning characteristics also make it applicable to shampoos, conditioners, hair masks, leave-in treatments and other personal-care products.
Different molecular-weight grades can be selected according to formulation requirements. High-molecular-weight grades can provide stronger surface film characteristics and viscosity effects, while lower-molecular-weight grades may offer different sensory and formulation behavior. These effects should be confirmed using the selected commercial grade.
Polyglutamic Acid is generally water soluble, making incorporation into the aqueous phase practical. Hydration conditions, temperature, mixing rate and addition sequence should be optimized to prevent polymer agglomeration and obtain uniform dispersion.
A documented cosmetic-grade γ-PGA specification reports purity of at least 92% by HPLC, molecular weight approximately 700 kDa, loss on drying NMT 10%, pH 5.0–7.0, heavy metals NMT 20 ppm as Pb, and cosmetic-grade total plate count NMT 500 CFU/g. These figures represent a specific commercial grade and are not universal specifications for every Polyglutamic Acid product.
Molecular weight should always be stated because it can significantly affect viscosity, film formation, hydration behavior and formulation performance.
Polyglutamic Acid is a specialty cosmetic raw material for manufacturers developing hydration, conditioning and film-forming skin-care and hair-care formulations.
For B2B sourcing, important quality parameters include polymer purity, molecular weight, moisture, pH, heavy metals, clarity and microbiological quality. Selecting an appropriate molecular-weight grade is especially important for achieving the required formulation characteristics.
As a Polyglutamic Acid Cosmetic Ingredient Manufacturer in India, the product can support cosmetic and personal-care formulation requirements where controlled polymer characteristics, water compatibility and bulk ingredient supply are required.
| Parameter | Specification |
|---|---|
| Appearance | White or colourless crystals / white powder |
| Assay (HPLC) | NLT 92.0% |
| Loss on Drying | NMT 10.0% |
| Heavy Metals | NMT 20 ppm |
| pH (1% Solution) | 5.0 – 7.0 |
| Water Content | NMT 10.0% |