Glycine

Glycine is the smallest and simplest of the amino acids that make up the proteins in our body. It is non-essential and abundant in skin proteins such as keratin.

Glycine is a humectant moisturizing (able to retain water to the skin’s surface) and pH stabilizing ingredient, which can help with a skincare product’s stability.

Some recent studies suggest that topically applied glycine may be able to accelerate the barrier repair of damaged skin. This does not imply that glycine repairs the skin barrier, only that that it slightly speeds up the healing process.

Glycine is a small, water-soluble molecule and so is easily washed away from the skin’s surface (unless the product contains ingredients that can prevent that). Otherwise, the product needs to be re-applied in order for the skin to receive the maximum moisturization benefits of glycine.